Easter 2014 Workshop update (scroll down for photos!)
I’m just putting down a few words about the Easter Earthship workshops. For a start, we were blessed with fantastic weather (unlike the summer workshops) and with awesome people (as always). We started by getting the steel work for the little vaults (entry and bathroom) finished off and ready for the spit coat of cement mortar. The spit coat went on, then inside and outside plaster coats of more cement mortar. This completed the "ferrocement" layer of the Entry and Bathroom vaults. Big thanks to Rosa and Sean who were the brains and brawn behind the ferrocement operations - master vault builders both of them.
Next, it was time to add an insulative layer of hempcrete over these vaults. This required some formwork although the very top of the vaults did not need this. A big thanks to Oli who masterminded the hempcrete operations and all the hempcrete crew: Mujeeb, Ben, Katrin, Laque, Oscar, Charles (mix master) and Max (sorry if I missed someone). The hempcrete takes a few weeks to cure so that was all we could do during the workshops - currently they are covered with tarpaulins to keep the rain off. Lime render finish coat will go on in May/June weather permitting.
Another job that got done were the “boobs” on the 5KL water tanks that are buried in the berm at the rear of the ship. We made these out of ferrocement just like the vaults. They were needed to enable the berm to continue right over the top of the rainwater tanks (which are not designed for burial). The goal is to have the tanks completely buried (just like Mike Reynolds does it) which will help with drainage and get them out of sight and out of harm’s way. Great work Sean, Oli and Max, and Rosa and Sam for the “nipples” which are the bits in the middle (can-walls) that enable maintenance on the tanks. Sam even donated his beard whiskers to help reinforce the cement mortar. More can-walls were built on the scupper box so that it too can be bermed around.
What else happened... the bottle walls are now almost complete (we ran out of bottles) and are looking amazing with the final coat of lime render on many of them. The bottle crew were amazing. Rach, Jemma, Katrin, Laque, Mujeeb, Anine, Monique, and Rosa and Hannah on lime finishes - amazing!
Max, Hannah, and Rosa also put the finishing lime coat on the main vault which is looking absolutely stunning. If only the millipedes would stay off it. They will be evicted when the glazing goes in... soon. Some excellent adobe plastering also happened on the wall of the main room - now ready for a final coat but could almost pass as the final coat as is. Looking soooo good.
Jesse and Sam did amazing things with the solar hot water service, i.e. they got it onto the steep pitched roof and bolted it on good and tight. They also got more insulation installed (with help of Laque) and got most of the greenhouse ceiling done (my fault for under-ordering ceiling material). Jesse also started on some joinery on the greenhouse front face which will help with getting the glazing in before winter. I hope he comes back soon!
Sam was a total legend, masterminding the plumbing and the planter which was tested for leaks and is now covered over with geofabric ready for the garden to be planted. Thanks for the plumbing on the water supply too Sam!
Another total legend, coming to the rescue when my car died by donating his ute for material pick ups was Charles the aquaponics magician. Thanks mate!
Benji, Sam F and Sam G were also amazing, finding time to pop up when they could, to lend a hand. Thanks also to husband and wife team, Peter and Melanie who were champion cob stompers. Thanks also to Trevor who came all the way from Melbourne - I wish he stayed longer!
We even got more tyres on the tyre tank (firefighting water) thanks to Sam, Mujeeb, Rob, Jason, Jessica in particular. No mud fights this time though - too cold!
The food was delicious, nutritious and generally had very low environmental impact (moo) so thanks to Katrin and Jemma (the camp mums) and all the cooks, and washer uperers.
And of course it would not have been an Earthship Ironbank workshop without Dr Keri who would drop in after work with her notepad and funky boots and get dirty with us. Love your research Keri!
Zoe, Zephyr and Aquilo, thanks for giving me leave from my normal husbandly/fatherly duties to play Earthships - I missed you even though I saw you every day.
