[Cob] Rocket Mass Heater Builder's Guide

[Erica [Ritter] Wisner]

Hello, CobList members,

We are reaching out to let everyone know that our new book, the Rocket Mass
Heater Builder's Guide, is scheduled for release June 1.  We have a
pre-sales campaign going on right now at Kickstarter, and could really use
your help to spread the word.

Here is the Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rmhbuildersguide/the-rocket-mass-heater-builders-guide

Here is the book itself, from New Society:
www.newsociety.com/affil.mvc?Affil=ERWI&Page=../Books/R/The-Rocket-Mass-Heater-Builder-s-Guide

The Rocket Mass Heater Builder's Guide is a more technical companion to the
original Rocket Mass Heaters books from Cob Cottage Company.

Rocket mass heaters are super-efficient, super-comfortable,
super-low-impact heaters originally designed for cob cottages.  The
clean-burning firebox sends heat to be stored in a cob or masonry bench,
producing days of comfortable warmth from a short, hot fire.  This heating
method can save 70-90% of the fuel normally used by a constant-burning,
smoke-belching older wood stove.

The Rocket Mass Heater Builder's Guide gives complete, step-by-step
building instructions, with proven dimensions and methods, for the classic
J-style rockets.  Up-to-date chapters cover layout, operation and
maintenance, and relevant building code references for North America and
Europe.
Appendices almost as long as the chapters give technical information that
will be valuable to many builders, but not essential for every project -
materials including thermal cob and plaster recipes, home heating and
combustion science, practice activities, and successful recent experiments
and alternative styles (including the "batch box" with complete dimensions;
a successful brick prototype for an outside air feed; alternative fuels;
barrel decoration options; etc).

With the chapters, appendices, color insert, and index, this book is a
little over 300 pages.  Original drafts reminded our friends of a
university textbook or doctoral thesis - we've pared it down since then, to
keep the content and price accessible.  It will retail for about $40.  But
it does cost to print and ship a larger book like this, and it makes a big
difference to our budget if we can put in a bigger initial order.

We would love to pre-sell 1000 books before going to print April 4.  We are
offering a lot of digital rewards, stretch goal challenges, and special
discounted services on our Kickstarter to reward our backers.

Many of you are already pledging and sharing on Facebook, thank you!
Boosters can earn referral bonuses by signing up at:
https://rocket-mass-book.kickbooster.me

Please help us reach the rest of the cob revival community.
There are two big audiences we need your help to reach:

- Those serious builders who you know would be interested, but don't hang
out on social media or check their email very often.  They may need a
direct heads-up from a friend.

- Those curious students and friends-of-friends who may have read a few
articles or taken a workshop, but are not yet part of "the scene."  We are
offering some fun, low-cost digital rewards including Ernie's chocolate
truffle recipes, campfire tricks, and other treats to encourage these
creative explorers - but so far, everyone is going straight for the books!

It's a nice problem to have, everyone wanting the book, but I think we are
preaching to the choir a bit here.  Your help to reach others who may need
this information is much appreciated.

Many thanks, and all the best for your own work,
yours,
Erica and Ernie Wisner
questions at ErnieAndErica.info



-- 
Pictures, projects, and workshops:
www.ErnieAndErica.info

"I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make
it shorter."
- Blaise Pascal, 1657

"You can't buy happiness. But you can buy a bicycle, and that is pretty
close."
- Bernhard Masterson, 2015