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

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

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

Add lime to your papercrete. It will help it adhere to things
better. This is not a panacea, but it's helpful.

Generally speaking. Papercrete doesn't really like to stick to
things very well.

Well... maybe it does. I just sticks to the wrong things.

It sticks to my hair pretty well.
It likes sticking to my clothes, especially my socks.
It seems to be very attracted to anything that has a pretty paint job
or finish... like cars... or furniture...

I wonder how well it would stick to ... A MOTHER IN LAW?
(I'll allow someone else to report on that experiment. Pictures
requested!)

--- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, "Paul S. Hetrick"
<homesteadpaul@...> wrote:
>
>
> 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
> > >
> >
>