Cob Fireplace walls/solar ovens

[crtaylor]

 I'm planning on building a slow-combustion heater/cooker
>into my design, which will have its front, doors and cooktop made from cast
>iron, with the remaining walls made from a cob mix minus the straw.
>Well, at least that's the fantasy.  Does anyone have any tips on using
>earth for fireplace walls?  What mix should I start experimenting with?
>Has anyone made anything similar?
>
>Cheers, Rog.

Rog, the cooktop idea sounds good, like an old fashion wood stove,

it seems like an indoor version of an outdor earth oven like Kiko Denzer
designs. ( he has a booklet called Build your own earth oven)

 Have you also considered a solar wall oven..built in to sun-facing wall
for cooking? This is like a solar box cooker, but made permanent into the
wall of a home, and allows cooking indoors using the sun.

I am working with the woman who invented this design, which has been built
into strawbale walls, but not cob yet, and we are interested to see if this
is an idea people would use. She has written a booklet on how to build one,
and it looks easy enough. I am starting mine for use in somewhat sunny
Humboldt County this summer.

ANyway you can see more about the solar wall oven in the sustainable home
link at my we site ( see below)




Charmaine R. Taylor
Elk River Press & Taylor Publishing
PO Box 6985 Eureka CA 95502  1-888-307-7650
'Books for people who want to build it themselves'
http://www.northcoast.com/~tms/elkriver.html