Cob: Re: Use of Forms?

Sun Jan 5 13:22:35 PST 2003

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Cement mixers tend to make a mix that is too wet, and unless you have a 
really big mixer it makes batches that are too small. I use a cheap 5 HP 
rototiller to mine clay and mix it with sand and some times chopped straw. It 
works great and allows a much lower water content. If you can mix on a 
concrete slab you can move the finished product with a sand shovel. If you 
mix on the ground it is a little more difficult to control the mix but still 
not a big problem since cob is so forgiving, and move it with a dirt fork.
       By the way if you use a forms you are stuck with flat walls which will 
not dry until the forms are removed and your resulting product is called 
rammed earth not cob. There is a good book on it by David Easton, but I am 
not sure that the end result is worth the cost of the forms, and the 
equipment.
Ed

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<HTML>Cement mixers tend to make a mix that is too wet, and unless you have a really big mixer it makes batches that are too small. I use a cheap 5 HP rototiller to mine clay and mix it with sand and some times chopped straw. It works great and allows a much lower water content. If you can mix on a concrete slab you can move the finished product with a sand shovel. If you mix on the ground it is a little more difficult to control the mix but still not a big problem since cob is so forgiving, and move it with a dirt fork. 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; By the way if you use a forms you are stuck with flat walls which will not dry until the forms are removed and your resulting product is called rammed earth not cob. There is a good book on it by David Easton, but I am not sure that the end result is worth the cost of the forms, and the equipment. 
Ed</HTML>

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