On Tuesday, we finished the frame of our solar still. It was very difficult for us to find the appropriate angle to connect the hypotenuse to the bottom. It took us many tries to get the angle correct but we finally got it to fit. We also tried making the stands for the frame but found out that wood will not support the bucket and frame when there is water in it. Therefore, we decided to use cinder blocks instead of wood. Although we still don't have the cinder blocks so we will have to wait to lift the frame off the ground.

We also have a piece of plywood that we are going to use as the bottom to hold the buckets in place. There is also another piece of plywood that is screwed underneath the hypotenuse so it can take the clean water down to the bucket at the end of the filter. We had planned to cover the piece of plywood with plastic so the wood wouldn't rot or mold but we realized that there were small holes in the plastic so water could get through. Therefore, we had to cover it again with a piece of tarp to ensure that water would not leak through. We tested the tarp by spraying water on it and it seemed waterproof. So we used a staple gun to staple the tarp onto the board. Finally, we used screws to connect the plywood to the hypotenuse of the frame.

To test to see if the plywood would bring the water down the the end, we poured water at the top. The water slid down easily and exited through the space between the plywood and the 2x2 at the end. When our bucket will be put at the end, the water will flow into it and be usable. The sides of the frame seem to keep the water in so we won't lose any water. I feel that this solar still will work and filter water. My group has gone a long way and i hope that we will succeed in creating a filter that can help Africa.


Note: This picture was before we wrapped the plywood in tarp and screwed it to the hypotenuse.