Tuesday 3rd March
Clever mobile kitchen ideas come to life thanks to Maki and Kajsa … full update coming soon!
Monday 2nd March
Barry finishes the trailer roof cupboard
Report on the finished result coming soon…!
Tuesday 17th February
Barry returns to fit the the frame he’s constructed.
Wow. Its slots in perfectly without any fixings to the trailer walls or roof! Ingenious. The next job is to fix boards (preferably ply wood) to the frame, making a cupboard. We’re looking out for the material…
…until then, Barry’s design is already helping the mobile kitchen to feel more sorted.
Monday 9th February
Barry has been busy! Designing storage space for the roof of the trailer.
“This construction means that NO HOLES are put into existing metalwork, since sides and floor hold all together with frames.”
Order of construction
1) Put framework A both ends
2) Add length bar B both sides (attach to frame A)
3) Put in vertical side C both sides (—–”—-)
4) Put in centre board D (attach to C)
5) Put in outer shelf E both sides (attach to A and C)
6) Put in centre shelf F (attach to C&D)
He left today with materials to construct the frame. He’ll return with the work in progress next Monday!
Maki & Kajsa suggest their ingenious jam jar idea for the trailer: nailing the lids onto a shelf, filling the jars with spices, herbs, teas, coffees, sugars…simply unscrew when needed!
Every chef needs a good stock of seasonings. We won’t find everything in the six mile radius, but we’d welcome spicy souvenirs from anyone traveling to exotic lands. Help a global condiment collection to grow!
Other on-the-spot designs included:
‘an idea to compliment Ella’s table: a pair of benches which fit under the table for future transport’
‘an idea for the trailer: double sided drawers’
Inspirational outdoor kitchen visualization
drawn and posted from Berlin to Energy Cafe by Florian Bach
Its beautiful. Thanks Florian!
Thursday 29th January
We met Barry during a Park Ranger Volunteers day early January. They were having a lunch break in the field station – so we took the opportunity to introduce Energy Cafe to them and let them know that we are also on the hunt for people with a bit of time to get involved in the design and construction of the site.
Barry kindly offered his time to help out – so when he came to the site we took him to the trailer to ask his opinion and brainstorm ideas for the mobile kitchen – from trailer awnings to fitting out the interior with an adequate storage system.
We have no plans on paper, instead are creating space for different ideas that spring from conversation when people visit the site. A community kitchen, made by different people – a collaborative vision. Barry got to work immediately – we discover he is factory machines designer- so we know we’re talking with an expert here!
He sketched out how we could utilize the height of the trailer and incorporate a good size storage unit into it.
Barry looks at the materials available – demonstrating possible uses…
and then discussion turned to construction of an awning. Barry – keen to test out various possibilities that incorporate the trailer top doors….
creating a natural roof top for the platform that extends out of the back of the trailer. Barry left with pen and paper in hand – with promises to return with his designs next week. Thanks Barry we look forward to seeing what you come up with!
Sunday 25th January
Dave installs the round sink
Rain clouds are on the horizon.
First job of the day: a makeshift weatherproof workshop…
…for Dave to put his brilliant carpentry skills to work, creating a surround in the trailer for the round sink he donated.
Step 1: decide on the ideal height of the sink for comfortable washing and saw a section out of the existing structure: a partially demolished cupboard.
Step 2: use a hammer and chisel to knock out the unwanted piece of hardboard.
Step 3: cut a length of sterling board about 2″ wide
Step 4: saw grooves into the length half an inch apart to make it bendy
Step 5: secure the bendy strip against the wall of the trailer with a bolt
Lunch break! The cook of the day is Anna: who made a delicious meal of rice and lentils with carrot and leek stew.
Followed by fresh coffee!
Step 6: cut two pieces of sterling board to size for the sink surround using a jigsaw
Step 7: fix the two pieces together with wood glue and clamp
Step 8: the sink fits snuggly
a bit of sealant and varnish will finish the job
with plumbing and taps to follow of course! Great work Dave! An essential kitchen item has appeared in the trailer.
We finish the day looking at the sketches and work in progress Anna (graphic designer) has made for an Energy Cafe logo. She’s also been doing a lot of research on wild food: about eating fresh pine needles tops with sugar, drinking sap from Birch trees, spring daisy soup and fishing for eels with hazel rods…
Friday 28th November: (day two with an extra night)
Making a mobile kitchen.
Unloaded and cleared the trailer out to start figuring how to convert it.
Man started the process off.
We came up with a plan that integrates the idea of the trailer as a flexible space that can contain both a kitchen, store all of the outdoor portable cookers, a small library and a social space where people can eat, drink, meet etc.
First step: to build a movable shelf unit that creates this possibility…
Using 2by2 lengths and sterling board…
As the light went, Raae started up the bike power to generate an energy saving light bulb as well as using a wind up torch for the more detailed carpentry work.
Viola!
Our original proposal to make Energy Café has changed slightly.
Now due to a shift in the commission time frame, we are to move from the site in March 2009. This prompted us to rethink the whole concept of the project. Initially the idea was purely to set up a permanent outdoor café on site, now we will also be creating a mobile kitchen facility based in a horse trailer which will move from place to place after its pilot phase during the winter and early spring at Gunpowder Park.
We do hope however that after this pilot phase, the land that is designated to Energy Cafe remains permanently as a community growing, food sharing and cooking site. As common land.
The Trailer
It took a while for us to find the right kind of trailer to suit Energy Café’s needs. We hunted on ebay and were drawn to rice trailers, we spent days trawling through the different types of horse transportation for sale.
Eventually we found this one – a beautiful 14 ft trailer from Yorkshire
On the 20th of September Jess and Chris towed the trailer to Energy Cafe site.
Sad to leave it behind they wished us well with Energy Café.
They seemed curious (as are we) how the trailer will transform into a mobile kitchen.
They told us that they think it may have been originally custom made, as it’s an unusual size, bigger than most and has a few quirky aspects about it – and we like that!
The trailer is mainly built of aluminium, fibre glass and wood.
Customising the Trailer
We removed the central partition and started to clean up the trailer. Body work in pretty good condition, it has new rubber floors and a spare wheel.
Now we wait to see what we gather to customise the interior into a fully functioning off grid mobile kitchen.
We are looking for people who may like to be involved in the process of getting the mobile kitchen up and running. From carpenters to electricians, plumbers to cooks!
As well as being a community kitchen, Energy Cafe trailer will house the Pilot Publishing library (which will include manuals of different ways to build off grid cookers, power lights right through to how many cyclists it takes to boil a kettle). It will need storage space for various portable cookers, from solar powered experiments to rocket stoves and barbecue inventions. We imagine it could host many different events, be energised and used by people for different occasions, cook in it, share tips and local knowledge of growing food.
So far we know that we will be fitting a ‘Corden Bleu Classique’ gas cooker (donated from builders ‘on the job’ in Hamsptead), an and a sink. We would like to incorporate a wood burning stove and install solar panels (does anyone know who might be interested to sponsor this? Or a good place to buy?). Also an efficient water pump and harvesting system joined to the Trailer.
We will build the interior out of recycled materials, from materials that have been donated or found along the way. So we’re on the look out – if you have anything to donate please let us know! We haven’t found an aluminium sink yet!
Then the kitchen will be up and running at Gunpowder Park – and later ‘On the road’ to different locations. How to tow? By horse seems the most popular vote at the moment. Then bikes,,,,,
We’ll keep you posted!
