Papercreters: [papercreters] Re: PC+Woodchips+sawdust = OK?

Monday, July 28, 2008

[papercreters] Re: PC+Woodchips+sawdust = OK?

Thanks,

Before I got a tow mixer, I was considering a German-style woodchip
and clay slurry, but if I can get the PC to stick to the wood, it
should be stronger.

The sawdust I plan on trying is course flakes from a large saw. I'm
guessing it would make a tougher block than fine sawdust will.

I wonder if I could distill off some escential oil from some cedar
and add it to the mix....

I'm hoping the more input I get, the less experimenting I'll have to
do before I build, and the first shed will be an experiment itself.

==>paul

--- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, "slurryguy" <slurryguy@...>
wrote:
>
> Alan Stankevitz of daycreek.com tried something like that and
didn't
> like the results as much as just using paper only.
>
> I think either James Juczak or Paul Reavis worked hard on
developing
> a sawdust recipe and ended up switching to papercrete. I'm not
> certain if I'm remembering things correctly or not. Both of them
> eventually converted over to using mostly paper in their mixes.
>
> I've only tried 2 little batches with sawdust. I dumped the dust
> collection bag from my belt sander into a batch. It was a mixture
of
> soft and hardwood sawdust.
>
> My results were very weak blocks. They were crumbly compared to
> paper only. Needless to say I wasn't impressed and haven't tried
it
> again.
>
> With more experimentation perhaps it can be improved. I do not
know.
>
> I suspect that wood chips will make it even more crumbly, but I've
> never tried it.
>
> I have had the idea in the back of my mind of trying to include
cedar
> sawdust into a papercrete mix to create a kind of aromatic mix.
> Cedar is also naturally pest resistant. I have no idea if it would
> work. Too many ideas to try and not enough time, energy, or money
to
> try everything my demented mind comes up with.
>
> I strongly recommend that you TEST what you want to try before
> comitting to it. Make sure it will work as you expect.
>
> When you do try it, please be certain to post about your efforts
and
> maybe even post a few pictures. Whether it works as you hoped or
> not. We'll all learn from your efforts either way.
>
> --- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, "Paul S. Hetrick"
> <homesteadpaul@> wrote:
> >
> > Has anybody ever combined papercrete with woodchips and sawdust?
> What
> > I'm thinking about doing is using woodchips with enough sawdust
> added
> > to fill in the larger gaps between the chips and then enough
> papercrete
> > to bind it all together. This would be for in-fill in a
> timberframe
> > house. The walls will be about 7" thick.
> >
> > The wood chips will be from the local recycling center, mostly
> ground
> > up shipping pallets. They shred pallets that are beyond repair
and
> > sell it as mulch. The sawdust will be course green stuff from
> local
> > sawmills, mostly oak, but I won't have a choice for what I get.
> >
> > I'm hoping to get a small shed (probably 10x12') built this fall
> before
> > freezing weather sets in. If it goes well, I'll cut logs and get
> > started on the frame for the main house this winter and do the in-
> fill
> > in the spring.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
>