#traditionaltechnology — Public Fediverse posts

Making And Using #Lime #Mortars

An article originally written for "Rural Wales" the magasine of CPRW

"The operation of modern #cement and lime mortar is quite different. Cements set by a non-reversible chemical action to form a solid, non yielding mass. #LimeMortars set by the absorption of #CarbonDioxide over a much longer period of time. An understanding of the chemical action of lime is therefore helpful.

"Lime is derived from #limestone or Calcium Carbonate (#CaCO3), which has been burnt in a lime kiln at over 800 degrees centigrade to produce #quicklime or #CalciumOxide (#CaO). In this process carbon dioxide and any water is driven off. Quicklime is potentially dangerous having an avid thirst for water. This process creates a lot of heat and produces #SlakedLime or #CalciumHydroxide (Ca(OH)2). Builders merchants stock this material having been reground to a fine powder and called #HydratedLime.

"The slaking process releases enough heat to cause the water to boil or spit. For this reason water must NEVER be added to quicklime. The lime must ALWAYS be added slowly into the water in a metal container. For the inexperienced builder or home craftsman, slaking is therefore not recommended.

"#HydratedLime can be used as the basis of all lime plasters and mortars. It will slowly absorb free carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and revert to #CalciumCarbonate. A triangle has therefore been completed converting the #calcium back to its original chemical form of limestone. For this reason lime mortars have the potential for #ContinuousRecycling."

Learn more:
http://www.users.callnetuk.com/~gwynedd21/home/JN/LIME.HTM

#SolarPunkSunday #SustainableBuilding #Recyclable #Reusable #LimePlaster #LimeMortar #AncientTechnology #TraditionalTechnology #SustainableBuildingMaterials #ZeroWaste

Making And Using #Lime #Mortars

An article originally written for "Rural Wales" the magasine of CPRW

"The operation of modern #cement and lime mortar is quite different. Cements set by a non-reversible chemical action to form a solid, non yielding mass. #LimeMortars set by the absorption of #CarbonDioxide over a much longer period of time. An understanding of the chemical action of lime is therefore helpful.

"Lime is derived from #limestone or Calcium Carbonate (#CaCO3), which has been burnt in a lime kiln at over 800 degrees centigrade to produce #quicklime or #CalciumOxide (#CaO). In this process carbon dioxide and any water is driven off. Quicklime is potentially dangerous having an avid thirst for water. This process creates a lot of heat and produces #SlakedLime or #CalciumHydroxide (Ca(OH)2). Builders merchants stock this material having been reground to a fine powder and called #HydratedLime.

"The slaking process releases enough heat to cause the water to boil or spit. For this reason water must NEVER be added to quicklime. The lime must ALWAYS be added slowly into the water in a metal container. For the inexperienced builder or home craftsman, slaking is therefore not recommended.

"#HydratedLime can be used as the basis of all lime plasters and mortars. It will slowly absorb free carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and revert to #CalciumCarbonate. A triangle has therefore been completed converting the #calcium back to its original chemical form of limestone. For this reason lime mortars have the potential for #ContinuousRecycling."

Learn more:
http://www.users.callnetuk.com/~gwynedd21/home/JN/LIME.HTM

#SolarPunkSunday #SustainableBuilding #Recyclable #Reusable #LimePlaster #LimeMortar #AncientTechnology #TraditionalTechnology #SustainableBuildingMaterials #ZeroWaste

Making And Using #Lime #Mortars

An article originally written for "Rural Wales" the magasine of CPRW

"The operation of modern #cement and lime mortar is quite different. Cements set by a non-reversible chemical action to form a solid, non yielding mass. #LimeMortars set by the absorption of #CarbonDioxide over a much longer period of time. An understanding of the chemical action of lime is therefore helpful.

"Lime is derived from #limestone or Calcium Carbonate (#CaCO3), which has been burnt in a lime kiln at over 800 degrees centigrade to produce #quicklime or #CalciumOxide (#CaO). In this process carbon dioxide and any water is driven off. Quicklime is potentially dangerous having an avid thirst for water. This process creates a lot of heat and produces #SlakedLime or #CalciumHydroxide (Ca(OH)2). Builders merchants stock this material having been reground to a fine powder and called #HydratedLime.

