Cob: Re: Cob Machine

[jeanne keevan-lynch]

I don't understand why a big sausage maker has to cost 25k?  

----------
> From: SANCO Enterprises <Paul & Mary Salas> <chansey at earthlink.net>
> To: Sojourner <sojournr at missouri.org>
> Cc: coblist <coblist at deatech.com>
> Subject: Re: Cob: Re: Cob Machine
> Date: Friday, August 27, 1999 12:55 PM
> 
> Sojourner wrote:
> 
> > "SANCO Enterprises " wrote:
> > >
> > > The machine I designed and constructed does all of those things you
mentioned and
> > > much more. The machine mixes and pumps the earthen material out of a
2" hose.  The
> > > process is identical to conventional cob only you don't have to
handle the material
> > > unless you want to.
> >
> > And how much does this machine cost?
> 
> I have built one proto-type machine that has remained unchanged from its
original design
> and has performed extremely well. Everything on the machine except the
valve control body
> was salvaged materials with a total cost of about $1500 and 60 hours of
labor.  This
> could be reduced even further if a hydraulic power pack at 80 hp with a
25 GPM pump were
> assembled and available.   For this project I made the trailer, axle,
mounting brackets,
> fabricated the engine to hydraulic pump drive and adapter, as well as all
the hydraulic
> tank and fuel tank.  In a production environment, these could be sourced
out as off the
> shelf items. The labor could easily be cut to less than 40 hours.  The
key to this pump
> system is a cavity pump (Robbins-Meyers).  They are very expensive when
new, however I
> purchased my first 6" pump on a sealed bid auction for $160 and the
second 8" pump last
> month for $25 (value is over $5,000). A person with average welding and
mechanical skills
> could easily build one of these machines.
> 
> If this machine were constructed using all new components I estimate the
cost to be about
> $25,000. My desire is that if Phase II of the USDA SBIR is awarded that
the pump design
> be made a part of the grant and become public property.  My attorney
thinks otherwise,
> however it will be my decision as to what becomes of the machine.
> 
> 
> Paul Salas
> SANCO Enterprises, LLC
> Albuq., NM
> 
>