23 replies to this topic

[Norseman C.B.]

Thanks Ulric this looks interesting and I have most of the elements at hand for this

[Ulric]

Norseman C.B., on 13 August 2010 - 01:32 AM, said:

Thanks Ulric this looks interesting and I have most of the elements at hand for this

If i can find it again, there was a site (or 3) that told you how to check the soil/clay content for suitability.

Quote

Testing Soil
If you are not sure about the soil you want to use, there is a way to test it out. Fill a glass jar about 2/3 full of soil. Add water until the jar is full, and shake it for about 2 minutes. Set the jar down and let it sit overnight.

When you check the jar, the soil should be broken up into two distinct bands of dirt. The sand should be settled on the bottom with the clay on the top. There should be more sand than clay. A ratio of about 70 percent sand to 30 percent clay is ideal for making adobe brick.

I didn't like the...idea of waiting 3-5+ days for it to dry out on it's own, so... I set
the thing over a fire to dry it out. There are some nice cracks to fill in, and some of the thin spots
flaked (1/16-1/8 thick areas) but the rest is HARD/Solid. Once it's cooled down enough to handle, I'll make a thicker batch (first was a tad, wet) finish the fill in... dry it then try the slurry coat.

[2703adam]

Has any one tried to crush sheet rock and use that in a recipe? I put my torch to a piece of it and it seemed like it was somewhat insulating. Just an idea...

[kcrucible]

gympsum (ie sheet rock) is somewhat fire resistant, but breaks down at high temps. there's a reason that you don't see sheetrock left after a home fire.


http://www.usg.com/s...s.html#tab-faqs

Quote

Q: What is the maximum temperature that SHEETROCK® Brand Gypsum Panels can withstand?

A: SHEETROCK® Brand Gypsum Panels can withstand temperatures up to 125°.