ALTERNATIVE BUILDINGS PROS AND CONS

[CORDWOODGUY]

I THOUGHT THE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD MIGHT LIKE TO VIEW ONE OF MY BOARDS.I HAVE A LIST OF PROS AND CONS FOR A LOT OF THE ALTERNATIVE BUILDING SYSTEMS.I`M SURPRISED I DON`T SEE A LOT OF INFO HERE ON THESE SYSTEMS.HERE IS THE LINK.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alternative_building

NOTE THAT THIS BOARD ISN`T OPEN TO MEMBERS OTHER THAN EXPERTS IN THE VARIOUS FIELDS.ALSO NOTE THAT UNDER THE LINKS THERE ARE SEVERAL LINKS TO INSTRUCTIONS IN BUILDING THESE SYSTEMS[EITHER ONLINE EBOOKS OR OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL INFO]

CORDWOODGUY

PS:I USE UPPERCASE LETTERS DUE TO A VISUAL DISABILITY.SORRY!

[egon]

I have often wondered where the Experts got their knowledge fom! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Cause if one followed the Expert path back surely you should arrive at a person who has no teacher! [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Bird]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
THIS BOARD ISN`T OPEN TO MEMBERS OTHER THAN EXPERTS IN THE VARIOUS FIELDS

[/ QUOTE ]

OK, so obviously you consider yourself an expert, but how do you decide who else might have an opinion worth hearing?

[CORDWOODGUY]

BIRD.......THE ALTERNATIVE_BUILDING PAGE IS OPEN TO EVERYONE TO READ.BUT I ONLY WANT PEOPLE RECOGNIZED IN THEIR FIELD TO POST.
I`VE NEVER CALLED MYSELF AN EXPERT,RATHER I REFER TO MYSELF AS A LIFE TIME STUDENT OF CORDWOOD ON A CONTINUOUS LEARNING CURVE.[EVEN THOUGH I`VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH LOG BUILDING AND CORDWOOD FOR OVER 44 YEARS.I ALSO MODERATE THE LARGEST CORDWOOD SITE ON THE NET.WAS LICENSED TO TEACH IT ETC.]I`M KIND OF A WHISTLEBLOWER IN THE CORDWOOD CIRCLES THATS WHY I`M ANONYMOUS.I`VE REVIEWED ALL THE BOOKS OF THE SO CALLED "EXPERTS " AND POINT OUT THEIR FLAWS/MISTAKES/MISINFORMATION
AND EXPAND ON THINGS THEY NEVER HEARD OF.
I`VE INVITED SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT I WISHED WOULD POST ON THAT BOARD.
[1]BECKY BEE A COB EXPERT OF NOTE[SHE DROPS BYE OCCASSIONALY]
[2]DUCKCHOW AKA MARK ....EDITER ON A STRAWBALE FORUM/NEWSLETTER.[NO REPLY,BUT HE IS A MEMBER OF MY CORDWOOD BOARD.]
[3]MIKE REYNOLDS...EARTHSHIPS[NO REPLY]

THE REASON MY BOARD IS MODERATED IS THAT MINE IS A TEACHING BOARD.BOARDS THAT AREN`T MODERATED ARE KAOTIC AND HAVE IDIOTIC POSTS.[IE:
I WAS ON ANOTHER BOARD AND GAVE TOXIC WARNINGS
ABOUT PCB`S,CREOSOTE,CCA`S.ALL KNOWN CARCENOGENS,YET A GUY THAT OWNS A VERY LARGE ALTERNATIVE BUILDING SITE.CHALLENGED MY POST AND BACKED UP THE PCB`S,CREOSOTE AND CCA`S USE IN HOUSING.DAH! YET SOME PEOPLE CALL HIM AN EXPERT...I THINK,RATHER I KNOW HE HAS TO BE AN IDIOT FOR THAT STAND.THIS SAME GUY AFTER READING A MAGAZINE ARTICLE ON CORDWOOD SLANDERED/FLAMED ME ALL OVER THE NET SAYING MY POSTS ON CORDWOOD WERE REDICULOUS,COMICAL ETC.THINK ABOUT IT 44 YEARS VS 1 HOUR!

CORDWOODGUY

PS:BIRD......PEOPLE CAN ADD PROS AND CONS THROUGH ME,I RESEARCH THEIR COMMENTS TO VERIFY THEM.

