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The Work of Art and The Art of Work Kiko Denzer on Art |
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[Cob] cob re wall building problemsGlobalCirclenet webmaster at globalcircle.netFri Jul 30 23:45:51 CDT 2004
>I wonder if the more experienced people on the list think that your >clay/sand mixture is OK. A clay/sand mixture is called adobe. paul at largocreekfarms.com http://medicinehill.net *********** REPLY SEPARATOR *********** On 7/30/2004 at 9:09 AM Amanda Peck wrote: >Three things come to mind--one, you've already tried--plastic over the >wall, >although you might try fastening it pretty closely. > >two--I would expect pure clay that's been compacted to be almost >waterproof--hold water long enough between rains to grow a nice crop of >tadpoles to maturity. We might have 40-some inches of rain in a year. My >"floor test" of sand/clay/woodchips once it dried sat outside in a paint >roller tray for a year with no visible deterioration. We did the floor >with >more sand, because it had shrunk quite a bit. Question--is your mix >CRACKING--or trying to--given that the straw is holding it together? It >doesn't surprise me that it doesn't wet back up to cob stage nicely. > >I wonder if the more experienced people on the list think that your >clay/sand mixture is OK. Also wonder if some wet sawdust in there might >slow your drying time down. DON'T take my word for this, you need the >voice >of experience here! I'd feel confident in adding sawdust to a floor, but >would need another opinion on a wall. > >Slip--creamy water/clay mix--would probably work better than water for a >base with which to put the next layer on. Once again, expert opinion >welcome. > >three: an acquaintance back in the seventies was a "farmer"--I can't >remember whether his crop was sprouts or mushrooms, but something that he >could grow under a roof, not much light. The problem, he said, was that >there seemed to be about a three-hour window where the stuff was ready for >harvest. Might be time for cobbing parties so that you can take advantage >of that short window when it's just right to put the next layer on. >Either >that or do what he did and work more-or-less around the clock, napping in >the slack times. He changed professions quite rapidly. > > > >In my part of the country "crusher fines" are called "crusher run." Other >areas seem to go with "roadbase." > > >............. >Mark Thomas writes: > >Attempting to build a small cob building on my property south of Deming. >The >cob dries fast in the dry, hot and often windy weather. I have not been >able >to work the next layer into the previous while it is still plastic yet >firm >enough for support. Tried covering with tarps and placing wet hay on the >wall. > > >Re-wetting the wall is difficult. The semi-dried cob does not seem to >accept water and soften up. Have tried leaving holes in the top of the >wall to be filled with water. Maybe it is the expansive, montmorillinite >clay? > >Any cobbers out here? > >Any suggestions? > >One good discovery. Crusher fines from the local gravel pit (about 3/8 >minus). Cheap and a good additive to high clay soil that contains lots of >fine dune sand. > >_________________________________________________________________ >Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! >http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/ > > >_______________________________________________ >Coblist mailing list >Coblist at deatech.com >http://www.deatech.com/mailman/listinfo/coblist
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