CEB questions

Hi I have quite a few home projects where I'd like to use brick, however bricks cost quite a bit and as these are home projects (do as i have time) I am not in a rush and am looking to save some money (am willing to spend *some* money if needed though).

So some of the things I had in mind, and questions about are:
CEB for retaining walls - I would like to make some retaining walls, they would be a maximum of 4ft but its unclear to me if CEB would be strong enough (I think so) and would be able to withstand the elements? (less sure)
CEB drying - most of what I read seems to indicate that CEB needs a long time to dry slowly, but I was looking at the opensource ecology site and noticed they were making and laying CEB, that is, taking them right off the machine and laying them?
CEB with cement added? - It seems that adding a bit of portland cement (10%?), stabilized compressed earth bricks, helps increase the strength and durability, so if I made SCEB would that stand wear and tear if i used them for a floor and protect against weather more?
CEB and contact with the ground - Can I put CEB or SCEB directly on the ground or would that contact weaken them?
CEB machines (buying vs making) - I was thinking about trying to make the wooden press but have seen a few none-absurdly-priced (sub $1k) manual machines on places like Alibaba, anyone else had experience with those or know of others (sub $500 would be about worth it for me i think?)
Clay + sand or sandy clay? - some of the readings sound like people just take a handful of dirt from wherever, dampen it, compress it and viola! done! Others seem to have PhDs in materials science, soil science, and physics when talking about mixing stuff. I need to post a video of the "sub-clay" (yeah, am not a geologist) we have here (like what you hit if you dig about 5-7ft down), its an orangly yellow and below the normal clay. This sub-clay drains much faster than regular clay, and when i make mud then dry it its quite a bit more brittle than "regular clay", its like "sand clay" - I have no idea but as many places i read seem to say one should have about 50% clay and sand mixed in there with... other stuff? I was wondering if, based on my vague/non-scientific description, what I have might work for CEB or SCEB without any amendments?

Thank you!

I build CEB machines in Australia, I can answer some of your questions. IN CAPITALS
So some of the things I had in mind, and questions about are:
CEB for retaining walls - NO WATER OVER TIME WRECKS THEM
CEB drying - YES, THE BLOCKS NEED ENOUGH  MOISTURE TO ACTIVATE THE CHEMICAL REACTIONS INSIDE, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO BE SLOPPY.most of what I read seems to indicate that CEB needs a long time to dry slowly, but I was looking at the open source ecology site and noticed they were making and laying CEB, that is, taking them right off the machine and laying them?
CEB with cement added? -CEMENT AT 5% WORKS, BUT IT INVOLVES ANOTHER OPERATION  AND IS NOT NEEDED IF THE SOIL IS GOOD WHICH IS OFTEN It seems that adding a bit of portland cement (10%?), stabilized compressed earth bricks, helps increase the strength and durability, so if I made SCEB would that stand wear and tear if i used them for a floor and protect against weather more?
CEB and contact with the ground - DURING MAKING THEY CAN GO ON THE GROUND AND SYSTEMS WITH LAYERS OF WOOD SLATS OR PALLETS WORK WELLCan I put CEB or SCEB directly on the ground or would that contact weaken them?
CEB machines (buying vs making) - BECAUSE OF LOADS INVOLVED YOU NEED A PRPOER PRESS IN STEEL BUT YOU CAN ALSO MAKE SLOPPY ONES CALLED ADOBE I was thinking about trying to make the wooden press but have seen a few none-absurdly-priced (sub $1k) manual machines on places like Alibaba, anyone else had experience with those or know of others (sub $500 would be about worth it for me i think?)
Clay + sand or sandy clay? -YOU NEED ROUGHLY 50/50 SAND AND CLAY THERE IS HEAPS WRITTEN ON IT. YOU NEED TO MAKE TEST BLOCKS AND FIND A WIZARD WHO CAN DO SECRET IN THE HAND TESTS
SOMETIMES SOIL NEEDS SOMETHING ADDED AND THAT CAN BE DONE OIR JUST MOVE AROUND TILL A BETTER MIX IS FOUND. some of the readings sound like people just take a handful of dirt from wherever, dampen it, compress it and viola! done! Others seem to have PhDs in materials science, soil science, and physics when talking about mixing stuff. I need to post a video of the "sub-clay" (yeah, am not a geologist) we have here (like what you hit if you dig about 5-7ft down), its an orangly yellow and below the normal clay. This sub-clay drains much faster than regular clay, and when i make mud then dry it its quite a bit more brittle than "regular clay", its like "sand clay" - I have no idea but as many places i read seem to say one should have about 50% clay and sand mixed in there with... other stuff? I was wondering if, based on my vague/non-scientific description, what I have might work for CEB or SCEB without any amendments?

