cob house

New Cob Cottage

  Black aluminum flashing on the south wall which is the base layer of a solar thermal collector to be completed later. Lime plaster. The front porch will have granite steps which will have to wait until spring.   Sept

Featured / One comment
cob house

New Cob Cottage

  Black aluminum flashing on the south wall which is the base layer of a solar thermal collector to be completed later. Lime plaster. The front porch will have granite steps which will have to wait until spring.   Sept

Featured / One comment

Superinsulated Duplex

       This house is a side-by-side duplex with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms in each unit. We rent this house out; each unit has all appliances including washer and dryer. It has R31 wall and R70 ceiling insulation. The siding

Featured / 4 comments

Superinsulated Duplex

       This house is a side-by-side duplex with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms in each unit. We rent this house out; each unit has all appliances including washer and dryer. It has R31 wall and R70 ceiling insulation. The siding

Featured / 4 comments

Straw bale and cob house

  The straw bale house, built between 2001 and 2006, has a post and beam frame. The posts are tree trunks with bark peeled off and the beams and rafters are rough sawn wood. The plasters consist of a scratch

Featured / 11 comments

Straw bale and cob house

  The straw bale house, built between 2001 and 2006, has a post and beam frame. The posts are tree trunks with bark peeled off and the beams and rafters are rough sawn wood. The plasters consist of a scratch

Featured / 11 comments

Pocket Neighborhood

The long term plan is to make a small plaza with buildings surrounding it. Yellow buildings are existing currently. Green buildings are future buildings. The purple area will be a brick plaza. The picture shows an idea of what it

Pocket Neighborhood

The long term plan is to make a small plaza with buildings surrounding it. Yellow buildings are existing currently. Green buildings are future buildings. The purple area will be a brick plaza. The picture shows an idea of what it

New cob cottage engineering notes part 2

12-16-20 Here’s another idea which is all steel and connects directly to the existing steel truss. The 3×3″ angle with welded cap would fit up under the end of the tree trunk and the metal strap (maybe a 3/16″ plate

New cob cottage engineering notes part 2

12-16-20 Here’s another idea which is all steel and connects directly to the existing steel truss. The 3×3″ angle with welded cap would fit up under the end of the tree trunk and the metal strap (maybe a 3/16″ plate

Travel Photos

Trip to Spain and England, June 2018 Most of my time was spent in Granada, but this being the 6th summer there, I did not take any pictures. The following pictures are from Baeza and Ubeda 2 hours north of

Travel Photos

Trip to Spain and England, June 2018 Most of my time was spent in Granada, but this being the 6th summer there, I did not take any pictures. The following pictures are from Baeza and Ubeda 2 hours north of

New Cob Cottage: Engineering notes

Tom, The house has a footprint of 750 sq ft and is 1.5 stories with cathedral ceiling over the living room and a bedroom up for about 1050 sq ft of finished area. It is a hybrid structure with some

New Cob Cottage: Engineering notes

Tom, The house has a footprint of 750 sq ft and is 1.5 stories with cathedral ceiling over the living room and a bedroom up for about 1050 sq ft of finished area. It is a hybrid structure with some

Permaculture garden

Spring 2017: Due to the need to focus my work on the new cob house, the garden development will be in a holding pattern. Planted a few gooseberry, 2 chestnuts, and 2 arbor vitae this spring. Update: April 10th, 2016.

Permaculture garden

Spring 2017: Due to the need to focus my work on the new cob house, the garden development will be in a holding pattern. Planted a few gooseberry, 2 chestnuts, and 2 arbor vitae this spring. Update: April 10th, 2016.

Wood-fired ovens

November 26th…We had some warm days this fall so I was able to stucco the oven and get most of the brick patio done. Fire pit is in the foreground. Pizza and bread from a wood-fired oven is incomparable! This

Wood-fired ovens

November 26th…We had some warm days this fall so I was able to stucco the oven and get most of the brick patio done. Fire pit is in the foreground. Pizza and bread from a wood-fired oven is incomparable! This

Japanese gazebos

  Roof is on; still railing work, flooring, and infill panels to go.   June 2020. Japanese gazebo under construction in Elkhart. The homeowner is working alongside me on the project. Most of the frame is ash. Some black locust

Japanese gazebos

  Roof is on; still railing work, flooring, and infill panels to go.   June 2020. Japanese gazebo under construction in Elkhart. The homeowner is working alongside me on the project. Most of the frame is ash. Some black locust

Jewelry

Here is a collection of lost wax cast pendants and earrings. The pendants are all kinetic–they have movable parts. The pendants are also fully finished 3 dimensional pieces. I work in sterling silver and 14k gold. Unfortunately I am not

Jewelry

Here is a collection of lost wax cast pendants and earrings. The pendants are all kinetic–they have movable parts. The pendants are also fully finished 3 dimensional pieces. I work in sterling silver and 14k gold. Unfortunately I am not