Cob: Re:apology re dumb & etc

[Kelly, Sean]

-----Original Message-----
>How about: "A less than optimum solution".  Means kinda the same, just
>sounds nicer.
  
No problem... just being touchy ;-)  We all have our own twists.  Given the
mass of explanation you offer, I accept that it may be a less than optimum
solution to the problem...  6 foot thick walls may be a bit much for me ;-)

<explanation of thickness and work snipped>
>Re: Sean's question of insulation vs air space vs how do double glazed 
>windows work.   Double glazed windows have a vacuum between the two
<explanation of vacuum dynamic snipped>

Cool, then that explains why a simple air space will not work here - fair
'nuff (along with the other explanation of the very small air space doing
something of the same nature...)

<snip>
>A cob wall will derive it's strength from is massive 
>nature.  The historic adobe buildings in seismc active California which
have 
>survived earthquakes are those with a low height to thickness ratio (like 
>somewhere around 3:1 or so ).  So it stands to reason that when building
with 
>cob you need to make your walls monolithicly thick.  To make a safe double 
>wall will mean building two THICK walls.  Real massive !!!!  Two thinner
cob 
>walls with an insulation break in between can be potentiallly dangerous 

OK - Adobe brick buildings?  Do the same requirements exist with monolithic
cob?  It seems it would be tied together a bit better (Adobes don't use
mortar, right?), but nevertheless I see the point.  What is the rule of
thumb for height to width on cob?  Using this rule, the walls would be 2-3
feet thick each, along with a foot of insulated space for a 9' tall
structure.  Aye... why not just find a cave.

<snip>
>So, do it if you want to, but my suggestion is look for a less probematic 
>solution to insulating you cob structure.

I understand why you make that recommendation now.  OK - so we have a
strawbale/cob hybrid or just a cob building with stacked strawbales around
the outside.  I had considered the 1" of aerogel embedded within the cob
wall (with anywhere from R15-35 per inch...) - of course that is fairly cost
prohibitive, and considering I like this method b/c I have no $...  

>Thanks for your post & fire setting Sean.
>Regards,
>john fordice

Thanks for being kindling and the update on TCCP...

Sean