[CORDWOODGUY]

EGON.........REMEMBER NOW I`M ONLY A LIFETIME STUDENT OF CORDWOOD ON A CONTINUOUS LEARNING CURVE.BUT I CAN TRACE MY TRAINING,PRINCIPLES,PRACTICES AND METHODS BACK TO ITS FIRST WRITEN RECORD 10 BC.THERE ARE LOG CABINS THAT ARE DATED BACK TO 13,000-18,000 YEARS OLD.THE SYSTEMS WERE HANDED DOWN FROM FATHER TO SON.THE SAME TRADITIONAL METHODS ARE STILL IN USE.NOW IF THATS NOT TRIED AND TRUE WHAT IS?
THE GUY I`M QUOTING ABOVE WROTE A BOOK ON ARCHITECTURE[HIS NAME ESCAPES ME NOW...VITRAVIOUS???] HE USED DRIED BLOOD TO MAKE AIR ENTRAINED CONCRETE BACK THEN.A LOT OF THE TRADITIONAL METHODS HAVE BEEN JUST UP DATED WITH NEWER PRODUCTS.IE:FIBRE MESH AN ADDITIVE TO CONCRETE AND MORTAR REPLACES HOGS BRISTLES/HORSE HAIR/HUMAN HAIR ETC.
MY METHODS ARE IN USE BY LOGGERS, PROFESSIONAL LOG BUILDERS,LUMBER MILLS AND SUPPORTED BY FOREST RESEARCH SCIENTISTS.THE PEOPLE I CALL EXPERTS.
THE SO CALLED CORDWOOD EXPERTS....BUILD ON THE GROUND,DON`T TREAT THEIR WOOD,DON`T FELL IT OR SEASON IT PROPERLY,INSULATE IT INCORRECTLY,ATTACH THE ROOF DANGEROUSLY ETC.IF I FOLLOWED THEIR ADVICE AND PROMOTED THEIR METHOD I THINK MY TITLE SHOULD BE "IDIOT" NOT EXPERT.EVEN THE WIKIPEDIA ACCOUNT ON CORDWOOD IS FULL OF MISTAKES AND MYTHS.I`M WRITING A CORDWOOD PAGE ON APPROPEDIA NOW SINCE WIKIPEDIA WILL NOT RETRACT THINGS ON THEIR SITE ABOUT 1,000 YEAR OLD CORDWOOD STRUCTURES THAT DON`T EXIST.


CORDWOODGUY

[egon]

Yeh?? But who taught the first fellow?? [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

Cause if it takes an expert the first fellow must also be an expert must he not? [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

Heck, most off us are quite familiar with cow dung, lime, straw, willow wattle and a little clay. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] And maybe add some cows milk for the finishing toouches. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Check a little farther and and you may find the building technicques of the inhabitants living in the grip of a Siberian winter may be a little different than the scribed log hut. Seems they may have need all the warmth they could get without cold air leaks!

Then we should also have to ask when is a log a log?? [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Now if the first fellow is an expert why can't I be an expert?? [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Now what is cordwood??

Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

[Bird]

Egon, do you reckon we're being kidded by a troll named CORDWOODGUY? [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]

First he tells everyone how to build a log cabin and where their "opinions" are wrong, stating his own opinions as "fact".

He tells us the log cabin home builders association won't allow him to post because he's a proponent of the cadillac of log cabin building systems. How many professional associations do you know of which won't allow someone to post because they know more than the members of association?

He admits knowing that using all caps to post is inconsiderate, but claims to have a valid reason.

Next he tells us his discussion board isn't open to other than "experts", and he apparently defines "experts" as those "recognized" in their field.

Then he refers to someone who disagreed with him as being an "idiot".

He says others can add pros and cons through him, after he verifies their information. In other words, only if you don't disagree with him?

He says he doesn't call himself an expert, but a life time student. And again he says if he followed the advice of the "so called cordwood experts" his title should be "idiot".

So he says he's not an expert but knows more than they do.

Then he says utility companies give away the poles and make you sign a waiver because of their toxicity. That may be in some places, but in our area, you have to pay for the poles and there's no waiver. The utility company just wanted their money for the poles. And they are quite commonly used for barns.

And while he only allows the opinions of people recognized in their fields, he says he remains anonymous, reviewed all the books of the experts and points out their flaws/mistakes/misinformation. How many people put any stock in anything an "anonymous" person says.

I think we all know that most "know-it-alls" turn out to know a lot less than they thought they did. And those who really do know a lot don't have to hide their identity and/or fear others' opinions.

So I think CORDWOODGUY is simply pulling our leg and playing a joke on us. [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]

[egon]

That could easily be Bird. Me, it's not to hard to "pull the wool" over my myopic eyes! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

He even purports to being a Cape Bretoner! [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[TroyBilt]

This one is new to me!
Re: cob con
14]WALLS CAN CRACK IF SUB-STANDARD FOUNDATION USED.
There are other statements too... , but what I find most interesting is only one person has posted on that message board since it's apparent inception on may 29, 2006. Is this right or am I missing something?

[Pat]

People who think they know everything
really irritate those of who actually do!

I have a stack of earth sheltered home books much higher than any library I have ever visited, so am I an expert on earth sheltered architecture?

I have read widely in Cordwood and other "alternative" construction methods ranging from cement wetted burlap bags draped paper mache style over bent sticks or pile of dirt or sand to rebar lined inflated air forms covered with shotcrete. Does that qualify me as an alternative building expert?

None of the above qualify me as an expert!

If I could just figure out how to be an expert by means other than self proclamation and arrogance...

Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]