[Cob] cob rumford fireplace

[Amanda Peck]

interesting website.

Superior Clay products has the cast parts to make a Rumford fireplace (and 
you may fall in love with their chimney pots as well).

http://www.claychimneypots.com/

Buckley Rumford has plans for sale--but why does the picture on the home 
page have the burning logs going horizontally?--aren't they supposed to be 
vertical?

http://www.rumford.com/

Kind of looks like the answer of what can't be cob is "quite a bit of it."  
The fireplace walls and floor probably need to be firebrick (floor could be 
refractory cement), the throat and damper look lik they are critica in 
making a Rumford fireplace work the way it shouldl--Superior Clay sells them 
precast.  Chimney shape--and inside surface and material--might be important 
as well  Maybe all the rest can be cob, if you don't need a sturdy but thin 
backing for the firebrick.  Probably should be at least a cob surround in a 
cob house.

(the pictures seem to show a void behind the firebrick and support on the 
sides--is that so that you don't have to heat the entire mass to get heat 
radiating out the sides and back?)
..............................
Charmaine replied to Susan (snipped a bit):

Susan, somewhat related is the website of a guy who came to the Emerald  
Earth natural building gathering this year. his website has the page on  
building an outdoor oven, and also gathering &  making natural  pigments- a 
great article at the site above.
.  .   . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
  I'm looking for specific info about making a Rumford fireplace from  cob.  
There are plenty of plans for traditional Rumfords available, but  I'm 
looking for cob-specific information.  What non-cob parts or  material need 
to be included?