Thursday, August 2, 2007

Re: [papercreters] Re: Papercrete 101

I found that if in my mix too much water it makes a "milkshake" of all the ingredients.  You are shooting for a viscosity/texture more like "cookie dough".  By slurrying the water out of the pulp through whatever means you are subtracting the amount of water that is eventually going to leach out of the brick anyway.
If you intend on substituting more cement then maybe you wouldn't need to drain off the excess water.  Test it. 
Main idea is 50% binder and 50% filler.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2007 10:39 PM
Subject: Re: [papercreters] Re: Papercrete 101

Chris, I'm not sure about: "5) I usually slurry the pulp to remove excess water with an old window screen. Pour it out and let the extra water fall off."
 
By "slurry the pulp" does that mean to pour it out of the mixer onto a screen?
 
Why is this necessary when the next steps are to add cement and soil?
 
Neal
 

----- Original Message -----
From: lefamaster
Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2007 9:44 AM
Subject: [papercreters] Re: Papercrete 101

I'll take a stab at this since I started in 5 gallon buckets.

This is a fibrous adobe mix that works very well for most climates.
Check your soil first, if you opt to utilize clay.(if clay is present
you are in luck.) You want at least 25-30% clay present. Get a jar, dig
down a few inches and put the soil in the jar, fill it half full of
water leave it overnight. The varous bands are the content percentages
of sand, silt, and clay.

1)Now...shred that paper.**cofetti shredders work best**

2) Soak the shredded paper (preferablly overnight.)

3)Fill the 5 Gallon bucket half-full of shreded soaked paper.

4) Add roughly 1 gallon of water, and attack with the drill. You'll
know it is ready when it looks soupy, and all the chunks are gone. Like
a smoothie made of paper is what you are shooting for.

5) I usually slurry the pulp to remove excess water with an old window
screen. Pour it out and let the extra water fall off.

6) grab an old pint size jar, fill it with portland.

7) In your mixer, now add the 2 gallons of slurried pulped paper, and
portland, mix this well. Add roughly 2 gallons of the *clean soil* NO
ROCKS.

8)mix this up into a cookie dough texture, if to thin add a bit more
soil to thicken. If too dry spritz a little water on it ( a little goes
a long way...it will shed this water eventually so no worries....just
not tooo soupy ok?...)

9)Pour into form, and wait 30-60 minutes and pull the form. Let dry for
2-3 days then flip the brick as soon as able to o so to maximize dry
time.

I have made two 6 foot by 6 foot walls with these bricks. They are not
exactly papercrete by definition and fall under a fibrous adobe. But
the technique is similar. From this process you can branch out into
various other recipes. The main idea is 25-45% paper then a
combination of binders (clay, cement, mortar) and binders ( sand,
sawdust, paper, dung, etc)

Hope that helps.
Chris Portell
3)Fill a 5-gallon
> >
> > OH -- and thanks to those of you who were so nice and responded to
> my premature question about wall building. I've decided to make some
> blocks first, then worry about wall footings.
> >
> > To my neighbor in St. Hedwig -- I'm north of Dripping Springs, out
> by Hamilton Pool -- caliche country.
> >
> > Melody in TX
> >
>

__._,_.___


SPONSORED LINKS
Home repair improvement Papercrete International building code
Home and gardens 2000 international building code

Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

at 8:55 AM