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Cob: bicycle powered cob mixer

Michele H. Brooks brookdancer at hotmail.com
Sat Mar 16 11:27:55 PST 2002


<html><div style='background-color:'><DIV>
<P>I see Brian's curiosity about mixing cob with a bicycle as neither the result of a "problem" nor as a result of an "unfortunate" lack of knowledge.&nbsp; This list is about exploring possibility, answering questions,&nbsp;building community and shared knowledge.&nbsp; If folks don't know if something is possible in this realm, where else can they ask?</P>
<P>Michele Brooks<BR></P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>&gt;From: Ocean <OCEAN at PEACEMAKING.ORG>
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Reply-To: Ocean <OCEAN at PEACEMAKING.ORG>
<DIV></DIV>&gt;To: "j. gann" <JMYGANN at YAHOO.COM>, <BUFFALOKILLER at HOTMAIL.COM>, <COBLIST at DEATECH.COM>, <NBC at LISTS.RISEUP.NET>
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Subject: Re: Cob: bicycle powered cob mixer 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 00:22:01 -0800 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;The proposed "bicycle powered cob (cement) mixer" is an example of the lack 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;of realistic info being blended with a supposed environmental solution...to 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;a problem that doesn't exist! 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;I think the problem arose from the fact that the folks who are organizing 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;the Natural Building Convergence this May in Portland are planning to do 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;four different cob projects, and intend from the start to use cement mixers 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;to mix the cob. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Brian, I must say it is unfortunate that you don't seem to know that cob is 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;best mixed by human power to begin with...not a bicycle-powered mixer (which 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;even if you could build--I agree with your reservations--you'd never get the 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;thing turning the heavy mix that cob is)...but with our own two FEET!!! 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Ianto and Linda are big on emphasizing that THE FEET are the only way to mix 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;cob, so much so that folks seem to "rebel" a bit and go whole hog out the 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;other way, and mix with as big a tractor as possible. We in fact use a 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;tractor to mix cob at the restaurant (http://www.intabas.com), and up at the 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Garden Kiva (http://www.peacemaking.org) 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;The reason to mix with a machine is lack of human power (not enough FEET) 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;and a time constraint. Cement mixers aren't very useful anyway, since to 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;mix well one must first puree the clay in 50 gallon buckets with a half-inch 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;drill and a drywall mixer paddle. But if you don't have time and you do 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;have the machinery, cob can be machine mixed. It only uses a little 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;electricity, so I wouldn't worry about trying to save the environment by 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;hooking up a bicycle to the contraption. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;No, if you want to "go green" and mix cob by human power, please just take 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;off your shoes and stomp it, the good, old-fashioned, "Cob Cottage" way. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Ianto and Linda will be proud of you! 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Ocean 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;on 3/15/02 9:13 PM, j. gann at jmygann at yahoo.com wrote: 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; I'm not sure that cob is mixed in a mixer. The little 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; I did, I mixed in a wheelbarrow by hand. Seemed too 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; thick for a mixer. If mixed with hands and feet why 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; add a bicycle. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt; --- brian besold <BUFFALOKILLER at HOTMAIL.COM>wrote: 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; Hello. The following message was received by 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; Michelle Brooks, who suggested 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; that I foward it to this address for potential ideas 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; with my project. Thanks 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; in advance for anything, Brian. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; I'm interested in building a bicycle-powered cob 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; mixer. I have some ideas, 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; but without having ever worked with cob, there are 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; things that I need to ask 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; some of you who have worked with cob. I'll explain 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; my ideas so far. These 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; are based on the use of a cement mixer, but I'm also 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; wondering if a cement 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; mixer, since it's so heavy to begin with, is the 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; best container to use. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; Initially, I thought I'd use the drive-train from 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; the bike- connect it to 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; the gear on the mixer and it's done. The problem 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; comes when it's time to 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; dump the mix. Either the drive-train on the bike has 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; to disconnect or the 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; bike has to dump with the mixer. As fussy as I've 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; found home-made chain and 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; gear driven toys to be, I don't think this is the 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; best design. A simple 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; friction drive where the mixer rests on the back 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; wheel of the bike might 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; work though. The back of the bike will be mounted on 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; a stand lifting the 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; back wheel off of the ground, and be completely 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; independent of the mixer. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; I'm wondering if mixing the cob will even be 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; possible though. Will it be too 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; heavy to get the mixer rotating? Can anyone tell me 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; where I might be able 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; to get an old cement mixer(w/out a motor) to play 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; with? 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; &gt;&gt; 
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