[Cob] paracrete

[howard at earthandstraw.com]

Many of those "peanuts" will dissolve in water, there made with corn starch.  They also compress easily so will not carry a load.  So you have to make sure you're getting the tough ones.


Howard Switzer, Architect
668 Hurricane Creek Road
Linden, TN 37096
931-589-6513
www.earthandstraw.com
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Quinn 
  To: coblist at deatech.com 
  Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 3:37 PM
  Subject: [Cob] paracrete


  Isn't cob itself fireproof?

  Has this fellow tested the Paracrete for off-gassing?  Has it been  
  tested for off-gassing during a fire?

  I would think that the external facade of his slabs would melt/  
  dissolve under the intense heat of a California fire, being that  
  they're paint and styrofoam specks.  That would leave the fire to  
  burn/ melt the next level, etc.  You might have a 'scaffold' of  
  portland cement left after a fire.  But you'd have probably choked to  
  death from the toxins in the meanwhile.  Just guessing.

  I guess you could call me a Purist.  (Unless I'm wrong about the  
  fireproof qualities of cob?  Don't we make ovens out of it?)
  Quinn

  Prayer to a garden plant (India)—

  “In you I will assume the cosmos resides and I will pay you reverence.”
  > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  >
  > Message: 1
  > Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2009 15:52:08 -0800
  > From: Charmaine Taylor <dirtcheapbuilderbooks at gmail.com>
  > Subject: [Cob] peanuts in clay- Rastra
  >
  >
  > Tyn asked about peanuts... the commercial product Rastra block is a  
  > slurry
  > of chopped up styrofoam ( basic peanuts   materials)  in a cement  
  > slip.
  >  it is ugly as sin, but if  peanuts are crumbled in slipped  clay I  
  > dont see
  > why it cant provide a small level of base insulation ( but NOT the  
  > 3000 psi
  > you get with poured cement) with the styro in the cement the psi is  
  > prolly
  > lower anyway.
  >
  >
  > also the  inventor in MI who create Paracrete used  styro DUST--  
  > smaller
  > than beads this waste is mixed with cement and additive ( waste  
  > paint) and
  > makes a fireproof highly insulated mix.
  >
  > not reason why you cant try  crushed peanuts and clay mix in  
  > blocks, with
  > maybe some straw fiber or manure for fiber and glue to hold it.
  >
  > of course adding a commercial waste materials to natural clay is a  
  > no no for
  > purists of cob, but pick your battles.
  >
  > the problems with peanuts and  eps dust flakes is they tend to have  
  > static
  > and float or cling  in water..  when you add liquid soap and other  
  > things to
  > de-cling the material it will mix into the clay.
  >
  >  for non purists  interested in Paracrete you can read more about  
  > what this
  > inventor did at my site.  he lives in an intentional community and  
  > wanted to
  > make a no burn home after having fires  devastate them
  > http://www.dirtcheapbuilder.com/pabubooncd.html
  > -- 
  > Ms. Charmaine  Taylor/ Taylor Publishing
  > Toll Free Order: 1-888-441-1632
  > www.dirtcheapbuilder.com   www. papercrete.com
  > PO Box 375, Cutten CA 95534
  >
  > ------------------------------
  >
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