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Solar Power System Sizing Overview | Solar Powered Rainwater Project

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on March 1, 2017 by JimApril 20, 2026
photo of the Greenhouse and Rainwater System

Learn how to approach renewable energy with this solar power system sizing overview. Using real-world data, this off-grid rainwater project walks through measuring energy use, calculating kWh, and building a reliable solar solution.

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Posted in Projects, Ranch Life | Tagged amateur, battery storage, charge, controller, DIY solar, ham radio, homesteading, inverter, kill-a-watt, kilowatt, kilowatt-hours, kWh, off-grid, panel, pwm, rainwater, renogy, resilience, solar, solar energy, solar power, solar system design, storage, wb0mmc

Weber Action Rebuild – Key Cleaning Update

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on February 22, 2017 by JimSeptember 12, 2025

In my last post, I listed the various tasks to finish key restoration. During the week, I was able to get the remaining tools to install bushings. These include a brush to apply hide glue, a small painting knife to … Continue reading →

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Posted in Projects, Ranch Life | Tagged action rebuild, animal hide glue, antique, back check, Bernerd, blanco, blanco texas, capstan, Danish oil, felt bushing, hammer and shank, Mollberg, music, piano, punchings, restoration, rocker capstan, Scotch-brite, Texas, texas hill country, weber grand piano, whiting, wippens, woodworking

Weber Action Rebuild – Removing Bushings and Cleaning

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on February 17, 2017 by JimSeptember 12, 2025

After bringing the piano keys home from Bernard’s shop last week, I was hoping to remove the key bushings and clean the wooden, ebony and ivory parts. To remove the bushings, I rigged up an old travel-sized clothes steamer and … Continue reading →

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Posted in Projects, Ranch Life | Tagged action rebuild, animal hide glue, antique, back check, Bernerd, blanco, blanco texas, capstan, Danish oil, felt bushing, hammer and shank, Mollberg, music, piano, punchings, restoration, rocker capstan, Scotch-brite, Texas, texas hill country, weber grand piano, whiting, wippens, woodworking

Weber Grand Piano Action – Teardown

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on February 8, 2017 by JimSeptember 12, 2025
photo of Bernard's shop

After months of discussion and planning, we were ready to rebuild the action in the Weber grand piano. I had moved the action to Bernard Mollberg’s shop near Blanco, Texas the previous week, and was looking forward to starting. Arriving at the … Continue reading →

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Posted in Projects, Ranch Life | Tagged action rebuild, animal hide glue, antique, back check, Bernerd, blanco, blanco texas, capstan, felt bushing, hammer and shank, Mollberg, music, piano, punchings, restoration, rocker capstan, Texas, texas hill country, weber grand piano, wippens, woodworking

Rebuilding another Piano – an 1893 Weber Grand

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on February 8, 2017 by JimSeptember 12, 2025
photo of The Weber grand today

In an earlier post about Rebuilding A Piano, I mentioned an older piano — A Weber 6-foot, 2-inch grand. I bought it from the University of Nebraska at Omaha after winning the James B. Peterson Concerto Competition. As part of … Continue reading →

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Posted in Projects, Ranch Life | Tagged chicago, columbian exposition, edison and tesla, edison and westinghouse, eugenie whitmore, eugenie whitmore charitable trust, gershwin concerto in f, illinois, james b petersen concerto competition, joslyn museum, music, omaha symphony, paderewski minuet, piano, queen anne case, restoration, tesla, the hatchet, the white city, trans-mississippi international exposition, university of nebraska at omaha, weber piano company, woodworking

International Harvester 254 – Ignition Switch

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on May 8, 2016 by JimMarch 14, 2026
photo of the back of the old switch

If your International Harvester 254 tractor won’t start and the ignition switch has failed, this wiring diagram shows how to replace the switch using an inexpensive Kubota-compatible part. I purchased a used tractor in 2003 after moving a truckload — … Continue reading →

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Posted in Projects, Ranch Life | Tagged 254, Case/IH, diesel, harvester, homesteading, ignition, international, repair, switch, tractor

The Shed Roof — Storing Lumber in the Shop

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on May 7, 2016 by JimSeptember 12, 2025
photo of the shop, as built in 2000

I built the shop at least 15 years ago, and it’s been one of the most useful projects here at the ranch. Originally, I was imagining a woodworking shop, and I even built a large, low bench and acquired some … Continue reading →

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Posted in Projects, Ranch Life | Tagged DIY, hill country, homesteading, how to, repurpose, roy creek ranch, shop, Texas, upcycle, woodworking

The Tiny House Door

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on April 26, 2016 by JimSeptember 12, 2025

Originally, Lisa and Alva were planning to purchase a commercial door for the tiny house. It made sense since door and window manufacturers can produce excellent products at reasonable prices. Or so we thought. As it turned out, the odd … Continue reading →

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Posted in Projects | Tagged hand chisel, hand plane, homesteading, how to, router, stained glass, Tiny House, woodworking

Solar Power for the Amateur Radio Station

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on December 8, 2015 by JimSeptember 12, 2025
photo of a 150-watt solar panel

After adding some solar power to our teardrop trailer, I realized how easy it would be to power part of my amateur radio station the same way. Solar panels and charge controllers had gotten relatively inexpensive, and with the addition … Continue reading →

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Posted in Projects, Ranch Life | Tagged amateur, build, charge, controller, deep cycle, equipment, ham radio, Interstate, inverter, marine, mppt, panel, pwm, renogy, solar, storage, teardrop, trailer, wb0mmc

Chainsaws and Micro Mills

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on August 22, 2015 by JimSeptember 12, 2025

We live in the woods. Live Oak and “Cedar” (a species of Juniper). There are acres of trees of all sizes and shapes. Over time, I’ve admired the beautiful work done by artists who use the idiosyncratic shapes of natural … Continue reading →

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Posted in Projects | Tagged alaskan, alaskan chainsaw mill, cedar, hill country, homesteading, live oak, sawmill, tools, woodworking

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Recent Posts

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  • Build a Great Virtual Pipe Organ | Roy Creek Ranch on Building a Great Virtual Pipe Organ: MIDI Encoders for Pedals and Stops
  • Building a Great Virtual Pipe Organ: MIDI Encoders for Pedals and Stops | Roy Creek Ranch on Building a Great Virtual Pipe Organ: Stop Tab MIDI Encoder
  • Building a Great Virtual Pipe Organ: Stop Tab MIDI Encoder | Roy Creek Ranch on Building a Great Virtual Pipe Organ: MIDI Encoders for Pedals and Stops
  • Designing A Multi-input MIDI Encoder For Multiple Switch Closures | Jim Kerkhoff on Building a Great Virtual Pipe Organ: MIDI Encoders for Pedals and Stops
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