"The slaking process releases enough heat to cause the water to boil or spit. For this reason water must NEVER be added to quicklime. The lime must ALWAYS be added slowly into the water in a metal container. For the inexperienced builder or home craftsman, slaking is therefore not recommended.

"#HydratedLime can be used as the basis of all lime plasters and mortars. It will slowly absorb free carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and revert to #CalciumCarbonate. A triangle has therefore been completed converting the #calcium back to its original chemical form of limestone. For this reason lime mortars have the potential for #ContinuousRecycling."

Learn more:
http://www.users.callnetuk.com/~gwynedd21/home/JN/LIME.HTM

#SolarPunkSunday #SustainableBuilding #Recyclable #Reusable #LimePlaster #LimeMortar #AncientTechnology #TraditionalTechnology #SustainableBuildingMaterials #ZeroWaste

Making And Using #Lime #Mortars

An article originally written for "Rural Wales" the magasine of CPRW

"The operation of modern #cement and lime mortar is quite different. Cements set by a non-reversible chemical action to form a solid, non yielding mass. #LimeMortars set by the absorption of #CarbonDioxide over a much longer period of time. An understanding of the chemical action of lime is therefore helpful.

"Lime is derived from #limestone or Calcium Carbonate (#CaCO3), which has been burnt in a lime kiln at over 800 degrees centigrade to produce #quicklime or #CalciumOxide (#CaO). In this process carbon dioxide and any water is driven off. Quicklime is potentially dangerous having an avid thirst for water. This process creates a lot of heat and produces #SlakedLime or #CalciumHydroxide (Ca(OH)2). Builders merchants stock this material having been reground to a fine powder and called #HydratedLime.

"The slaking process releases enough heat to cause the water to boil or spit. For this reason water must NEVER be added to quicklime. The lime must ALWAYS be added slowly into the water in a metal container. For the inexperienced builder or home craftsman, slaking is therefore not recommended.

"#HydratedLime can be used as the basis of all lime plasters and mortars. It will slowly absorb free carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and revert to #CalciumCarbonate. A triangle has therefore been completed converting the #calcium back to its original chemical form of limestone. For this reason lime mortars have the potential for #ContinuousRecycling."

Learn more:
http://www.users.callnetuk.com/~gwynedd21/home/JN/LIME.HTM

#SolarPunkSunday #SustainableBuilding #Recyclable #Reusable #LimePlaster #LimeMortar #AncientTechnology #TraditionalTechnology #SustainableBuildingMaterials #ZeroWaste

Making And Using #Lime #Mortars

An article originally written for "Rural Wales" the magasine of CPRW

"The operation of modern #cement and lime mortar is quite different. Cements set by a non-reversible chemical action to form a solid, non yielding mass. #LimeMortars set by the absorption of #CarbonDioxide over a much longer period of time. An understanding of the chemical action of lime is therefore helpful.

"Lime is derived from #limestone or Calcium Carbonate (#CaCO3), which has been burnt in a lime kiln at over 800 degrees centigrade to produce #quicklime or #CalciumOxide (#CaO). In this process carbon dioxide and any water is driven off. Quicklime is potentially dangerous having an avid thirst for water. This process creates a lot of heat and produces #SlakedLime or #CalciumHydroxide (Ca(OH)2). Builders merchants stock this material having been reground to a fine powder and called #HydratedLime.

"The slaking process releases enough heat to cause the water to boil or spit. For this reason water must NEVER be added to quicklime. The lime must ALWAYS be added slowly into the water in a metal container. For the inexperienced builder or home craftsman, slaking is therefore not recommended.

"#HydratedLime can be used as the basis of all lime plasters and mortars. It will slowly absorb free carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and revert to #CalciumCarbonate. A triangle has therefore been completed converting the #calcium back to its original chemical form of limestone. For this reason lime mortars have the potential for #ContinuousRecycling."

