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[SirHoneyBadger]

This is a suggestion that dwarfs be able to not only mine ice from glaciers, but cut it into blocks, and then ship it in specially designed wagons to other Fortresses.

On the recieving end, the ice could be stored in heavily insulated Ice houses. An Ice house would be a special structure. It would be useless when empty, but filled with ice, it would have a significantly lower temperature, and would remain cold. Ice inside could stay ice for up to a month at a time, before melting, requiring regular but inconstant stocking.

Ice houses could be used to preserve foods, and also to chill foods.

The ice itself could be chipped into ice cubes, or crushed, and then added to drinks, used in ice-packs during healthcare, or even used to freeze foods (icecream is an example) in combination with salt.

Dwarfs (and others) could use pieces of ice to keep themselves cool, either sucking on ice or pressing ice against their foreheads when too hot. This would help the situation when dwarfs are near magma, or so far underground that the temperature has significantly increased.

This would not only make the choice to build a Fortress on a glacier more understandable, it would also make the choice more profitable, since there would be a large demand for ice in hot climates.

Furs and sawdust could both be used for insulation, making both of those products more useful.

[Pilsu]

I don't think exporting ice half-way across the world with wagons would make much sense    Unless it's an artifact ice sculpture or something that can be handwaved into resisting the exposure to heat

Should ice crafting require stone related tasks or should it have a separate art skill?

[SirHoneyBadger]

This wouldn't be something you'd necessarily caravan halfway across the world, but you certainly might haul it as far as a hundred miles away, or more, in insulated wagons.

The other thing is, you could do the hauling of ice down from glaciers in the winter, to places that are much hotter in the summer, store the ice in the ice houses, and then wait till the weather changed. That way, they'd have ice in the summertime, and it wouldn't melt while you were shipping it. Transporting while it's seasonal might work for several hundred miles.

This is something that was done historically, in several places, so we could expect there to be atleast enough range and demand, that it be a profitable venture.

Dwarfs, for that matter, might possibly possess individual, or kitchen-level, iceboxes, like we did before refrigeration.

Ice could be pretty expensive, back then. It was often considered a luxury-item, depending on where you lived. So, the further you were able to ship it (within reason), the higher your profits might be. 

Generally, I think ice should only require a general carving skill--stone carving in other words, as the game currently stands. If we ever get material specific, ice could be it's own material, though.

[jaked122]

Urist Mcprick cancels drink soda, requires Ice cubes

[eerr]

If the distance is short enough, a giant wheel of ice works.

nobody wants the dirty edge, but theres plenty to go around if you roll down a road.

[Foa]

Rick has recently enjoyed a chilled beverage. Rick has been discontented by a slightly watered down drink.

Yeah, this'll be paradoxical.


And besides, in ancient times people were able to transport ice long distances, it just depends of how on a few variables.
Rate of travel, insulation, the amount of ice, and the average temperature, and distance.

[Byakugan01]

Saw dust is one material which has been used as insulation for quite some time-and technically they could also fashion pykrete out of ice, since it seems well within their range of technology. Worth considering for building materials and the like which might be shipped to warmer climes.

[Neonivek]

Everyone is aware Ice was capable of being shipped almost anywhere in the world in the medieval times right? This is including deserts.

Though Id figure it would be expencive.

Also I guess you could reasonably get ice from mountains.

The ice itself could be chipped into ice cubes, or crushed, and then added to drinks, used in ice-packs during healthcare, or even used to freeze foods (icecream is an example) in combination with salt

Ice is too tough to deliver on mass to make this reasonable even in temperate climates. They will just keep their food deep underground in places called Cellars.

[TrombonistAndrew]

Saw dust is one material which has been used as insulation for quite some time-and technically they could also fashion pykrete out of ice, since it seems well within their range of technology. Worth considering for building materials and the like which might be shipped to warmer climes.

Thanks for sharing that link - pykrete is definitely an interesting little piece of engineering history.

But for as use as a building material, that's not really a viable option without special modern refrigeration. It can, however, be used as a pretty sturdy material for building a fort or the like in a permanently frozen area.

There is no info in the Wikipedia article about how well pykrete holds an edge. I know that ice does fairly well.

It would also be cool to do some research on what eskimos used ice for. They used it for more than just igloos.

[Tradanbattlan]

Building of houses using Ice Blocks would end in tragedy.

[LegoLord]

Ice is too tough to deliver on mass to make this reasonable even in temperate climates. They will just keep their food deep underground in places called Cellars.

This is why it would be a luxury item, for the most part.  Although, the number of situations in which ice packs actually help are few enough that I think they would be a valid option.

[Derakon]

Yeah, the Romans had ice shipments for the very wealthy.

Keep in mind that ice doesn't have to come from glaciers; the tops of mountains generally get some snow during the winter. I don't know if elevation-based temperature variation is in yet, though.

[Neonivek]

Yeah, the Romans had ice shipments for the very wealthy.

Keep in mind that ice doesn't have to come from glaciers; the tops of mountains generally get some snow during the winter. I don't know if elevation-based temperature variation is in yet, though.

I'd also assume they would know Water turns into Ice when it gets cold.

[Foa]

Yeah, the Romans had ice shipments for the very wealthy.

Keep in mind that ice doesn't have to come from glaciers; the tops of mountains generally get some snow during the winter. I don't know if elevation-based temperature variation is in yet, though.

I'd also assume they would know Water turns into Ice when it gets cold.

And that winter is cold, and that mountain peaks are cold.

[Deimos56]

Create a pool maintained by bucket brigade near the top of the mountain so your dwarves can enjoy chilled booze.