FW: Cob: Cast earth countertops?? WHY NOT STONE!!!

[Ocean]

Well, if cost is your problem, then please consider that linseed oil is
about $10 a gallon, beeswax is even more money...after casting an earthen
counter and then waterproofing it, you exceed the $50 an imported slab of
flagstone might cost.  If you want to do it cheap, just use concrete!

BTW:  I've found most natural building solutions are not inexpensive, and
obey the same time-cost-quality triangle rule that conventional building
techniques follow.  (Trying to save time or cost affects quality...etc)

For most of us folks, an unlimited free (volunteer) labor force isn't
available, so saving money on materials is offset by having to hire labor.
Aren't there an awful lot of partly-built but unfinished cob dream homes out
there?

Ocean

> From: Charmaine R Taylor <tms at northcoast.com>
> Organization: www.dirtcheapbuilder.com
> Reply-To: Charmaine R Taylor <tms at northcoast.com>
> Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2001 09:22:06 -0700
> To: Ocean <ocean at peacemaking.org>, coblist at deatech.com
> Subject: Re: Cob: Cast earth countertops??  WHY NOT STONE!!!
> 
> Ocean darlin', we are talking about that, and no, most people can't get
> what you have cheaply, which is stone, and can't cut it themselves, so
> they end up paying $$$ for a trained stone masonry installer to do it.
> 
> Casting is a very very cheap option, so why shout?
> 
> There are beautiful cast in place huge stone planter boxes, and garden
> benches, etc made with simple materials, and the person gets to do it
> themself, not have to pay for transporting heavy heavy stone, cutting,
> fitting, etc. Yes it wouold be nice to have access to great stone, you
> are lucky.  Why don't you offer to come and deliver and cut it and place
> it for a very low fee to us natural builders??
> 
> Charmaine
> http://www.dirtcheapbuilder.com
> 
>