Learn more:
http://www.users.callnetuk.com/~gwynedd21/home/JN/LIME.HTM

#SolarPunkSunday #SustainableBuilding #Recyclable #Reusable #LimePlaster #LimeMortar #AncientTechnology #TraditionalTechnology #SustainableBuildingMaterials #ZeroWaste

NOTE: As someone pointed out, this is a DANGEROUS process and requires a lot of safety precautions. I would refer to other instructions with more safety measures. I posted this more for the uses of #Lime (as opposed to using tons of chemicals).

Burn #Seashell #Lime in a Primitive Straw/Clay #Kiln!

By skillcult

"In this project we use Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Animal, Vegetable and Mineral to make something with a multitude of practical uses. The text is detailed and stands alone, but the videos are very useful and entertaining. Video #1, the Quicky version, is the 7 minute general interest, entertainment version. Video #2, buildcult, is the long educational 20 minute version. I'd recommend watching the short version first, before reading this instructable, so that you have a visual reference. I did my best to make it worth 7 minutes of your life. I conceived this project for the Brave the Elements contest, which you can vote in here, hint hint.

"The goal is to build a kiln from natural materials in order to burn and slake #lime for #seashells. Lime is immensely valuable! If lime disappeared tomorrow, civilization would fall hard! It is the main ingredient in cement and can be used to make #mortar and #plaster. It can also be used in the arts for #limewash and fresco, in #Soapmaking, mixed with casein (milk protein) to make #PreIndustrial waterproof #glue and #paint, for smelting and refining metal, and to remove hair and prepare skins for rawhide, hide glue or tanning. Ever read the ingredients on your tortillas or tortilla chips and seen 'traces of lime'? That’s because lime is used in processing #corn kernels to make tortillas, hominy and grits, which is easy to do at home. Not only does it make corn more nutritious and digestible, but it also lends to the unique flavor of those products. Beet sugar is processed with lime too. Lime is also used to potentiate certain drug substances such as betel nut and coca leaves, a small bit of lime being chewed with the plant material to activate it. So, yeah, wow, lime is one of the most useful substances ever!

"A WORD ON SAFETY: A lot of people think that lime is some deadly scary chemical that will burn you face off. It’s not… not really... well, maybe. #QuickLime is dangerous, but that is a brief transient state. During #slaking, the quicklime will give off heat and boil vigorously, so that is dangerous since the stuff can splatter around and is not only hot, but also highly alkaline. So, yeah, okay, maybe doing a face plant in a boiling tub of quicklime may burn your face off. Don’t do that! Otherwise, the stuff is not that horrible, and people have been making #tortillas, mixing mortar, plastering walls and tanning leather without goggles and hazmat suits for a very long time. It is also non-toxic. You definitely don’t want your pets drinking lime water or your kids playing with lime, but that is due to it’s concentration mostly, and not to inherent toxicity. When diluted, it becomes less and less caustic and is at some point completely harmless. Once converted to #CalciumCarbonate by drying, it’s just like egg shells, sea shells or stone, not only non-toxic, but actually used as a #calcium supplement. So, don’t get it in your eyes, keep it away from children and pets, be careful when slaking and use common sense and everything will be fine. It will temporarily dry skin though skin though, so be aware of that.

"Before we get to the fun stuff, let me explain how this works. Don’t be intimidated by the chemistry terms, they aren’t important. The changes lime goes through have a name, The Lime Cycle. By heating stone or shells red hot, about 900 Celcius (called calcining), we can change lime from it’s stable inert form, calcium carbonate, into #Calciumxide. Calcium oxide, aka Qucklime, is the most unstable and highly reactive form of lime. Quicklime reacts violently with water, giving off tremendous heat and boiling vigorously. This reaction with water makes it into #CalciumHydroxide, which is similar to #lye, but not as strong. This is the form that is used the most in the arts and industries mentioned above. If the lime is kept under a layer of water, it will not only keep forever, but it improves with age! This stuff is called lime putty. You may be more familiar with the dry lime you can buy in a bag, which is dry calcium hydroxide. This bagged powdered #HydratedLime is widely available, but inferior to wet #SlakedLime putty. You can hardly buy lime putty, and it is very expensive, but you can make it! For more on the forms of lime see my article, Understanding Lime.

