Cob: Cob Outside Bench

[Myra Bonhage-Hale]

Visit me on the web at www.lapaixherbaljourney.com
and www.sustainabledevelopmentforwv.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Darel Henman" <henman at it.to-be.co.jp>
To: "Myra Bonhage-Hale" <lapaix at iolinc.net>; "cob list"
<coblist at deatech.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2002 12:27 AM
Subject: Re: Cob: Cob Outside Bench


>
>
> > Myra Bonhage-Hale wrote:
> >
> >...... snipped
> >..... Then the area around
> > the tires was covered with rubble, stone, dirt mixture and the tires
> > were covered on top with the same mixture.
> This was a dry mixture of stones and dirt?
That mixture was dry when applied, but wet with water from the hose and
tamped down.
>
> >  Well, you could see where
> > the tops of the tires were after all this - the ground yielded.
>
> Please explane what you meant by the "ground yielded"?
> Do you mean the soil inside the tire sunk?
I mean that when you stepped on the area where the tire was, it gave in -
felt soft.  You could also see that the ground was yielding when stepped on.
We then put more soil in the tires by forcing it around the edges, but the
ground still yielded over the tires.
>
> How wet was the soil when you put it in to foot-stomp?
It was pretty wet - not saturated and dripping, but wet through.
>  I
> > And I guess some heavy duty tamping equipment is called for.
> A sledge hammer is all that is needed and a slight damp, but not wet
> soil. OK that answers the question of soil wetness - it needed to be only
slightly damp.  And I will need a sledge hammer.
>
> > We further covered the area with dry
> > wall made on 3 tiers with stones from the creek near by.
> Dry wall is not water resistance, even if you use the green colored type
> it must be covered.
I meant that the stones were stacked in a dry wall  or without concrete or
cob between = I didn't use the material called dry wall.
>
> Other people have had no problems with rammed earth tire bale
> foundations.
An email I received from Amanda indicated that the tops of the tires could
be removed with a knife - if I use this method for the Apprentice House
foundation, I will do this.
>
> Sounds like your having fun.  Keep us posted on your efforts.
Sure will - I am learning alot from you guys.  Namaste.  Myra
>
> Darel
>
>