Cob Re: I can't actually say the words

[Patrick Newberry]

(Note: Rather than bore the long time subscribers to this list with 
the continuing saga of the Newberry house, the url for the building 
of this house is:
http://www.gnat.net/~goshawk
(most recent pictures under current status)


Boy this is hard.

Well, if any of you have been following the weather, 
it's been a bit rainy here is Georgia,
I mean earlier this week we had 2 inches of rain in one day. 
and then the rains continued and continued.
Plus very very strong winds.

and 

There was a section of my foyer, I knew it was weak. I knew I needed 
to plaster it....time...work... and so forth. 
I didn't

yea a wall fell.

I really debated ...to say anything.
but then hell it's science, not love, not a relationship, not a 
lover. right?

The Good news, every recently build section strong as hell. My  
technique has improved Plus!!!!!
Please Please Please 
Don't judge this technique with some of my try to cut corners 
attitude and Nader or Cal-Earth or superadobe in general.

I knew I had a problem in this area. I wasn't on site when it was 
built. I continued on because well. I just wanted to finish.

Plus with such a small dome, it has too many large openings to allow 
any real mistakes. With cob or any earthen building you are dealing 
with a LOT of weight. If you are pushing the limits, you are taking 
risks. 

I've got a clay model I started after seeing the damage and am 
working on what the best next step is going to be. Plus I would 
really like to be in by next Christmass. I am thinking of putting a 
few strawbale walls as the outer octagonish walls. This will give me 
the thermo mass from the earth and the insulation of the strawbales. 
I may be just reacting as this only happened a few hours ago. I 
prefer the earth walls. But from a emotional, off the cuff mood I am 
in, it looks like a possibility. I am not and will not change the 
large superadobe dome. The 22 foot one. It's been done step by step 
very carefully and is strong and safe. I've learned from the foyer. 

Well let me go open a beer and cry a bit, then get back to work. 

Love and Light
Pat,
Mauk GA
http://www.gnat.net/~goshawk