Cob: clay and lime-paper mixes: PEM

[Taylor Publishing-DirtCheapBuilder]

Charmaine  do you put dry lime in the wet mix or do you add lime that has
been soaked in water?  If so how much?  I use 5-6 ,31/2 gallon buckets of
clay to 3-4 31/2 gallon buckets of shredded wet paper, in a large mortar
mixer.  Terry

+++

Terry I always soak my Type N or S hydrated lime in clean water the minute I get it, in 32 gal. rubbermaid tubs with lids, then I can just scoop some out as needed.

I mix using  a wringer washer (the famous 1950's "Dewey"- see him and recipes at www.dirtcheapbuilder.com)  I place clean water, then  wet clay, and mix that for a while, to make a nice slip, then add lime putty, and lastly the fiber (usually sawdust, sometimes cross shredded paper paper)

I think having a mortar mixer is great, but the wringer washer works for me and I love the chug-chug sound..as it agitates!

I tend to anthropormorphize inanimate objects, so I won't tell you about "Bernice" the 1970s washer I use too.


PEM and PEP are what Alan at www.daycreek.com is calling papercrete, just to be different.  Papercob, cobwood, etc, all the names are just variations on a theme.

Ms. Charmaine  Taylor/ Taylor Publishing
PO Box 375, Cutten   CA 95534 707-441-1632    books at dirtcheapbuilder.com
 http://www.dirtcheapbuilder.com    http://www.papercrete.com