"Basically, #LimePutty is like liquid rocks. Once it is allowed to dry with exposure to air, it absorbs carbon from the atmosphere and turns back into a hard rock (or shell, which is pretty much the same thing). Think about that for a second. That is awesome!

"And thus the lime cycle is completed from rock or shell, to quicklime, to lime putty, and back to rock/shell.

"In my book, it doesn't get much funner than burning and slaking lime, so lets get this party started!"

Learn more:
https://www.instructables.com/Burn-Seashell-Lime-in-a-Primitive-StrawClay-Kiln/

#SolarPunkSunday #OldTech #LowTech #LoTech #DIY #TraditionalTechnology
#AncientTechnology #CalciumCarbonate #TraditionalMortar #History #HistoricalMethods #OldTech #SeashellLime

NOTE: As someone pointed out, this is a DANGEROUS process and requires a lot of safety precautions. I would refer to other instructions with more safety measures. I posted this more for the uses of #Lime (as opposed to using tons of chemicals).

Burn #Seashell #Lime in a Primitive Straw/Clay #Kiln!

By skillcult

"In this project we use Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Animal, Vegetable and Mineral to make something with a multitude of practical uses. The text is detailed and stands alone, but the videos are very useful and entertaining. Video #1, the Quicky version, is the 7 minute general interest, entertainment version. Video #2, buildcult, is the long educational 20 minute version. I'd recommend watching the short version first, before reading this instructable, so that you have a visual reference. I did my best to make it worth 7 minutes of your life. I conceived this project for the Brave the Elements contest, which you can vote in here, hint hint.

"The goal is to build a kiln from natural materials in order to burn and slake #lime for #seashells. Lime is immensely valuable! If lime disappeared tomorrow, civilization would fall hard! It is the main ingredient in cement and can be used to make #mortar and #plaster. It can also be used in the arts for #limewash and fresco, in #Soapmaking, mixed with casein (milk protein) to make #PreIndustrial waterproof #glue and #paint, for smelting and refining metal, and to remove hair and prepare skins for rawhide, hide glue or tanning. Ever read the ingredients on your tortillas or tortilla chips and seen 'traces of lime'? That’s because lime is used in processing #corn kernels to make tortillas, hominy and grits, which is easy to do at home. Not only does it make corn more nutritious and digestible, but it also lends to the unique flavor of those products. Beet sugar is processed with lime too. Lime is also used to potentiate certain drug substances such as betel nut and coca leaves, a small bit of lime being chewed with the plant material to activate it. So, yeah, wow, lime is one of the most useful substances ever!

"A WORD ON SAFETY: A lot of people think that lime is some deadly scary chemical that will burn you face off. It’s not… not really... well, maybe. #QuickLime is dangerous, but that is a brief transient state. During #slaking, the quicklime will give off heat and boil vigorously, so that is dangerous since the stuff can splatter around and is not only hot, but also highly alkaline. So, yeah, okay, maybe doing a face plant in a boiling tub of quicklime may burn your face off. Don’t do that! Otherwise, the stuff is not that horrible, and people have been making #tortillas, mixing mortar, plastering walls and tanning leather without goggles and hazmat suits for a very long time. It is also non-toxic. You definitely don’t want your pets drinking lime water or your kids playing with lime, but that is due to it’s concentration mostly, and not to inherent toxicity. When diluted, it becomes less and less caustic and is at some point completely harmless. Once converted to #CalciumCarbonate by drying, it’s just like egg shells, sea shells or stone, not only non-toxic, but actually used as a #calcium supplement. So, don’t get it in your eyes, keep it away from children and pets, be careful when slaking and use common sense and everything will be fine. It will temporarily dry skin though skin though, so be aware of that.

