I just finished overseeing and facilitating the construction on this wall. Rhiwena and Tygel did the lions share of the physical work on this project.
We used a slightly different approach than in the past with bales on edge and stuck on rebar spikes concreted into the footer when it was being formed up.
This minimized materials needed and kept the hours down around 150-200 total. The project was completed in 3 weeks about 4 days a week for 5-6 hours for 2 people plus about 35-40 hours additional labor from a third person taking care of logistics and materials.
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A Wonderful Community Builder

near finished
Frank does detail work
Frank a photographer and straw bale builder does some detail work on the smaller bench
The Second day of workshop went smoothly like the first.
This week we will do test coats to get the sand clay mix right, we are getting a lot of surface cracking. It’s hot and dry and windy which makes it a challenge to slow the drying down enough.
We had a good crew all day and a shift change around lunch like the first day.
Next weekend promises to be as much fun as this weekend come by any time after 9:00 e mail for directions etc
wall final coats 034
Final coat adobe mix sand and linseed oil hand smeared with rubber bloves
top crown scratch coat
Cap scratch coat
Pressed in with a pool trowel
Wall is nearing completion
long and low
Bike and trailer, figuring out the load
I built this bike 15 years or so ago in East Cleveland in a shop I had in the Old World neighborhood. I designed, shaped, and Brazed the frame components. It has pretty cheap wheels but a good drive train and a good set of brakes. The seat is still in pretty good shape and is still real comfortable. The BOB trailer and bag will give me plenty of cargo capacity, and I like the way the trailer performs.
The trickiest part may be the guitar, I’m going to try that to Willcox then decide whether to ship it or store it, or just keep carrying it. It’s not a great guitar so if it gets damaged I wouldn’t be out so much and it would be nice to have it along for the off bike time.
I have a good tent and am bartering my Solar oven for a sleeping bag and stove. I’m gonna keep it pretty simple, but I am carrying the lap top camera and phone, at least as long as they last.
The route is mountainous and the gearing on this bike may not be low enough. I hope to sort that out either before I leave or in Silver City. If I can leave it the way it is I will, it’s just low enough for a crawl on the hills and I don’t spin out till the high teens. With a trailer this is good enough.
Times and Places
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top crown of core
Straw Bale Cob Bench Process
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9NOxtjxpoc] This is a YOUTUBE video on the bench wall process beginning to end