Cob-Wood and experiments

[crtaylor]

  I'm very much interested in his comments myself, because we are going to
build a church here in Chihuahua, and want to do it with SB, earth, lime
and fibrous cement (or sawdust-cement). So I'm in a need for more detailed
info, too.
>
>Uwe


Uwe, and all, I am really pleased with the results ai am getting with the
Madrone sawdust/woodchips, and clay.  Making a slurry/slip and adding a bit
os sand or not, and cement or not, and experimenting I have found the
materiall performs so well that I like it better than papercrete.  Big
reason is NO mixer is needed.

I can't really sculpt with this stuff when it is wet, and too dry concerns
me cuz it may crumble so I am still messing with it. Pouring into forms may
be the best.

Since the sawdust is free and I got a ton of local clay I have been
continuing on my garden bench and really like the results.  It is taking a
long time to dry of course, but Frank Andressen did comment in the JQ #35
article it took 8 Maine summer weeks to dry the walls he built.

I am calling this stuff Cob-wood..since it is like cob, and has wood.

Rog of Australia did us a favor by describing the building he saw!

Charmaine R. Taylor
Taylor Publishing & Elk River Press
PO Box 6985 Eureka CA 95502  1-888-307-7650
'Books for people who want to build'

http://www.northcoast.com/~tms/