Cob Status from Mauk

[Patrick Newberry]

Well I'm slowly gearing up toward getting some more photos on the ole 
web site, but that will be about mid June before I actually get
to them posted but I figured I drum up a little interest ahead of time.

1.) I feel like the Captain in Moby Dick.

2.) I made the dicision that the Vigas (or Vigas-ettes, as in small 
vigas) won't really be strong enough in the long run for some of my 
spans, thus I've decieded to basically use the wood as a from and 
continue with my ferro-cement roof. I feel a bit guilty but hey it 
works gooder-n-hell and it really is easy to deal with the odd shapes 
and curves and angles I have to deal with. 

3.) Plaster plaster plaster and more plaster. I've almost got my 
proto-type strawbale-earthbag wall plastered. 

Question: has anyone tried to use a splatter gun (like for acustic 
ceilings) with a wet earth plaster? 

I found a source of wood slats for free! There is a furniture 
manufacturer near me and they throw away these hard wood slats that are 
scraps from the manufacturing process. Work great as tomatoe stakes as 
well as roof slats, they are about 4 to 5 feet in length. 

I'm still using some discarded carpet in my roof. I'm not using as I 
first started. I find the chicken wire cement combo much stronger, but 
I will pour a milkshake batter of lime plaster on my tar paper that is 
on my roof slates, then lay the carpet top side down on to this 
plaster. (to keep down any possiblity of mold etc. This will be a solid 
roof. Then on top of this carpet (back side up) I will place my chicken 
wire on top of this, the lay the cement on this. I will use some rebar 
on with this running parralell to the vigas but on top to carry the 
roof. 

Since it's too much area for me to mix that much cement, I'm being very 
carefull about doing the pour in logical and supporting sections such 
that any cold joints won't pose any problems. 

Anyway, the photos will make some of this more clear.

On my strawbales, I'm going with earth plaster directly on the bales, 
but I'll put some type of lime plaster of the earth. Seems to be the 
cheaper way to go, that is use straight earth plaster then coat with 
some harder finish plaster like lime or cactus juice etc. 

I also am going with fixed window and vents. I tried scrounging for 
windows, but the different and mixed styles bothered me. Thus I'm 
cobbing glass in as window and puting in vents at tops and or bottoms 
as needed. Gives a more consistant look. 

Well that's it,

Pat and the rest of the Maukly crew.

Mauk GA
http://www.gnat.net/~goshawk