“The Wolfe’s Den” Treehouse

Deek (Derek) Diedricksen just posted his latest Tiny Yellow House video and I thought you would enjoy viewing it. This triangular treehouse was assembled in the Catskills over two weekends, and stands as one of the larger projects Deek’s tackled for the show. His only given parameters for the design: … Read more

Vegetable Oil Heater Video

I usually post videos on Wednesday but since so many of you have been asking for this information I decided to swap the stories and you will get the video today instead. Derek “Deek” Diedricksen shares how he makes his cool little vegetable oil heater. Sorry this video took so … Read more

Book Reviews by Deek

Deek is at it again and putting out new videos right and left. This video is packed with reviews of tiny and simple living books. Deek is a jokester and performer and has a unique take on fashion. I find that most people either love him or hate him, but … Read more

The Tumbleweed Pool Party

Deek Diedricksen interviewed Jay Shafer from the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company and will be featuring Jay in his video series Tiny Yellow House in the near future. Jay got a kick out of this cartoon done by Deek so I thought you might too. So a little humor for today. … Read more

Tiny Yellow House #3

Yesterday, I went to San Francisco with Steve from Tumbleweed to the Web 2.0 Expo and when I returned Deek had notified me about the latest jam band  episode of Tiny Yellow House. So you get to hear from Deek two days in a row. Derek Diedricksen and guitarist Bill/William Bracken, … Read more

Deek’s Veggie Oil Heater

Hey Kent,

First off, thank you for this opportunity as guest article-author on your blog, and and additional thanks to yourself, and the others out there (Janzen, Kahn, Stiles, Pino, etc) who have been very helpful and supportive of what I’m doing (in regards to my 100% independent tiny housing book, and video/tv show).

As for the “Tiny Yellow House” series on youtube, the vegetable oil space heater (woodstove alternative) that was briefly shown in Episode #2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmR3kx660gw is something that I understand you (as well as I) have gotten a ton of email questions on.

All in all, since its rather difficult to just blurt out every constructive detail of the heater, I’ve sent you a hand sketched diagram of it instead, that was drawn as part of my follow-up to the book “Humble Homes, Simple Shacks…” which I’m still working on as we speak…er…as I type. The sketch, albeit busy and detail laden, should help give people the general idea I came up with, and I’m sure there ultimately will be twenty better ways to build this thing. All in all, while using a multi-wick system (more flames = more heat), this veggie-oil heater gives off a rather decent amount of heat that should be adequate for well-sealed tiny cabins, or should at least prolong your season or stay in a cabin, depending on your climate, naturally.

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