Thank you, Again!
some follow up questions:
CEB for retaining walls - NO WATER OVER TIME WRECKS THEM
- How about SCEBs?

CEB machines (buying vs making) - BECAUSE OF LOADS INVOLVED YOU NEED A PRPOER PRESS IN STEEL
- I havent really seen many sub-$500 devices apart from a DIY one which I think was almost $300?. Are you (or anyone else?) aware of any Steel CEB presses that are available or can be shipped to the Americas?


CEB and contact with the ground - DURING MAKING THEY CAN GO ON THE GROUND AND SYSTEMS WITH LAYERS OF WOOD SLATS OR PALLETS WORK WELL
- How about permanently? like (as you replied to it so know of it) an arch for a tunnel? It would be in direct contact with soil, but not directly in contact with the weather (if not CEB then how about SCEB?

So for the proper mixing of CEB I need to find a CEB wizard, am thinking those are pretty rare in my area (anyone versed in the way of CEB making in the US Carolinas?). Would a video of my soil help? like showing how it drains, how brittle it is when formed, how stable it seems when trying to dig it out?

Thanks!!!

some follow up questions:
CEB for retaining walls - NO WATER OVER TIME WRECKS THEM
- How about SCEBs? TOO MANY ACRONYMS I DONT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE

CEB machines (buying vs making) - BECAUSE OF LOADS INVOLVED YOU NEED A PRPOER PRESS IN STEEL
- I havent really seen many sub-$500 devices apart from a DIY one which I think was almost $300?.
Are you (or anyone else?) aware of any Steel CEB presses that are available or can be shipped to the Americas?
I SOLD THEM THERE FOR YEARS THERE ARE SOME ADVERTISED THE PRICE WOULD BE ABOUT $US1500
.  

CEB and contact with the ground - DURING MAKING THEY CAN GO ON THE GROUND AND SYSTEMS WITH LAYERS OF WOOD SLATS OR PALLETS WORK WELL
- How about permanently? like (as you replied to it so know of it) an arch for a tunnel?
It would be in direct contact with soil, but not directly in contact with the weather (if not CEB then how about SCEB?
NO, THEY NEED A FIRM CONCRETE BASE TO RESIST MOVEMENT
So for the proper mixing of CEB I need to find a CEB wizard, am thinking those are pretty rare in my area (anyone versed in the way of CEB making in the US Carolinas?).
Would a video of my soil help? like showing how it drains, how brittle it is when formed, how stable it seems when trying to dig it out?
IT MAY, BUT RESEARCH SOIL TESTING FOR COMPRESSED EARTH BLOCKS OR ADOBE BRICKS

Its long

Very useful knowledge

Thanks!!!

John C Daley wrote:some follow up questions:
CEB for retaining walls - NO WATER OVER TIME WRECKS THEM
- How about SCEBs? TOO MANY ACRONYMS I DONT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE
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Sorry, SCEB, stabilized compressed earth brick, CEB with concrete added.

With the proper soil selection that is not rocket science you do not need to add cement or lime to the soil

John C Daley wrote:With the proper soil selection that is not rocket science you do not need to add cement or lime to the soil

ok, so you are saying if I select the right soil I wouldnt have to worry about "water over time wrecks them over time"?

most of my cement with CEB questions are aimed at either CEBs that would be directly exposed to weather or bare ground so I am a bit confused?

Ok, I see your point.
Earth walls in Australia are always protected by design from the weather.
The finishing process involves a earth plaster as limited protection.

In arid areas protection is not as important.
I have produced very strong bricks with just the natural soil from the ground.
There is a whole process involved in getting ready to make the CEB or and adobe brick which is necessary to go through.
From Wiki...
Earth building is the practice of construction using unfired, untreated, raw earth. It has been successfully used around the world for over 11,000 years, and it is estimated that around half the world's population today live and work in earth buildings
Look at this aussie site
https://www.ebaa.asn.au/publications/

Thanks. Yeah, I have lots more reading to do.

Am actually still on the fence about it as buying a metal CEB (even manual) machine is a bit much for me.

As for climate, I am in the southeast US where its pretty humid so I'd think I'd need to have some sort of protection for it.

From memory humidity is not an issue, earth walls allow moisture to move through themselves.
steady rain etc is the issue.
Well, built yourself a wooden mould and made adobe bricks instead.
They have a higher water content to start with and are moulded into rectangular shapes by hand and feet.