Cob Re: cob oven for bread

[Juan C. Bobeda]

Hi Uwe,

In Paraguay where I live, people mix molasses from sugarcane to the mud
to keep the oven from cracking. Sorry I don't know the exact
proportions, but it's something like 1/2 to 1 liter (aprox. 1/2 to 1
quart) of molasses per 10 liters of earth (mud). 
You have to wait for the oven to be dry well before first firing which
should be done with a small fire so all moisture will dry, after this
you can fire the oven with a strong fire.

Good luck,

Juan C. Bobeda
jcbobeda at infonet.com.py

uwe wrote:
> 
> Hi Mike and John,
> 
> from all I've heared so far about cob ovens, I believe that the cracks develop due to too much moisture at the time of the first firing. On the SB list I was told that you have to wait "forever" to use it the first time. - And the idea of mixing lime to the soil sounds great to me. Remember that I'm always advocating this procedure. That could make a really durable cob oven! So when I'm ready to build it, there will surely be lime in the outer layer of cob.
> 
> Uwe