"Before we get to the fun stuff, let me explain how this works. Don’t be intimidated by the chemistry terms, they aren’t important. The changes lime goes through have a name, The Lime Cycle. By heating stone or shells red hot, about 900 Celcius (called calcining), we can change lime from it’s stable inert form, calcium carbonate, into #Calciumxide. Calcium oxide, aka Qucklime, is the most unstable and highly reactive form of lime. Quicklime reacts violently with water, giving off tremendous heat and boiling vigorously. This reaction with water makes it into #CalciumHydroxide, which is similar to #lye, but not as strong. This is the form that is used the most in the arts and industries mentioned above. If the lime is kept under a layer of water, it will not only keep forever, but it improves with age! This stuff is called lime putty. You may be more familiar with the dry lime you can buy in a bag, which is dry calcium hydroxide. This bagged powdered #HydratedLime is widely available, but inferior to wet #SlakedLime putty. You can hardly buy lime putty, and it is very expensive, but you can make it! For more on the forms of lime see my article, Understanding Lime.

"Basically, #LimePutty is like liquid rocks. Once it is allowed to dry with exposure to air, it absorbs carbon from the atmosphere and turns back into a hard rock (or shell, which is pretty much the same thing). Think about that for a second. That is awesome!

"And thus the lime cycle is completed from rock or shell, to quicklime, to lime putty, and back to rock/shell.

"In my book, it doesn't get much funner than burning and slaking lime, so lets get this party started!"

Learn more:
https://www.instructables.com/Burn-Seashell-Lime-in-a-Primitive-StrawClay-Kiln/

#SolarPunkSunday #OldTech #LowTech #LoTech #DIY #TraditionalTechnology
#AncientTechnology #CalciumCarbonate #TraditionalMortar #History #HistoricalMethods #OldTech #SeashellLime

NOTE: As someone pointed out, this is a DANGEROUS process and requires a lot of safety precautions. I would refer to other instructions with more safety measures. I posted this more for the uses of #Lime (as opposed to using tons of chemicals).

Burn #Seashell #Lime in a Primitive Straw/Clay #Kiln!

By skillcult

"In this project we use Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Animal, Vegetable and Mineral to make something with a multitude of practical uses. The text is detailed and stands alone, but the videos are very useful and entertaining. Video #1, the Quicky version, is the 7 minute general interest, entertainment version. Video #2, buildcult, is the long educational 20 minute version. I'd recommend watching the short version first, before reading this instructable, so that you have a visual reference. I did my best to make it worth 7 minutes of your life. I conceived this project for the Brave the Elements contest, which you can vote in here, hint hint.

"The goal is to build a kiln from natural materials in order to burn and slake #lime for #seashells. Lime is immensely valuable! If lime disappeared tomorrow, civilization would fall hard! It is the main ingredient in cement and can be used to make #mortar and #plaster. It can also be used in the arts for #limewash and fresco, in #Soapmaking, mixed with casein (milk protein) to make #PreIndustrial waterproof #glue and #paint, for smelting and refining metal, and to remove hair and prepare skins for rawhide, hide glue or tanning. Ever read the ingredients on your tortillas or tortilla chips and seen 'traces of lime'? That’s because lime is used in processing #corn kernels to make tortillas, hominy and grits, which is easy to do at home. Not only does it make corn more nutritious and digestible, but it also lends to the unique flavor of those products. Beet sugar is processed with lime too. Lime is also used to potentiate certain drug substances such as betel nut and coca leaves, a small bit of lime being chewed with the plant material to activate it. So, yeah, wow, lime is one of the most useful substances ever!

