Cob: Re: Cob--fasteners, bought or natural?

[gahada]

 I'm not sure it would work with the mix of logs we actually
> used--different species, a few cut earlier than the rest.  He remains
> concerned about shrinkage and chinking, so we--probably me, by that
> time--are planning to do the chinking in late summer.  Since the logs are
> vertical, the problem is not the building settling.  I might do some
testing
> if I ever plan to do this again.
>
> Query--would it also work for green poles in a roof?
>

     All the lovely old cob houses and almost all wood-frame buildings ,
until the late 19th C. , used wooden "tree nails" ( the actual term).

       If you are concerned with tenons holding,  use glue.

       I use West System epoxy, a waterproof "marine" epoxy.

       Another glue would be one of the polyesters such as "Gorilla Glue".

       Perhaps waterglass would also provide enough adhesion to unite wood.
I like waterglass as it is cheap and the only ( !!!!) non-organic adhesive.

        "Non-organic" in the case of adhesives is good since the word
"organic" refers to the chemical categories of  carbon-based ( organic
chemistry) and non-carbon based ( inorganic).

         Petroleum products and most of the nastier things in the chemical
inventory are "organic".

          Waterglass is Sodium silicate, a straightforward product which is
generally considered to be non-toxic.

        It is the main ingredient in concrete sealers and refractory cements
( stove cement).

         Combined with talc and/or dry clays, it can probably(!) be foamed
and used as a fireproof insulating material.

         I'll try a small batch and see how it works.

                     arne