Cob: Good Foundations

[puppetman at ix.netcom.com]

Thanx D----- for the website reference. That site has me leaning more toward the rammed earth tires for a foundation. I could easily just buy cinder block and be done with it. But I boasted to my wife that I could build my study for under $1,000.00. Her reply; "You go Batman!" sooooo with my Cinva ram costing me $850, and books for R&D at about $100, I need to make my foundation cheap!

I am thinking tires in the core and a cement infill (ala Helen and Scott Nearing's stone walls. The cement will make a surface that I can then slather with a bitumen waterproofing. 

Talked with the township supervisor yesterday and he says the 28" minimum foundation for small buildings is state code and open to interpretation by each township. In my township they are calling it a rat wall rather than a foundation to reduce the confusion, and to keep people from thinking it will hold up their buildings properly. Basically any building under 400 sq ft. does not require a foundation, however they are not responsible when it falls over and kills a cow or two. Supervisor says if you want a building to stand up through more than one winter here, put a four foot foundation under it. 

Supervisor also says berming works just fine and is used alot here to keep from having to dig a four foot trench. Dig two feet and then backfill and berm two feet. Works for me as the test tire I rammed last weekend is Heavvvvvvvvvy. I was not looking forward to being in the bottom of a grave like hole with 250 pounds being lowered down to me. 

The wife still thinks I am crazy but has shown some mild interest in the model I am making in plastilene. 

Thanx for letting me use youall for a sounding board. Please speak up if you think I'm making a mistake or just plain doing this the hard way. 

Michael Fitzgerald
Anthropologist/Woodcarver/Puppetmaker