Cob Clay, Fibers, & FC

[Bob Bolles]

Shannon

Your description of lietchlem is as I also understand it, and have used it.

However, at a workshop co-hosted by the Steens and Frank Anderson, they
used the term "light clay" to include any and all applications where some
other (fibered) material was added to the clay mix.  

And yes, cob with straw being the fiber would be considered "light clay".

More correctly, my question should have been:
who is using (and with what success) materials other than straw as the
fiber, and
how much fiber can we use to increase the insulation value without
decreasing the strength of the cob mix.?

Regards
Bob

> [snip]
> > It would be interesting to know if anyone is using, or has used  light
clay
> > mixes for their cob-style construction.  
> [snip]
> 
> Under this definition cob would be considered "light-clay" (straw being
> the fiber).  I could be mistaken, but in my experience "light-clay"
refers
> to a specific technique also known as lietchlem (spelling?) in which
straw
> is given a very thin coating of clay slip, allowed to dry until tacky,
and
> then rammed into a form.