"A WORD ON SAFETY: A lot of people think that lime is some deadly scary chemical that will burn you face off. It’s not… not really... well, maybe. #QuickLime is dangerous, but that is a brief transient state. During #slaking, the quicklime will give off heat and boil vigorously, so that is dangerous since the stuff can splatter around and is not only hot, but also highly alkaline. So, yeah, okay, maybe doing a face plant in a boiling tub of quicklime may burn your face off. Don’t do that! Otherwise, the stuff is not that horrible, and people have been making #tortillas, mixing mortar, plastering walls and tanning leather without goggles and hazmat suits for a very long time. It is also non-toxic. You definitely don’t want your pets drinking lime water or your kids playing with lime, but that is due to it’s concentration mostly, and not to inherent toxicity. When diluted, it becomes less and less caustic and is at some point completely harmless. Once converted to #CalciumCarbonate by drying, it’s just like egg shells, sea shells or stone, not only non-toxic, but actually used as a #calcium supplement. So, don’t get it in your eyes, keep it away from children and pets, be careful when slaking and use common sense and everything will be fine. It will temporarily dry skin though skin though, so be aware of that.

"Before we get to the fun stuff, let me explain how this works. Don’t be intimidated by the chemistry terms, they aren’t important. The changes lime goes through have a name, The Lime Cycle. By heating stone or shells red hot, about 900 Celcius (called calcining), we can change lime from it’s stable inert form, calcium carbonate, into #Calciumxide. Calcium oxide, aka Qucklime, is the most unstable and highly reactive form of lime. Quicklime reacts violently with water, giving off tremendous heat and boiling vigorously. This reaction with water makes it into #CalciumHydroxide, which is similar to #lye, but not as strong. This is the form that is used the most in the arts and industries mentioned above. If the lime is kept under a layer of water, it will not only keep forever, but it improves with age! This stuff is called lime putty. You may be more familiar with the dry lime you can buy in a bag, which is dry calcium hydroxide. This bagged powdered #HydratedLime is widely available, but inferior to wet #SlakedLime putty. You can hardly buy lime putty, and it is very expensive, but you can make it! For more on the forms of lime see my article, Understanding Lime.

"Basically, #LimePutty is like liquid rocks. Once it is allowed to dry with exposure to air, it absorbs carbon from the atmosphere and turns back into a hard rock (or shell, which is pretty much the same thing). Think about that for a second. That is awesome!

"And thus the lime cycle is completed from rock or shell, to quicklime, to lime putty, and back to rock/shell.

"In my book, it doesn't get much funner than burning and slaking lime, so lets get this party started!"

Learn more:
https://www.instructables.com/Burn-Seashell-Lime-in-a-Primitive-StrawClay-Kiln/

#SolarPunkSunday #OldTech #LowTech #LoTech #DIY #TraditionalTechnology
#AncientTechnology #CalciumCarbonate #TraditionalMortar #History #HistoricalMethods #OldTech #SeashellLime

NOTE: As someone pointed out, this is a DANGEROUS process and requires a lot of safety precautions. I would refer to other instructions with more safety measures. I posted this more for the uses of #Lime (as opposed to using tons of chemicals).

Burn #Seashell #Lime in a Primitive Straw/Clay #Kiln!

By skillcult

"In this project we use Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Animal, Vegetable and Mineral to make something with a multitude of practical uses. The text is detailed and stands alone, but the videos are very useful and entertaining. Video #1, the Quicky version, is the 7 minute general interest, entertainment version. Video #2, buildcult, is the long educational 20 minute version. I'd recommend watching the short version first, before reading this instructable, so that you have a visual reference. I did my best to make it worth 7 minutes of your life. I conceived this project for the Brave the Elements contest, which you can vote in here, hint hint.

"The goal is to build a kiln from natural materials in order to burn and slake #lime for #seashells. Lime is immensely valuable! If lime disappeared tomorrow, civilization would fall hard! It is the main ingredient in cement and can be used to make #mortar and #plaster. It can also be used in the arts for #limewash and fresco, in #Soapmaking, mixed with casein (milk protein) to make #PreIndustrial waterproof #glue and #paint, for smelting and refining metal, and to remove hair and prepare skins for rawhide, hide glue or tanning. Ever read the ingredients on your tortillas or tortilla chips and seen 'traces of lime'? That’s because lime is used in processing #corn kernels to make tortillas, hominy and grits, which is easy to do at home. Not only does it make corn more nutritious and digestible, but it also lends to the unique flavor of those products. Beet sugar is processed with lime too. Lime is also used to potentiate certain drug substances such as betel nut and coca leaves, a small bit of lime being chewed with the plant material to activate it. So, yeah, wow, lime is one of the most useful substances ever!

