Cob Yoda's cob house

[Will Firstbrook WCB of BC]

Hi Vernon, 

Thanks for the encouragement. We are very excited and have lots of plans
and ideas that we need to flesh-out to be practical, cost effective and
doable. 

>-----Original Message-----
>From:	Vernon B. Johnston [SMTP:vajohnston at nas.com]
>Sent:	Thursday, December 04, 1997 5:28 AM
>To:	coblist at deatech.com
>Subject:	Re: Cob Yoda's cob house
>
>
>Will Firstbrook wrote:
>>
>>Next July were starting our adventure into building with Cob we
>>purchased 9.26 acres in the Salmon Arm area in the BC interior. house
>
>    Congratulations - Your adventure will only get better & better!!!
>
>>And I don't think I could corbel cob to the center top of
>>the room
>
>    In my experience corbelling a cob dome was a very unique adventure.
>Once the cob wall reached the 3 to 4 foot high level and the curve was
>really beginning to turn inward I had to use a modified waddle and daub
>process in order for me to complete the dome.  I drove or shoved sharpened
>tree branches into my wall to help support the wall as it gained heighth.
>    With each bit of gain in heighth it became very apparent that I would
>require even more support if I was to keep my 10' inside diameter
>sweat/suana dome from rising too tall.  Criss-crossing the branches allowed
>me to finish, even in the wet cold weather we have been having in
>Washington. I finished just yesterday and what a good feeling that was!!!
>And the look...  the look and feel inside made it worth the effort.
>
>[Will Firstbrook  WCB of BC] 
>We've been having the same wet wet weather in the Vancouver area. I will keep
>a copy of your post handy when I'm doing some heavy duty corbelling. I would
>live to see picture's of your sauna dome. A question I have is regarding the
>moisture that would be generated in this sauna do you anticipate any problem
>with the moisture? Or is there a pathway to get rid of it or is this not a
>problem? Also what are you going to do about rain on the top of the cob dome
>have you created a overhanging separate roof? So did you put up big tarps
>over the work area while you were building the dome to keep you and the
>structure dry during construction?    
>
>    Another thing that I recommend is if you are considering your floor to
>be a cob floor, then put the first layer or two in before you start your
>walls.  It was very nice to be able to work on the cob subfloor while I was
>constructing the sweat/suana.  Plus it was curing while I was working on the
>walls.  I will do the same for the home we are building.
>
>[Will Firstbrook  WCB of BC]  
>Great Idea. Did you do your floor like the one described in the Cobbers
>companion? Being a little impatient the thing I wonder about is would I wait
>that long before I start the walls.
> 
>Again...Congratulations!!!  Sincerely,
>
>Vernon vajohnston at nas.com
>
>ps: How far north of the  U. S. border is Salmon Arm?
>
>[Will Firstbrook  WCB of BC]  
>Salmon Arm is a 5 1/2 hour drive from Vancouver.  2-3 hour's I guess from the
>US border just under the Okanagan Valley. Its about 1/2 way between Vancouver
>& Banff.
>
>Regards,
>Will.
>
>