Cob: Re: Cob & Steel

[Darel Henman]

I think the proper term is I-beams and it is used with the wide sides on
top and bottom.  Thus, the thinnest cob would be the top and bottom
sides of the top and bottom horizontal parts of the beam.  There is no
keying in to this an you have to hope that the thin outer and inner cob
is enough to hold the upper in place during a little earthquake.  So I'd
prefer to have some bamboo, cane, or willow branches near the middle to
help anchor the cob mas on top and bottom from swaying out of place if
the thin cob on the sides was insufficient to do so.

Darel 


> Frances Grill wrote:
> 
> On the other hand, if these are steel H-beams, then you are going to
> have cob inside the H and on the outside of the H ie. the surface of
> the post. So the post is sandwiched on 4 sides by cob. so there would
>  be no need for the bamboo or waddle sticks for the cob to grab on nor
> would there be any need for passages in the posts since the H would
> serve as a key-way. It would seem that if you are going to use steel
> beams or posts, then you might as well put strips of foam insulation
> against the face of the posts since this "unnatrural" package would
> then not transmit heat or cold and would preclude the humidity
> question as well.