Rethink Your Life!
Finance, health, lifestyle, environment, philosophy 		The Work of Art and The Art of Work
Kiko Denzer on Art


Cob: Lets get it back on topic!

Yun Que yunk88 at hotmail.com
Thu Mar 6 09:33:23 CST 2003 

<html><div style='background-color:'><DIV>
<P><BR><BR></P>
<DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<P>Cat here!  Less is best is going to be my motto as I build my home.  The fewer things I have in the house that can burn the less chance of fire.  If your heat system is outside the home then less risk.  If the kitchen has a pantry and few cabinets, stone counter ect ect ect.  Also an 8X8" timber is less likely to combust but will char and maintain it's structural integrity.  In the building that I had (and is now a pile of bricks)  There had been several fires, the timbers were 12"x12" and were badly charred however when the roof fell due to snow it was the  new 2x6's of the new roof that gave way and the second floor held, snow, brick, roof and all even with the fire damaged timbers.  I'm impressed!!  Darel you may be able to find more information about large timbers and fire in Japan since the Temples were constructed this way.  I would but I got to go harvest my brick!!!</P></DIV>
<P><EM>for the good of all </EM>Cat<BR><BR></P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>From: Darel Henman <HENMAN at IT.TO-BE.CO.JP>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>Reply-To: Darel Henman <HENMAN at IT.TO-BE.CO.JP>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>To: Mark Piepkorn <DUCKCHOW at POTKETTLEBLACK.COM>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>CC: coblist at deatech.com 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: Re: Cob: Lets get it back on topic! 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>Date: Thu, 06 Mar 2003 14:20:57 +0900 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>> 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>What's your point in the quote Mark? 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>> 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>Mark Piepkorn wrote: 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>> > 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>> > Umm... "In a fire, cob tends to shrink, 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>> 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>ALL material "tends to shrink" as it dries. In a fire rapid drying 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>occurs. The material itself, considered without water will expand a 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>little when heated. (See thermal expansion coefficients for materials 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>if you wish.) 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>> 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>> > thereby enlarging any preexisting cracks in the cob wall. 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>This occurs in ANY material wall. 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>> 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>> > The cracking can lead to structural instability. 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>Again this occurs with ANY material. Except maybe steel which will 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>melt and lead to structural instability. Which surprised me because a 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>wood beam lasted longer than a steel one. Now they have to protect 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>steel beams with sprayed on insulation! 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>> 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>> >Collapse of cob has occurred during a fire. 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>Collapse of wood housed has occured during a fire. Same with steel 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>buildings. 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>> 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>Just for the record. 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>> 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>Darel 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>> 
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV></div><br clear=all><hr>MSN 8 with <a href="http://g.msn.com/8HMNENUS/2740">e-mail virus protection service: </a> 2 months FREE*</html>