Cob: Re:responsibilities and the machine

[SANCO Enterprises <Paul & Mary Salas>]

"Kelly, Sean" wrote:

snipped heavily

> >The most important thing in my opinion is to take a long hard look at "the
> >demands of everyday life"

> Here I have to wholeheartedly agree.  Most of what appeals to me with cob is
> that _I_ can build my house.  At most I need to buy some straw and dirt (If
> the locale I choose didn't have decent soil for cob) and get some people to
> work with me.  Enter THE MACHINE.

Anything can be taken to extremes and if we want to be totally purists when it
comes to building with cob/earthen materials, let's throw away all the machines
and tools such as the car that got you to the job site, shovels, hoes,
wheelbarrows and the like. We take a lot for granted and try to exclude machines
and tools from our modern lives.  The use of the machine takes away the
non-creative and non-productive aspect of building with earth-mixing and getting
the material to the wall.  You still have to create your own free form wall
system and an shape the material as you build.  I personally don't see anything
creative in mixing nearly 50 yds of soil by hand over a period os several years
to construct a 1000 sq ft home. The creation is in what you do with the
material.

>   Ah heck, I'm not trying to dump on Paul (who is testing his machine now) or
> anyone else who wants to speed up and make easier the process.  It's just not
> for me for many reasons...

True enough, we all have reasons for what we like and dislike. For me, the
machine is just another tool to help me get things done with a lot less physical
labor and affording me more time to do those "creative" things during building
and cutting the time from years to months.

Paul Salas
SANCO Enterprises, LLC
Albuq., NM