Cob: bullet resistance of cob

[Tom Fetter]

Fair enough - makes sense in war zones.  I was reacting from the point of 
view situation of what I think is most members of the list -- folks living 
somewhere in Canada or the US.  While it's perfectly rational to want to 
build in some "fortress" characteristics to your housing where civil or 
other wars are endemic, that's not the situation for most of us here.

What I was reacting to, maybe too swiftly and judgementally, is a worry that 
the list would be hijacked for a while by discussions reflecting a 
libertarian "Montana Freeman-esque" view.  Your comments regarding Central 
America are valid -- but I still feel that a discussion of the 
appropriateness of cob building to folks of a paramilitary or isolationist 
bent is more appropriate off this list than on.

As to another list member's comment that a firearm is nothing more than a 
type of drill - a value-neutral object designed to make holes....

... uhm, fine -- for hunting rifles.  But you won't convince me that assault 
rifles or handguns evolved primarily for recreational purposes, even though 
many if not most of them in North America are only shot at targets.  I think 
that objects -- be they guns, racing cars, violins, or petitions for peace 
-- reflect the intentions and support the values of their creators.  That 
said, this list isn't the place to carry on that discussion either -- but 
members can feel free to contact me privately.

Tom Fetter.

>From: Michael Burns <burns at panix.com>
>Reply-To: Michael Burns <burns at panix.com>
>To: Tom Fetter <tom_fetter at hotmail.com>
>CC: coblist at deatech.com
>Subject: Re: Cob: bullet resistance of cob
>Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1999 17:23:54 -0500 (EST)
>
>On Tue, 16 Nov 1999, Tom Fetter wrote:
>
> > With respect, I'd prefer that this discussion was carried on off-list.  
>I'm
> > not only uninterested in the bullet resistance of cob, but find the 
>prospect
> > of the discussion goes completely against the principles which have led 
>me
> > to consider cob (or other environmentally sound building practices) in 
>the
> > first place.
>I'm not sure where the issue of principles fall into this unless you are
>opposed to people living in war zones. However, in most of the Central
>American villages I've visited that have suffered from heavy fire fights,
>the residents did not habe the luxury of leaving as a matter of principle.
>They also weren't choosing to have their town terrorized either.
>
>I guess I am perplexed because I actually find this interesting and
>relevant. In the town (in Guatemala) where I lived, folks talked about the
>advantage of mud brick and cement houses because they were better to hide
>in during a fire fight. Actually, they considered cement better ,although
>very old, thick and well built mudbrick houses could usually stop a bullet
>from reaching the inhabitants. Unless of course the were opposed oin
>principle to avoiding bullets. Maybe this list is intended only for N.
>Americans who have seen little warfare in the last 100 years, but an
>appeal to cob building, in
>my narrow view, is that it is accessible to people around the world, alot
>of which is still suffering from armed conflicts from time to time.
>
>Let's put it this way: You have one piece of land to build on. You don't
>have the wealth to decide to move elsewhere, and the guerillas hav just
>moved into town. Are you going to feel better onprinciple that you are
>living in a cane shack when the military launches its offensive to retake
>the town?
>
>The isuue of living according to  principle takes on a whole new meaning
>when this is a luxury, and a benefit of living on top of capatilism food
>chain.
>
>-Michael Burns
>
> > >
> > >One of the things that I hate about home construction (one of many) is
> > >how flimsy everything is. Hopefully not too many on the list will take
> > >offense if I opine that a home should offer protection against more 
>than
> > >cold and wind.
> > >
> > >In that vein, has anyone done any testing of how a properly build cob
> > >wall stands up to bullet impact?
> > >
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