Firespeaking

This is a very exciting and experimental masonry heater built by many hands through a workshop at the Cob Cottage Company in southwestern Oregon.  The challenge – that Ianto Evans is so consistently a champion of – was to build a masonry heater that was made of local materials and through local craftsmanship.  Flemming Abrahamsson, master mason and incredible human being, traveled from Denmark to guide us in the work based on his decades of experience as a heater builder in Europe.  The inside of the heater is based on a Swedish 5-run design.  It is a single-skinned heater which has a firebrick core and is faced with recycled brick set in a clay-based mortar from clay dug on site and cob.  The hardware for the heater was fabricated by Max – his first arched glass door!
The plaster and paint were made and applied during a class taught by Eva Edleson and Jo Forsyth during the Complete Cob Course.

Jon Santiago, one of the participants in the course, documented the build wonderfully in this Facebook album.  For those interested in how it was built, it is worth zooming in on each photo.

Join our mailing list for updates about it how it fires and performance through the winter.

Further reading…..

• What is a masonry heater?
• The Masonry Heater Association of North America.
• Poster for this course – very cool!
• Firespeaking’s portfolio of masonry heaters and fireplaces.
• Firespeaking’s workshop schedule.

Dates: November 4-6, 2011
Location: Querétaro, México
Contact: permacultura@rutaahimsa.org

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for those living in the northern hemisphere to meet and work with master natural builder and teacher Jorge Belanko.  Jorge hails from Argentina where he learned to be a builder in a family, a time and a place where the only kind of building was natural building.  He has made a life dedicated to the craft of building and is internationally recognized as a natural building teacher and advocate of simple solutions in service of a life full of dignity for all.  See him in action in “Mud, Hands, A House” – the best instructional DVD on natural building.

Jorge is a good friend and mentor to both Max and Eva.  We are delighted to help promote this workshop and know how worthwhile getting to work with Jorge is.  This workshop seems appropriate for someone really looking to get out of the box they’re in and get exposure to natural building and urban permaculture in another culture.  We will post more information as it comes.  Sign up for our mailing list (on the right) to make sure you receive updates.

Links for further reading:

• Jorge Belanko’s Site – Terradobe
• Ruta Ahimsa – a citizen’s group that sets out to apply, promote and develop resilience by incorporating permaculture, non-violence, passive resistance, civil disobedience and alternative forms of living in search of an ecological and communitarian future for Mexico.
• Other workshops… Firespeaking’s Event Calendar

Check out this sweet video of the Wood-Fired Barrel Oven!

Eva led the construction of a wood fired cook stove, a barrel oven, and a hot tub at the Natural Building Extravaganza in Asheville, NC!

There were many wonderful people who participated in the amazing 3 week program, organized by Kleiwerks International.  Additional projects included a Rumford fireplace, a slip strawdobe cottage, earthen and lime plasters, bas relief, bamboo arches and gates, timber framing and so much more.

Photos from the Natural Building Extravaganza!

Find out more…

• About the Wood-Fired Barrel Oven…
• The Barrel Oven on Kleiwerk’s website…
• The Natural Building Extravaganza…

Wood-Fired Barrel Oven Workshop (July 16-17)

In this weekend workshop you will learn how to build yourself an affordable, practical and productive wood-fired oven.

• Basics of making and laying adobe bricks
• Construction of a vaulted arch
  
• Principles of building for fire
• Develop basic natural building intuition
  
• Develop confidence for building your own useful structures

Wood-Fired Canning Stove & Natural Plasters (July 23-24)

Build an efficient wood-fired canning stove to conserve the harvest!  Also doubles as a large soup pot!
Learn to make and apply traditional earthen plasters by joining us in the finish work on the barrel oven.

• Basics of making and laying adobe bricks
• Principles of building for fire
• Traditional methods to make and apply earthen plasters and paints
• Apply skills to Natural/ Green Building and Eco Remodeling

Location/Host: Dharmalaya- Eugene, OR

Dharmalaya is an advanced model of sustainable living. Its progressive design features include: rainwater catchment, organic gardens, permaculture landscaping, photovoltaic electric system, solar hot water systems, constructed wetlands greywater system, composting systems, compost toilets, bioswales, and a variety of natural building features — strawbale construction, non-toxic materials, cob bus stop, earthen plaster walls, passive solar design, use of recycled materials, and sustainably harvested lumber. Dharmalaya has a large organic garden.

Instructors

Max and Eva Edleson are accomplished natural builders who are dedicated to facilitating environments in which people can deepen their experiences with natural living crafts. There vast experience spans across mediums including a large variety of natural building techniques, woodworking, metalworking, farming and ceramics. Find out more about your instructors….

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