Rion Mather wrote:Has anyone heard of this mix as a plaster for masonry stoves?
Here is the video where I saw it in use.
Clay and wool ... we just used some wool in the perlite-cob mixes at Paul's
workshop, but I think he re-invented it.
No reason it shouldn't work in general. In the hottest areas, I expect the wool would burn out and reduce moisture spalling (like polyester or nylon burnout fibers do in refractory
concrete). In lower-heat areas the wool
should remain intact (Paul said it's fire-resistant up to something like 1100 F, but I think it melts a bit before it finally ignites). It would be a very nice fiber for tensile reinforcement, and in the right ratios should help reduce cracking and lend more resilience for thermal expansion cycles.
In the firebox liner area where he used it, I would guess it is not thick
enough to retain much intact wool. It might all crack out. But then he has bricks to back it up, so the heater should still work fine.
But I could be surprised. Maybe the 'clay' also contains some micro-aggregate or fillers such as mica or silt, to reduce the cracking tendency even after the wool burns out.
I like it.
Now I need to find a sheep that likes to roll in clay....
-Erica
