Updated NH RMH build w/PICS!!!

[mannytheseacow]

Yeah! That looks fantastic, Ray! Any idea what your cob mix is? Mine cracked like crazy and yours looks beautiful. Even my plaster coats are cracking. I'm thinking it must be the type of clay I'm working with.

How's the weather up there? I bet you're already getting some good use out of that thing.

[rjdudley]

Hi Manny! Thanks for the kudos!! Our mix is 1:1, sand to clay then we just jam as much straw as we can into it. Usually when we did the 1:1 without straw we had big time cracks. So I'm guessing the straw did the trick.
The finish coat/plaster kind of eludes me at this point. We haven't made any yet because I'm not sure what recipe to use. I'm also confused as to whether I need to apply some type of final coat after the final plaster to seal/harden it. Did anyone here seal their plaster with like a linseed oil/beeswax finish?
Anyone have a good finish recipe with actual amounts of each item?
Thanks ahead of time!

[matt walker]

Ray, that looks awesome! And yes, I did miss you. I love the way the curves are coming together around the burn chamber, and the color of your clay is so nice and light. Great job man!

Don't sweat the plaster too much, it's just like the cob, once you get your hands dirty you'll totally get it. I posted a recipe somewhere, but like the cob it's going to vary so much depending on the clay and what you are starting with. It's just cob made with very fine components, screened clay, screened sand, very fine fiber from manure or by chopping/grinding, etc. For me, the best finish ingredient is flour paste added into the mix. This acts an excellent binder and will keep your top coat all stuck together so there's no dust. It works wonders, and I actually was using a little leftover flour paste to paint areas I didn't truly plaster just to bind up the clay/sand so it doesn't dust. You can also add more layers right over the top of this finish layer and it makes an fantastic bonding layer. I personally wouldn't want to use linseed oil since then you cannot add another finish layer over the top without removing the layer with the oil first.

[Prescott]

Sweet business!

I love the cobbing around the front of the core, and how the cob is such a different color from that stuff we see out west.

I have cast a test core (that's what I'm calling it in case it isn't awesome... My son was in my ear to get going so instead of doing my best work, we worked together and can't go wrong since we have other stove plans, like an outdoor beater...) and drying it out now with a makeshift heat riser out of half fire bricks.

I used 1:1 fire clay & furnace cement, and then 1:1 that to vermiculite. It was a workout mixing, packed nicely, let it sit for nearly 24 hours and then put some heat to it. It's drying out but not rock hard yet, it's really cool watching the progress, listening to the material change in tone and seeing the dryer color.

I'll get some pics up after my apprentice is back in school, we are playing hookie tomorrow as I have a teacher workshop day (Ed techs stay home) and then the week picks up.

It's really amazing how inspiring this is for me, what fun it all is. Most of the plywood is out and working on the chunk of 4x4 at the end of the burn tunnel for the curved corners and a turbulator...

Hope everyone's having having a lovely long weekend, ultra stellar weather here in New England~p.

[mannytheseacow]

[rjdudley]

Alright, we did it! We finally got around to putting the finish coat of cob on. Pictures are below. You'll notice in the pics that there's still some cleanup left to do, but, I know how much pictures are loved around here and so I wanted to feed the addicts
We have some touch ups to do and then after it all dries we'll apply a finish/hardner on it, plus some type of 6 - 7" high backer board to lean against.
Here ya go:









It was a ton of work. More than I thought for such a thin application of cob. Ok, it's almost midnight and I'm whooped. Time to rest up.
Ray

[matt walker]

Hot dang Ray, that looks wonderful! Love the tiles, love the color, all of it. I'm starting to wonder if this is really your first time, you're making it look way too easy man. Great job Ray, and thank you so much for posting the photos. I can't tell you how exciting it is for me to see everyone's builds. Just awesome.

[Prescott]

RMH Boner!

You are, I don't know, just dandirifick, rainbow farts and all! I crossed a new line tonight here, and I'll show you soon, but so amazed at your awesomeness! I am marveling at how cool a sap pop sounds in the barrel, gosh this is funtastic...

Stay tuned for mine and thanks so much for yours, WHOOOOOOT.

[mannytheseacow]

That looks great, Ray! What did you end up using for that cover coat? Was it just cob? I'll bet you could use some time resting on that thing after all the hard work that went into it. It's really great to see it come together!

[rjdudley]

Thanks for all the kudos my fellow builders! Manny, I was exhausted after putting on that final coat! It was cob using sifted clay, very fine sand, horse manure, wheat paste, cat o' nine tail fluff and some cement tint from Home Depot.
I've been asked by the commandant here at the compound to post pictures of the RMH AFTER it had been cleaned up and so here they are:











Alright, that's enough photos for now. More will follow as we seal the dang thing and add in the final touches.
Build on my friends, build on.
Ray