Cob Cottage - video series

Hey there everyone, I've been documenting what I think is a pretty fun project/experiment in building again, this time with cob and straw bales to create a winter hardy home with an attached greenhouse for less then $1000, to deal with harsh upstate NY winters.  As a novice builder, I like to think sharing these projects with folks may help inspire confidence that 'hey, if that guy can do it, why can't I!'


Part 2, shows further development...

https://picasaweb.google.com/seandembrosky/2011CobHouse
Photos.

Thanks!

Looks pretty cool, I'm jealous  Looking forward to seeing the cottage progress.

I will hopefully have part 3 up in the next few days, I'll keep you posted!

I'v been really impressed with you're videos, looks like you've got the natural builders jazzy way of doing things, just givin' it a go, good to see. Really enjoyed the pond making video as well, had no idea it could be that simple. Have to ask, where are you building this cottage?

Central NY, and thanks for the niceness.  Giving it a go is how it has to be done.  I think it's how all good things have been done, all good fights won, etc. etc.  Analytic planning, mathematics et al are great for the right people, but I need a place to live and I have no interest in a mortgage.  So here we go!

Looking forward to the next video - thank you for documenting the process and posting the info!  Looks like a great project

Awesome! Think there will be another video up soon?

- video 3 in the series talks a fair bit about the roofing system I'm working with as well as some other updates... The strawbale walls with cob weather proofing will probably be video 4...  Maybe in a week or so.

Thanks!

hi Sean,

I'm new to this site, and have been studying the rocket mass heater with all the cob work involved. i live near Oneonta, and was wondering if you would not mind a visit or email to discuss cob. (Cob to me as a fleeting abstraction to me so far) I have been in the construction industry for 25 years, and can do nearly anything... I have even made adobe bricks 30 years ago, but need to know more about cob and feel comfortable beginning with it.

I'm wondering how much clay is in the local soil here, how I find out, and how to decide how much sand to add to the soil that I dig, etc.

it sure would be kind of you if you would consider dropping me a line to perhaps begin a line of conversations about COB COB COB COB.... (I feel like I'm driving across Iowa again)...

Tim