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Cob: Fw: Cob Bench

Myra Bonhage-Hale lapaix at iolinc.net
Sun Sep 29 16:52:08 CDT 2002 

Visit me on the web at www.lapaixherbaljourney.com
and www.sustainabledevelopmentforwv.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Myra Bonhage-Hale 
To: dealy at deatech.com 
Sent: Sunday, September 29, 2002 4:48 PM
Subject: Cob Bench


Hi, we worked more on the cob bench today in preparation for the workshop next weekend.  .....   the rocks placed without mortar are about10 inches high.  We think the cob will be another 10 inches - mixed some cob - some with l/4 sand, some with 3/8 sand - found l/4 sand better consistency.  Put in half of first row.  
A couple questions:
1)  as stones are irregular in their projection  from two front sides, do you need to have cob exactly even with stone projection?  - would stone which is beyond the cob and beneath it let water splash up on it and   mess up the cob?

2)  Do I need to put cover of some kind over cob we put on top of rocks for bench?  If so how far off t he ground so that drying is feasible?

2a)  I plan to put a roof over the bench this week using 4 6 x 6 oak posts - 8 feet high at front, and 7 feet high at back (bench faces south).  Also plan to use old steel roofing in goat shed for roof with 4 x 6 slats - to hold steel up.  I would like to make an earth roof with plants (preferably herbs) growing on top - where and what can I use over the steel to put soil on???
3)  We went up into my woods where I knew an old stone wall was present (the people who lived here before were German stone cutters and builders).....and my sidewalks, front steps and tops of the chimneys are hand cut stone)..... there is an old edifice of stone wall up quite a bit away from the house site (up a hill with an old timber road about 45 degrees) The stone wall is 30 feet long, 7 to 3 feet high and 6 feet  wide built of stone (dry wall).  We thought we could use that for the foundation above the apprentice housing.  We would probably have enough for 2 apprentice houses.  The stones are moss covered.  But getting them down to the site is a probem:  There are some ways we have thought of:
1)  With a 4 wheeler and a very reliable safe driver with a trailer bring them down.
2)  Build some sort of a skid to roll the rocks down./
3)  And the most energy intensive:  take them down with a wheelbarrow. 
4)  Get a really macho guy with a really macho 4 wheel drive truck and dare him!!! 

Any ideas.?

My other problem is with the trench for the rubble:  For the Apprentice Housing

1)  Where do you get the rubble - and how?  I have nearby creeks with gravel but replete with other stuff --- can I buy it - how clean does it have to be?

2)  Again with the trench:  how many perforated or other pipes do you put down there and how do you know which they are (electrical, waste, water) ?

I really look at all of the questions on this list - I learn daily from all the good advice and questions... Thanks.  Namaste.  Myra
Visit me on the web at www.lapaixherbaljourney.com
and www.sustainabledevelopmentforwv.com
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<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Visit me on the web at <A 
href="http://www.lapaixherbaljourney.com">www.lapaixherbaljourney.com</A><BR>and 
<A 
href="http://www.sustainabledevelopmentforwv.com">www.sustainabledevelopmentforwv.com</A></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- 
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A 
title=lapaix at iolinc.net href="mailto:lapaix at iolinc.net">Myra Bonhage-Hale</A> 
</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=dealy at deatech.com 
href="mailto:dealy at deatech.com">dealy at deatech.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, September 29, 2002 4:48 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Cob Bench</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Hi, we worked more on the cob bench today in preparation for the workshop 
next weekend.  .....   the rocks placed without mortar are 
about10 inches high.  We think the cob will be another 10 inches - mixed 
some cob - some with l/4 sand, some with 3/8 sand - found l/4 sand better 
consistency.  Put in half of first row.  </DIV>
<DIV>A couple questions:</DIV>
<DIV>1)  as stones are irregular in their projection  from two front 
sides, do you need to have cob exactly even with stone projection?  - would 
stone which is beyond the cob and beneath it let water splash up on it 
and   mess up the cob?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2)  Do I need to put cover of some kind over cob we put on top of 
rocks for bench?  If so how far off t he ground so that drying is 
feasible?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2a)  I plan to put a roof over the bench this week using 4 6 x 6 oak 
posts - 8 feet high at front, and 7 feet high at back (bench faces south).  
Also plan to use old steel roofing in goat shed for roof with 4 x 6 slats - to 
hold steel up.  I would like to make an earth roof with plants (preferably 
herbs) growing on top - where and what can I use over the steel to put soil 
on???</DIV>
<DIV>3)  We went up into my woods where I knew an old stone wall was 
present (the people who lived here before were German stone cutters and 
builders).....and my sidewalks, front steps and tops of the chimneys are hand 
cut stone)..... there is an old edifice of stone wall up quite a bit away from 
the house site (up a hill with an old timber road about 45 degrees) The stone 
wall is 30 feet long, 7 to 3 feet high and 6 feet  wide built of stone (dry 
wall).  We thought we could use that for the foundation above the 
apprentice housing.  We would probably have enough for 2 apprentice 
houses.  The stones are moss covered.  But getting them down to the 
site is a probem:  There are some ways we have thought of:</DIV>
<DIV>1)  With a 4 wheeler and a very reliable safe driver with a trailer 
bring them down.</DIV>
<DIV>2)  Build some sort of a skid to roll the rocks down./</DIV>
<DIV>3)  And the most energy intensive:  take them down with a 
wheelbarrow. </DIV>
<DIV>4)  Get a really macho guy with a really macho 4 wheel drive 
truck and dare him!!! </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Any ideas.?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>My other problem is with the trench for the rubble:  For the 
Apprentice Housing</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1)  Where do you get the rubble - and how?  I have nearby creeks 
with gravel but replete with other stuff --- can I buy it - how clean does it 
have to be?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2)  Again with the trench:  how many perforated or other pipes do 
you put down there and how do you know which they are (electrical, waste, water) 
?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I really look at all of the questions on this list - I learn daily from all 
the good advice and questions... Thanks.  Namaste.  Myra</DIV>
<DIV>Visit me on the web at <A 
href="http://www.lapaixherbaljourney.com">www.lapaixherbaljourney.com</A><BR>and 
<A 
href="http://www.sustainabledevelopmentforwv.com">www.sustainabledevelopmentforwv.com</A></DIV></BODY></HTML>