Cob: Cob Outside Bench

Mon Sep 23 11:27:51 PDT 2002

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Hi Amanda and Darel and any other inerested folks

Thanks for the information regarding foundations for cob.  You might =
like to know that I tried the tamped tire idea for the cob bench this =
weekend - I worked with the 14 year old young man who does yard work for =
me - I am in my 60's and that's all I'm going to tell you about my age - =
which I don't acknowledge.  Anyway, I had four small tires from my =
Suburu Outback which were worn out.  The young man dug a trench to the =
top of each tire - 4 tires long, lined the trench with black plastic =
garbage bags and proceeded to fill the tires - the site yielded a great =
quantity of clay - and each batch was put in the tire, watered, tamped =
with feet (he is 6'4" and strong) then done again making sure the =
insides of the tire were filled.  Then the area around the tires was =
covered with rubble, stone, dirt mixture and the tires were covered on =
top with the same mixture.  Well, you could see where the tops of the =
tires were after all this - the ground yielded.  I guess the machine =
Amanda spoke of which takes off the top of the sidewalls would alleviate =
this problem.  And I guess some heavy duty tamping equipment is called =
for.  We further covered the area with dry wall made on 3 tiers with =
stones from the creek near by.  This now seems solid enough to put the =
cob bench on. =20
I 'm not sure where this leaves the decision for the foundation of the =
apprentice house - I could get lots of tires and fill them with dirt =
from the foundation - but don't know about the yielding.  If I decide to =
make the foundation with stone, the rocks will be a little harder to =
gather in great quantities although there are some rock piles left on =
the property which could be hauled into the site. =20

I mixed some cob from the clay with straw and it formed a tight round =
ball easily.  However, I think I will have to buy some sand as the sand =
in the creek is full of stones and mud.  I next hope to combine the =
clay, sand, mud and straw in various formulas to make bricks - ala The =
Hand Sculptured Home instructions.  That will be done later this week so =
the sample cob bricks, and the site preparation (4 8 x 10 tarps, =
buckets, sand, clay, dirt and straw) will be ready for the group coming =
on Oct. 5th to make the bench.  Next week I hope to have a roof up over =
the foundation - make of 6 x 6's (4) and steel roofing left over in a =
shed.  Any more useful advice?  Visit me on the web at =
www.lapaixherbaljourney.com
and www.sustainabledevelopmentforwv.com

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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV>Hi Amanda and Darel and any other inerested folks</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Thanks for the information regarding foundations for cob.&nbsp; You =
might=20
like to know that I tried the tamped tire idea for the cob bench this =
weekend -=20
I worked with the 14 year old young man who does yard work for me - I am =
in my=20
60's and that's all I'm going to tell you about my age - which I don't=20
acknowledge.&nbsp; Anyway, I had four small tires from my Suburu Outback =
which=20
were worn out.&nbsp; The young man dug a trench to the top of each tire =
- 4=20
tires long, lined the trench with black plastic garbage bags and =
proceeded to=20
fill the tires - the site yielded a great quantity of clay - and each =
batch was=20
put in the tire, watered, tamped with feet (he is 6'4" and strong) then =
done=20
again making sure the insides of the tire were filled.&nbsp; Then the =
area=20
around the tires was covered with rubble, stone, dirt mixture and the =
tires were=20
covered on top with the same mixture.&nbsp; Well, you could see where =
the tops=20
of the tires were after all this - the ground yielded.&nbsp; I guess the =
machine=20
Amanda spoke of which takes off the top of the sidewalls would alleviate =
this=20
problem.&nbsp; And I guess some heavy duty tamping equipment is called=20
for.&nbsp; We further covered the area with dry wall made on 3 tiers =
with stones=20
from the creek near by.&nbsp; This now seems solid enough to put the cob =
bench=20
on.&nbsp; </DIV>
<DIV>I 'm not sure where this leaves the decision for the foundation of =
the=20
apprentice house - I could get lots of tires and fill them with dirt =
from the=20
foundation - but don't know about the yielding.&nbsp; If I decide to =
make the=20
foundation with stone, the rocks will be a little harder to gather in =
great=20
quantities although there are some rock piles left on the property which =
could=20
be hauled into the site.&nbsp; </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>I mixed some cob from the clay with straw and it formed a tight =
round ball=20
easily.&nbsp; However, I think I will have to buy some sand as the sand =
in the=20
creek is full of stones and mud.&nbsp; I next hope to combine the clay, =
sand,=20
mud and straw in various formulas to make bricks - ala The Hand =
Sculptured Home=20
instructions.&nbsp; That will be done later this week so the sample cob =
bricks,=20
and the site preparation (4 8 x 10 tarps, buckets, sand, clay, dirt and =
straw)=20
will be ready for the group coming on Oct. 5th to make the bench.&nbsp; =
Next=20
week I hope to have a roof up over the foundation - make of 6 x 6's (4) =
and=20
steel roofing left over in a shed.&nbsp; Any more useful advice?&nbsp; =
Visit me=20
on the web at <A=20
href=3D"http://www.lapaixherbaljourney.com">www.lapaixherbaljourney.com</=
A><BR>and=20
<A=20
href=3D"http://www.sustainabledevelopmentforwv.com">www.sustainabledevelo=
pmentforwv.com</A></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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