Re: SB: steel and straw

[Leonard Jones <ldjones@innotech.cnchost.com>]

I'll be looking forward to seeing your progress on your web site -

Just send the URL when it's ready to go!

Leonard Jones
Littleton, CO


"Davis, Ralph" wrote:

> General comment:  I have been following the list for some time and hope to
> begin building a SB home this year.  After careful discussion with several
> folks including a local SB contractor, an engineer and an architect, (all in
> the Santa Fe, NM area)  I have decided to recycle some steel parallel cord
> trusses and think that these will provide excellent span and coverage.  The
> steel trusses I found at a scrap yard in Albuquerque and run approximately
> $3.00 per linear ft.  The widths vary from 16" - 18" and the ends will have
> to be modified.  (My welding is getting very good.)  I also plan to use
> parallel cord wood trusses at right angles to the steel for the roof /
> ceiling (with plywood decking / steel roof) and insulate the roof with
> injected foam (for an r-80 value).  So far I have a set of engineered plans
> for the steel and wood truss system and should have all of the other
> drawings shortly.  The house will be solar powered and is approximately 2400
> sq. ft. with clear spans of 36 ft.  An attached garage shop will be 40' x
> 40' and will also be of the same construction.  Everything that I can find
> as to condensation leads me to believe that there should not be a problem.
> I hope to have a web site with pictures as we progress and may make the
> plans available for a minimal fee (mostly to recover my costs).  My
> experience with all of this has been that if I could visualize it and it
> sounded reasonably good, then everybody else bought it (engineers, etc).
> Makes me wonder why I went to college.  I frequently found people who could
> not work outside "the box" when it came to alternative building styles (and
> this in the land of adobe).
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Please send any list administration questions to
> strawbale-owner@crest.org

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