just back from a week with Nader Khalili

[goshawk at gnat.net]

I've just been shifting though the old email after being gone a week.
Boy things pile up after such sort time.
anyway....  had a great time.
God I could get use to building at a easy going pace the reset of my 
life, it was really nice.

First a couple of comments concerning recent postings.

The how long will it take question.
I have worked hard at finding an answer and after a while I've given 
up on it because at this point it has reached a point of no return. I 
must build this place and yet I don't  have to complete the house by 
any specific time. Other than lack of space in 0ur current housing, 
everything is fine. Great position to be in because you have enough 
intensive to work hard but not enough to kill the fun of it. 
I've decided to look at it as one task at a time and not to get 
overwhelmed. It a marathon not a sprint. Pacing is important.

Next thing that caught my eye was strawbale inbetween cob.
yet what is the difference between that and just plastering both side 
of a strawbale structure with earth plasters. I assume only 
thickness.
I don't see any problem other than have good overhangs for the roof.


I was ask what is superadobe or sandbag domes.
Basically it involves using the sandbags as forms for you moist earth 
(moist not wet). It is actually quite close to rammed earth. I guess 
you could say it like rammed earth meets brick building techniques.

The super adobe domes are actually in the form of a lancet Arch. 

        -
     -    -
    -      -
   -         -
 --           -
-............. -
 
They are corbelled on top of each other after you spring line.
One hand it allows you to go as high as you want in one day,
on the otherhand most situations folks aren't going to be exceeding 
the cob limit of  8 to 12 inches. If  you're building a cob house you 
won't lack for wall to build.
Thus I plan on using cob, strawbale and superadobe in my building. I 
look at building as art.
I like the super adobe domes because one building technique is used 
for both the walls and the ceiling.
I love being able to climb on my house like it's a foot hill or 
mountain.
There is a strand or two of barbed wire between each layer of sand 
bags.
The bags come as one long roll (our roll is 18 thick and 2000 yrds 
long).
You cut them as needed.

I plan on using earth plaster on the inside but stabilized (cement) 
earth.
That's because it serves as the roof as well as the walls.

In a arid land you could get away with less cement than I do.
by combining arches, vaults, and domes you can build a hell of a lot.
you can use cob and superadobe together  (using the bags where you 
think you need speed and such)

It can be used with strait walls.

anyway I hope to start the foundation by the second week in may and 
take it from there.

Anyone in the area is free to drop by on weekends and learn what they 
can from me and lend a hand. The place is going to be eleven domes 
with the largest being 22 feet in diameter.
I feel a bit insane doing such a large structure but God it will be 
great when We do finish.

Oh yea I fogot to mention  you do compress each coild with a packer 
of some kind. Some kind of flat heavy metal piece on a handle.
and fill the bags more in the beginning and less at the end.


"If you don't have enouph madness in you, go and rehabilitate yourself" - Rumi