Papercreters: Re: [papercreters] Re: PPB's

Greetings,
The greatest danger we found with using straight paper was that it will
smolder. It is not enough to check it for catching on fire, but how
long will it burn? Most mixes once on fire will keep smoldering until
they are nothing but ash.

We tested our mixes about fifteen years ago with a welding torch. How
long did it take the heat to travel through a one inch block? Will they
go out on their own or do they keep smoldering? How long did they take
to catch on fire, with fire being a relative term. Papercrete and paper
adobe didn't actually burn, they just smoldered.

Bright Blessings,
Garth & Kim Travis
www.TheRoseColoredForest.com
Bedias, Texas
936-395-0110

On 6/5/2011 7:06 PM, Wayne wrote:
> Hi Bob. You are right about the drying time. Far too long for a
> conventional mold. That is why I have spent many hrs devising a system
> that gets the excess water out and allows for easy faster drying while the
> mold is in place. I wish I could buy cement as cheap as you. I pay $16
> for a 40 pound bag.
>
> Wayne
>
> >
> > I've experminted with cardboard in this way, when dry it does shrink
> > away from the form and it becomes very hard, I think there must be a
> > glue present in cardboard that does this, that is why cardboard is
> > differnt than paper. The problem I have with using it is the drying
> > time, you have to have the patients of Job, I can't remember how much
> > time elasped from the time I poured my first mold and when I was finally
> > able to remove it, I was using a latex mold. The final product was very
> > hard once I was able to remove it, but I gave up the idea of using it to
> > produce my product because of the looooooooooooong drying time. I first
> > discoverd the possibility of using card board when I tried using a
> > cement mixer to pulp cardboard boxes, the first batch I poured on the
> > ground where grass was growing (it dryed fairly quickly I guess the
> > earth sucked the water out) to see what would happen to it, well to my
> > surprise when dry, it became very hard, so hard grass could not even
> > grow through it the first year and it went through the winter covered
> > with snow and was still somewhat hard next spring, the next year grass
> > started to grow through it just a little, the next year the whole pour
> > became like cow manure, it had the same texture and was not hard at all.
> > This is when I decided to pour it in molds and use only inside, except
> > when I decovered PC I gave up the idea due to the drying time
> > difference, my PC dries overnight this time of year, I am at present
> > making stones and boulders with it, the stones will be used for house
> > siding (I am using a very rich mixture 3:1, and the cost of the stones
> > is about .07 each, I pour them in a 2 ft sq mold and that amount cost
> > about .63 for the 2x2 sq ft or 9 stones) the boulders will be used in my
> > garden. I am paying $9.79 for a 94 lb bag of Portland Cement I can
> > produce about 135 stones from this bag. I have bought Concrete stones
> > and they cost about $7.00 per sq ft. that would be about $14.00 for one
> > of my 2x2's that cost .63 cents.
> > Why would anybody want to do it any other way?
> > Bob
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:papercreters%40yahoogroups.com>, "Wayne" <huon@...> wrote:
> >>
> >> PPB's or Pure Paper Blocks are the most lightweight building product I
> >> have come across. In simple form you just mix paper to a pulp with
> > water,
> >> pour into moulds and let dry. Sounds easy but as with many things the
> >> devil is in the detail, so prctice and experimatation is the key.
> >>
> >> 1. The Pulp.
> >>
> >> I use a horizontal style cement mixer and a thin soupy mix. This
> > allolws
> >> the wood fibers to be teased apart gently. Toss any paper/cardboard
> > whole
> >> into the water, but cardboard will benefit the most from pre soaking.
> > I
> >> piock out the stickytape/plastic from the mix after it has separated.
> >> Once the pulp has no chunks of paper left visible it can be poured
> > into an
> >> old bath or similar vessel for thickening. Thickening is simply a
> > matter
> >> of letting the pulp settle and the excess water run off. A large
> > bucket
> >> works well for smaller amounts. As each batch settles the next one can
> >> gently be poured in to push the excess water out.
> >>
> >> 2. The Mould.
> >>
> >> This is where it gets a little bit harder. A simple brick muold can be
> >> made by building a square from timber and sitting this on a mesh base.
> >> Line the mould with a piece of cloth. More complex designs require
> > more
> >> complex moulds, but the main thing to remember are that you have to
> > allow
> >> water to escape and you have to allow alot of settling room. For
> > example
> >> I use a 4" thick flat mould to make a 1" thick flat panel. A 10" tall
> >> mould will make about a 4" tall brick but it does depend on the
> > thickness
> >> of your pulp.
> >>
> >> 3. Drying.
> >>
> >> Allow the poured mould to drain (over the thicknesser if you want to
> >> recycle the water) for 24hrs. Then set it aside out of the rain to
> > dry.
> >> This can take months for a larger pour, or can be sat near the wood
> > heater
> >> over winter to speed up smaller pours to a few days drying time. As
> > the
> >> block dries it will shrink away from the mould. Once dry to a firm
> > touch
> >> the cloth liner can be peeled off for use in the next mould.
> >>
> >> 4. Imagination.
> >>
> >> This is the key ingredient. As an example of product I have a square
> >> timber mould 24" x 24" x 4". I sit this on a piece of galvanized mesh
> >> with 4" squares. Lay a piece of old bed sheet over the whole thing and
> >> pouir in the pulp. When dry I peel of the cloth to reveal a smooth
> > panel
> >> with a soft squared pattern that makes an intersting wall board panel
> > with
> >> fantastic insulating qualities. It can be nailed, screwed or glued. It
> >> will hold a plaster screw better than plaster. It can be screwed or
> > glued
> >> to a beam made from pulp. It can be sawn (the sawdust from this is a
> >> light fluffy cotton wool like product that is a great fill
> > insulation).
> >> It has good soundproof ability. If you add borax powder it can be made
> >> insect proof, rodent proof and FIRE PROOF!!!!
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> This may be a little of topic but this is the closest group I have
> > been
> >> able to find for learning and building with pulp.
> >>
> >
> >
> >
>
>
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