The completed mortar shell. Low slump concrete was pressed in using the radially constrained mattock, and then troweled smooth. Bjorn and Jamie worked 6 hours on Saturday, and Ezer joined in for a 9 hour day on Sunday to get it done. We hand-shoveled all the material into a cement mixer, which mixed the whole shell on less than half a gallon of gas. Gas is awesome.

Bjorn looking stoic at the end of the second day

Ezer down in the hole, pressing in mortar

Joanne Bjorn and Jamie obeying the laws of geometry

Construction has begun for Bjornqorn’s 5 meter basin. Hard work, but Bjorn, Stephanie, Joanne and I carved it in a weekend, with an excavator removing the dirt from the hole. We undershot by a few inches so we’re aiming at 6000 watts of peak power. The basin is tilted 20 degrees to the south and has an active pump for rain water. Mortaring will happen in 2 weeks, then onto lamination and a whole lot of popcorn.

The completed commercial scale prototype, at the Quenemoen farm in Minnesota.

Caloris Basin in Tijuana at Cooperativa Organica, boiling water

A workshop in Coatzacoalcos Mexico, at the Universidad de Sotavento with a great group. 3 basins were made in an afternoon and morning, in time for tacos on the second day.

Architecture students taking their shoes off and having a good time mortaring at Universidad Sotavento.

3 basins cooking carne asada and hot dogs in Coatzacoalcos