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This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEP curriculum.  Completing this BB is part of getting the sand badge in Natural Building.

Cob is a very useful material. You can build a house with it but you can ALSO use it as an all around patch and filler material.

To get certified for this BB you must:

  - use a low grade cob as filler between logs in a wofati
  - Must be a minimum of 20 linear feet of filler

and post the following pics:  

  - the before pic
  - the cob being prepped for use
  - the cob being put into place
  - the final result
COMMENTS:
 
steward
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Approved submission
Ok, I did this one yesterday at the PEP1 event while working up at Allerton Abbey.  I was working alone so I couldn't get pictures of myself doing the stuff.  Plus there was muddy cob all over me so I didn't want to dirty up my phone.

Low Grade Cob is just dirt and water.  No straw and no additional clay slip.  Or at least the dirt here has enough clay for it to work.  I sifted the dirt through a 1/2" hardware cloth sifter and mixed it in a bucket with a small amount of water.  

Normally this BB would be easy, slapping cob up in the gaps/chinks of a log wall as you build a wofati.  In this case, the wofati was already built and the cob had to squeeze between log gaps and/or through 1" holes to get to the other side of the wall.  I make a plunger tool that kind of helped.  Anyone else doing this under "normal" conditions will probably get the job done in 1/3rd the time since access will be much better.  I also used a big pastry bag to squirt the cob into gaps.  I made it extra soupy so it could be plunged/pastried into place.  (Hint) If anyone else is doing this same job at the abbey, sift your soil down to 1/4" or smaller so the pebbles don't plug up your applicator(s).

I did about 22' of linear cob on this project.  I photoshopped red lines on each log above where the cob was applied so you can see where it worked.  I skipped the middle of the wall since there's a big post on the dirt side of the wall that creates a huge void.  Filling that will probably take a 2-3" hole at the top and a couple wheelbarrow loads of sloppy cob and a funnel contraption.
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Allerton wall at the beginning with holes
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Cob mix in right bucket, hoe and spare dirt bucket
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Homemade plunger tool and pastry bag
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Allerton wall with >20' of cobbing on the back side (red lines are above each section that was done)
Staff note (paul wheaton) :

I updated the requirements a bit.   We happen to have a spot that produces what we call "shitty cob" - a near perfect mix of sharp sand and clay.  With a little water it makes a low grade cob.  That is what you were using. 

I certify that this BB is complete!

 
gardener
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I'm late to looking up all these BBs... I did the top 3-4 gaps in the left hand wall in your picture during the 2019 ATC and could have gotten credit if I had taken pictures to document it, DOH!
 
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Approved submission
Made some cob to fill the logs in at the wofati known as Cooper Cabin. Covered well over 20ft. Now the bathroom will have a bit more privacy.
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Staff note (gir bot) :

jordan barton approved this submission.

 
pollinator
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Approved submission
I completed this badge bit as part of the PJT. I chinked in 22 feet on the walls of the Cooper Cabin. It reached 106 degrees today so I was very grateful to be able to work in the blessed cool of the Wofati.
C2998B37-84A6-4D1C-9600-CE5CD66C4601.jpeg
Mixing the cob
Mixing the cob
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Before
Before
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Before
Before
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In process
In process
3875D125-2BEF-47B7-AF39-6545DC7D37A5.jpeg
After
After
Staff note (gir bot) :

Mike Haasl approved this submission.

 
gardener
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Approved submission
Here is my submission for the Natural Building - Sand - Make 12 Adobe Bricks BB.

To get certified for this BB, I:
  - used low-grade cob as filler between logs in a wofati (Cooper Cabin)
  - a minimum of 20 linear feet of filler (Five runs that measured about 4'-8" each = ~23 linear feet)

To document the completion of the BB, I have provided the following:
  - the before pic
  - the cob being prepped for use
  - the cob being put into place
  - the final result
1.JPG
The Wall Before - My hand is showing the Post which is the left edge
The Wall Before - My hand is showing the Post which is the left edge
2.JPG
Mixing Low-Grade Cob
Mixing Low-Grade Cob
3.JPG
Placing Cob
Placing Cob
4.JPG
Finished - showing the right edge of my work
Finished - showing the right edge of my work
Staff note (gir bot) :

Mike Haasl approved this submission.

 
Posts: 17
Location: California
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Approved submission
Hello Fellow permies

To get certified for this BB I:
 - used low-grade cob up at Cooper Cabin to fill in some walls! Each wall was 5'3" and I did four of them to total 21'!


To document the completion of the BB, I have provided the following:
 - pics before of mixture and me mixing
 - the wall before, me applying,  and after!

the clay and tarp before mixing


stompy stompy!!!


wall before


smeary smeary


and the four rows of cobey cobey!

Staff note (gir bot) :

Mike Haasl approved this submission.

 
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Approved submission
I completed this BB at the SKIP 2023 event. I filled space between the logs of one of the walls in Cooper Cabin--a bit more than 20 linear feet.

 - the before pic (with hand gesturing to the top row of the 4 I filled)
 - the cob being prepped for use
 - the cob being put into place
 - the final result
 - a measuring tape showing the wall length is a bit over 5' (so 4 rows was a little more than 20 linear feet)

Thanks!

wall-before.jpg
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mix.jpg
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filling.jpg
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4-rows-complete.jpg
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size.jpeg
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Staff note (gir bot) :

Nicole Alderman approved this submission.
Note: I hereby certify that this badge bit is complete!

 
gardener
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Submission flagged incomplete
I made and used cob for the first time today to fill between logs at Wheaton Labs.
20230816_095024.jpg
Before picture
Before picture
20230816_083940.jpg
Wetting the clay.
Wetting the clay.
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Mixing the wettedclay.
Mixing the wettedclay.
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Adding sand until not glossy.
Adding sand until not glossy.
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Adding straw.
Adding straw.
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Mixing well.
Mixing well.
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Width of wall.
Width of wall.
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Applying the cob.
Applying the cob.
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Half way done.
Half way done.
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Done with over 20 linear feet.
Done with over 20 linear feet.
Staff note (gir bot) :

Someone flagged this submission as not complete.
BBV price: 1
Note: Great work on the pump house, unfortunately this BB is specificly for WOFATIs and the pump house doesn't qualify.

 
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Is there any alternative structure or activity for those of us who don't have access to a wofati? If it absolutely has to be a wofati, and you don't know someone who already has built one, then doesn't that mean that in order to get the straw badge in natural building one first has to complete the iron badge(building a wofati)?
Or are wofatis more widespread than I think they are, and if so how can I find someone who has one?
 
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