When I read things like this it confirms to me the benefits of being able to manufacture and sell papercret blocks as a business. I would love to do something like this out here in Abiquiu. This is an area of creative, progressive thinkers, also an area of high unemployment because of its distance from town and low skill levels of many who live here. We're out in the country where people still live by the old ways, raising their own food, hunting and fishing, etc. But it is also a mecca for artists and writers. People speak to me in the post office and elsewhere. They know me as the woman who is building the papercrete house. I went to a dance recently and met the librarian who said she know all about me and my project. My point here is that a facility in this rural, agricultural area would provide employment to local people, a readily available building material to artists and visionalries, labor jobs for construction projects, and (now to the main point) a uniform mix, or mixes that could be tested and approved easily as adobe is now. I'm always full of ideas about things but tend to drop the ball when it comes to follow through. Perhaps some of you can help me with suggestions about how I could persue this thing.
To: papercreters@yahoogroups.com
From: slurryguy@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 7 Sep 2007 12:14:52 +0000
Subject: [papercreters] Re: flammability
I agree with Spaceman here. If you can perform a personal
demonstration and get an inspector to sign off based on that it will
be optimal for you.
If you need to get official lab testing performed, I see two
alternatives.
1. Take a sample (or few) that you've created to the lab and let
them conduct whatever tests are appropriate on that and get a written
report that you can file with your building department.
2. Give the lab your recipe, mixing instructions, and drying
instructions. They can then perform their tests on samples that they
have created themselves.
Option 1 will be the simplest and likely the cheapest. However, the
lab will only be able to document how the sample that you gave them
performed. They won't be able to offically verify what is in the
sample. It will not be practical for them to confirm that the
contents of your samples are what you claim. This has the
disadvantage that your testing will only be valid for your own use.
It will be difficult for others to take a copy of your lab testing
and use it elsewhere.
Option 2 will be far more univeral but will be more difficult and
probably more expensive. Since the lab will be able to document the
contents of their own samples, they will be able to claim that anyone
that creates a block using the same ingredients and techniques should
get similar performance. This will be a vastly easier report for
others to take advantage of.
What you choose to do is clearly your choice. I encourage you to AT
LEAST ASK THE LAB about what they would charge for option 2. You
just might happen to find a lab that will perform option 2 for
minimal extra expense.
Food for thought.
--------------------- -
Spaceman wrote:
I have never seen any lab reports on papercrete smoldering, just
strength tests. Why not take a pc panel and a 2x4 and drywall panel,
and a torch, and do the test, maybe in his presence? He's a state
inspector, right? Did he give you an idea of what he would consider
acceptable "lab data"? Maybe something from NMSU would satisfy him.
Spaceman
Mikey Sklar wrote:
Does anyone have "official" flammability data for papercrete? I have
been asked by my building inspector to present lab data for
flammability. Ideally I would see this as a mix chart of sand/clay/
cement/borons to paper ratios. I see plenty of web pages showing the
1:1 ratio of paper to cement will smolder. Even more stating the 1:4
ratio of paper to cement will not burn. I am just looking for
something to take away liability from my building inspector.
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