Cob cob / ceramics

[Lars Fields]

Adam Weiss wrote:
> 
> >goshawk at gnat.net wrote:
> >>
> >> > lars wrote:mucho snipped
> >
> >       waddya all think? fired cob? hmm.... or maybe fired
> >wattle-and-daub, or > >firing bricks made from woodchips and earth. anybody out there ever fired > >a cob > >structure? i think the ratio of earth to 
straw/woodchips might be critical > >(if > >the idea had any chance of working 
anyway, which i'm not convinced it would).
> >
> >just some crazy thoughts.
> >
> >lars fields
> 
> Lars- these ideas sound pretty interesting and could use some good old
> fashioned experiementation.  I am a graduate student of architecture at the
> University of Oregon and we are looking for some interesting hands on
> experiments like this.  Do you think you'd like to build one, burn it, and
> see what happens?  Perhaps with some sponsorship from the university?
> anyhow, I thought it might be fun and informative.
> 
> -Adam Weiss
> IUniversity of Oregon

hey adam -

	i just read another reference to brickmaking (a small sidenote in 
"Shelter" by the people who did the domebooks) where an argentinian brickmaker 
said that he used some straw in his brick mixture to ensure even firing. 
	i'm currently in the process of moving to your side of the country. i'm 
in Atlanta right now, but will be moving to San Francisco in about 2 weeks. i'll, 
of course, be renting for quite a few more years, but i'm hoping that i'll have a 
bit of property so i can play around with some mud and straw. i don't have any 
experience with cob or firing clay, but i'm looking forward to some 
experimentation. 
	so, what is it, like a 15 hour drive from SF to ... what city is U of O 
in anyway? maybe we could try building something up there? 
	or anybody in the bay area got some mud, land and a hankering for playing 
with fire? does anybody know if one can use propane to fire clay? i was thinking 
that the easiest way to go for firing small experimental structures (like maybe a 
luxury ceramic chicken coop) would be to salvage some kind of propane heating 
system. anybody have any pointers on this? i suppose it might be easiest to 
first make a couple of test bricks with different quantities of straw, and pull a 
small favor from a local potter. once the proportions were right, then one could 
try building a structure. 

hmmm....


lars fields, thinking out loud again...