[Cob] Earth floors

[Paul]

Missed the point of screening the clay. What does that do? How does any form of clay make a suitable floor finish?

paul at largocreekfarms.com
http://medicinehill.net
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 12/9/2004 at 10:49 AM Raduazo at aol.com wrote:

>I am having a problem processing enough clay for a floor finish. 
>    The first step is to wet it and mix it with a power mixer then I push
>it 
>through 1/2 inch screen. This gives me a tapioca-like mixture of clay
>tapioca 
>balls mixed with a few very sharp quarts rocks. 
>    The next step is add more water, mix it again and push it through a 
>window screen. This is where the problem occurs. When I place an aluminum
>or nylon 
>screen on top of the 1/2 inch screen and try pushing the clay through it
>is a 
>very slow process. I cut up my right hand Tuesday, my left hand Wednesday
>just 
>making one batch a day, and I am not looking forward to five more batches 
>needed to finish. I can wear dishwashing gloves or a wooden block taped to
>my 
>hand to protect it from the sharp rocks, but if I use more force to speed
>up the 
>process it tears the window screen.
>    Today I am going to try 1/4 inch screen and then two layers of 1/4
>inch 
>screen set at a 45 degree angle with a power mix between steps to get rid
>of 
>the tapiocas. This stuff is tough enough to take lots of force. Then I
>when I 
>get to the window screen it is my hope that most of the sharp rocks will
>be gone 
>and I can use a little more force.
>    If this does not work I am not sure what to do. I am slated to help
>Chris 
>do his floor next. He wants the same nice red clay as I am using for my
>floor 
>and his floor is twice the size of mine. 
>    I tried finding a supplier for stainless steel screen but cannot seem
>to 
>find anyone who wants to sell small quantities.
>    Does anyone have ideas? Someone must have had this problem before me.
>Ed
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