And finally, thanks to everyone who has ever come to Earthship Ironbank to lend a hand. Without you it would just be a figment of my imagination. I am so thrilled with the progress we have made. Hopefully it will be ready for blast off by
Until next time... hopefully we will finish it off with some workshops in July and September/October.
Cheers,
Marty
P.S. earthship ironbank people: if you have any photos you'd like to see on here please email them to me!
Next, it was time to add an insulative layer of hempcrete over these vaults. This required some formwork although the very top of the vaults did not need this. A big thanks to Oli who masterminded the hempcrete operations and all the hempcrete crew: Mujeeb, Ben, Katrin, Laque, Oscar, Charles (mix master) and Max (sorry if I missed someone). The hempcrete takes a few weeks to cure so that was all we could do during the workshops - currently they are covered with tarpaulins to keep the rain off. Lime render finish coat will go on in May/June weather permitting.
Another job that got done were the “boobs” on the 5KL water tanks that are buried in the berm at the rear of the ship. We made these out of ferrocement just like the vaults. They were needed to enable the berm to continue right over the top of the rainwater tanks (which are not designed for burial). The goal is to have the tanks completely buried (just like Mike Reynolds does it) which will help with drainage and get them out of sight and out of harm’s way. Great work Sean, Oli and Max, and Rosa and Sam for the “nipples” which are the bits in the middle (can-walls) that enable maintenance on the tanks. Sam even donated his beard whiskers to help reinforce the cement mortar. More can-walls were built on the scupper box so that it too can be bermed around.
What else happened... the bottle walls are now almost complete (we ran out of bottles) and are looking amazing with the final coat of lime render on many of them. The bottle crew were amazing. Rach, Jemma, Katrin, Laque, Mujeeb, Anine, Monique, and Rosa and Hannah on lime finishes - amazing!
Max, Hannah, and Rosa also put the finishing lime coat on the main vault which is looking absolutely stunning. If only the millipedes would stay off it. They will be evicted when the glazing goes in... soon. Some excellent adobe plastering also happened on the wall of the main room - now ready for a final coat but could almost pass as the final coat as is. Looking soooo good.
Jesse and Sam did amazing things with the solar hot water service, i.e. they got it onto the steep pitched roof and bolted it on good and tight. They also got more insulation installed (with help of Laque) and got most of the greenhouse ceiling done (my fault for under-ordering ceiling material). Jesse also started on some joinery on the greenhouse front face which will help with getting the glazing in before winter. I hope he comes back soon!
Sam was a total legend, masterminding the plumbing and the planter which was tested for leaks and is now covered over with geofabric ready for the garden to be planted. Thanks for the plumbing on the water supply too Sam!
Another total legend, coming to the rescue when my car died by donating his ute for material pick ups was Charles the aquaponics magician. Thanks mate!
Benji, Sam F and Sam G were also amazing, finding time to pop up when they could, to lend a hand. Thanks also to husband and wife team, Peter and Melanie who were champion cob stompers. Thanks also to Trevor who came all the way from Melbourne - I wish he stayed longer!
We even got more tyres on the tyre tank (firefighting water) thanks to Sam, Mujeeb, Rob, Jason, Jessica in particular. No mud fights this time though - too cold!
The food was delicious, nutritious and generally had very low environmental impact (moo) so thanks to Katrin and Jemma (the camp mums) and all the cooks, and washer uperers.
And of course it would not have been an Earthship Ironbank workshop without Dr Keri who would drop in after work with her notepad and funky boots and get dirty with us. Love your research Keri!
Zoe, Zephyr and Aquilo, thanks for giving me leave from my normal husbandly/fatherly duties to play Earthships - I missed you even though I saw you every day.
And finally, thanks to everyone who has ever come to Earthship Ironbank to lend a hand. Without you it would just be a figment of my imagination. I am so thrilled with the progress we have made. Hopefully it will be ready for blast off by
Until next time... hopefully we will finish it off with some workshops in July and September/October.
Cheers,
Marty
P.S. earthship ironbank people: if you have any photos you'd like to see on here please email them to me!
