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Kiko Denzer on Art


Cob: RE: new to cob info sources

Patrick Newberry PNewberry at HFHI.org
Thu Mar 7 08:51:39 CST 2002 

Hi Michael: 
 
 Two responses. I used discarded windows in my cob house in Georgia. I
just embedded them in the walls. I did not use headers 
 or what ever the support over a window is called on my house. Instead I
used arched the cob like a church window. 
 (example: http://www.gnat.net/~goshawk/dw2001/pf.htm )
 
 Bad news is the other day while being a bit heavy handed I broke one of
the windows. The process to replace the window involves 
chisiling out the old window and re-cobbing a new one. Not really that
big of a deal but It did dawn on me that the whole square 
window is embedded in this arch shape. I figure on only chisiling out
the exposed portion, not the whole square, plus a but more, 
maybe an inche or two, then I can get a piece of glass cut to roughly
that shape, assuming I can cut glass in that arched fashion. 
I've never been too good at cutting glass.  I might just cut more of a
triangle rather than a curve such as :
 
       ----
      /     \
     /        \
    |          |
    |          |
     _______    then place this in the opening leaving the remainder of
the old original casing inside the cob. 
 
optionally you could build some square rough buck frame, consider the
wieght above and install you window in that. 
My window are fixed and I use air vents to get air flow. 
 
as far as roofs, I like ferro-cement. the cob wall can handle the wieght
and the house is much more fire resistant as well. 
(cob walls and cement roof won't burn easily. )
 
Pat
www.gyspsyfarm.com 
 

-----Original Message-----
From: MICHAEL GRANT [mailto:tenortime at msn.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 06, 2002 11:07 PM
To: coblist at deatech.com
Subject: Cob: new to cob info sources


Im so exicited to find cob.  I have a construction company but I am
interested in building a cob house.  I have many questions but I will
start looking for reccomendations for a good book about cob and any
websites that are helpful.  Also any ideas for they types of roofs.  I
have access to alot of salvage material.  An idea i had for the windows
and doors is to build some casings out of metal and lay the cob aroudn
them.  Will that work?? Anyone know of any North Carolina cob builders??
Thanks, more questions to come!!  Sean



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<DIV><SPAN class=820213814-07032002>Hi Michael: </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=820213814-07032002></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=820213814-07032002> Two responses. I used discarded 
windows in my cob house in Georgia. I just embedded them in the walls. I did not 
use headers </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=820213814-07032002> or what ever the support over a window 
is called on my house. Instead I used arched the cob like a church window. 
</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=820213814-07032002> (example: <A 
href="http://www.gnat.net/~goshawk/dw2001/pf.htm">http://www.gnat.net/~goshawk/dw2001/pf.htm</A> )</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=820213814-07032002></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=820213814-07032002> Bad news is the other day while being 
a bit heavy handed I broke one of the windows. The process to replace the window 
involves </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=820213814-07032002>chisiling out the old window and re-cobbing 
a new one. Not really that big of a deal but It did dawn on me that the whole 
square </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=820213814-07032002>window is embedded in this arch shape. I 
figure on only chisiling out the exposed portion, not the whole square, plus a 
but more, </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=820213814-07032002>maybe an inche or two, then I can get a 
piece of glass cut to roughly that shape, assuming I can cut glass in that 
arched fashion. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=820213814-07032002>I've never been too good at cutting 
glass.  I might just cut more of a triangle rather than a curve such as 
:</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=820213814-07032002></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=820213814-07032002>       
----</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=820213814-07032002>      
/     \</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=820213814-07032002>     
/        \</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN 
class=820213814-07032002>    |          
|</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=verdana><SPAN class=820213814-07032002>    
|          |</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=verdana><SPAN class=820213814-07032002>     
_______    then place this in the opening leaving the 
remainder of the old original casing inside the cob. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=verdana><SPAN 
class=820213814-07032002></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=verdana><SPAN class=820213814-07032002>optionally you could 
build some square rough buck frame, consider the wieght above and install 
you window in that. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=verdana><SPAN class=820213814-07032002>My window are fixed and I 
use air vents to get air flow. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=verdana><SPAN 
class=820213814-07032002></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=verdana><SPAN class=820213814-07032002>as far as roofs, I like 
ferro-cement. the cob wall can handle the wieght and the house is much 
more fire resistant as well. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=verdana><SPAN class=820213814-07032002>(cob walls and cement 
roof won't burn easily. )</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=verdana><SPAN 
class=820213814-07032002></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=verdana><SPAN class=820213814-07032002>Pat</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=verdana><SPAN 
class=820213814-07032002>www.gyspsyfarm.com </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=820213814-07032002> </SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV align=left class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr><FONT 
  face=Tahoma>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> MICHAEL GRANT 
  [mailto:tenortime at msn.com]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, March 06, 2002 11:07 
  PM<BR><B>To:</B> coblist at deatech.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> Cob: new to cob info 
  sources<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>
  <DIV>Im so exicited to find cob.  I have a construction company but I am 
  interested in building a cob house.  I have many questions but I will 
  start looking for reccomendations for a good book about cob and any websites 
  that are helpful.  Also any ideas for they types of roofs.  I have 
  access to alot of salvage material.  An idea i had for the windows and 
  doors is to build some casings out of metal and lay the cob aroudn them.  
  Will that work?? Anyone know of any North Carolina cob builders?? Thanks, more 
  questions to come!!  Sean<BR><BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>