"A WORD ON SAFETY: A lot of people think that lime is some deadly scary chemical that will burn you face off. It’s not… not really... well, maybe. #QuickLime is dangerous, but that is a brief transient state. During #slaking, the quicklime will give off heat and boil vigorously, so that is dangerous since the stuff can splatter around and is not only hot, but also highly alkaline. So, yeah, okay, maybe doing a face plant in a boiling tub of quicklime may burn your face off. Don’t do that! Otherwise, the stuff is not that horrible, and people have been making #tortillas, mixing mortar, plastering walls and tanning leather without goggles and hazmat suits for a very long time. It is also non-toxic. You definitely don’t want your pets drinking lime water or your kids playing with lime, but that is due to it’s concentration mostly, and not to inherent toxicity. When diluted, it becomes less and less caustic and is at some point completely harmless. Once converted to #CalciumCarbonate by drying, it’s just like egg shells, sea shells or stone, not only non-toxic, but actually used as a #calcium supplement. So, don’t get it in your eyes, keep it away from children and pets, be careful when slaking and use common sense and everything will be fine. It will temporarily dry skin though skin though, so be aware of that.

"Before we get to the fun stuff, let me explain how this works. Don’t be intimidated by the chemistry terms, they aren’t important. The changes lime goes through have a name, The Lime Cycle. By heating stone or shells red hot, about 900 Celcius (called calcining), we can change lime from it’s stable inert form, calcium carbonate, into #Calciumxide. Calcium oxide, aka Qucklime, is the most unstable and highly reactive form of lime. Quicklime reacts violently with water, giving off tremendous heat and boiling vigorously. This reaction with water makes it into #CalciumHydroxide, which is similar to #lye, but not as strong. This is the form that is used the most in the arts and industries mentioned above. If the lime is kept under a layer of water, it will not only keep forever, but it improves with age! This stuff is called lime putty. You may be more familiar with the dry lime you can buy in a bag, which is dry calcium hydroxide. This bagged powdered #HydratedLime is widely available, but inferior to wet #SlakedLime putty. You can hardly buy lime putty, and it is very expensive, but you can make it! For more on the forms of lime see my article, Understanding Lime.

"Basically, #LimePutty is like liquid rocks. Once it is allowed to dry with exposure to air, it absorbs carbon from the atmosphere and turns back into a hard rock (or shell, which is pretty much the same thing). Think about that for a second. That is awesome!

"And thus the lime cycle is completed from rock or shell, to quicklime, to lime putty, and back to rock/shell.

"In my book, it doesn't get much funner than burning and slaking lime, so lets get this party started!"

Learn more:
https://www.instructables.com/Burn-Seashell-Lime-in-a-Primitive-StrawClay-Kiln/

#SolarPunkSunday #OldTech #LowTech #LoTech #DIY #TraditionalTechnology
#AncientTechnology #CalciumCarbonate #TraditionalMortar #History #HistoricalMethods #OldTech #SeashellLime

NOTE: As someone pointed out, this is a DANGEROUS process and requires a lot of safety precautions. I would refer to other instructions with more safety measures. I posted this more for the uses of #Lime (as opposed to using tons of chemicals).

Burn #Seashell #Lime in a Primitive Straw/Clay #Kiln!

By skillcult

"In this project we use Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Animal, Vegetable and Mineral to make something with a multitude of practical uses. The text is detailed and stands alone, but the videos are very useful and entertaining. Video #1, the Quicky version, is the 7 minute general interest, entertainment version. Video #2, buildcult, is the long educational 20 minute version. I'd recommend watching the short version first, before reading this instructable, so that you have a visual reference. I did my best to make it worth 7 minutes of your life. I conceived this project for the Brave the Elements contest, which you can vote in here, hint hint.

"The goal is to build a kiln from natural materials in order to burn and slake #lime for #seashells. Lime is immensely valuable! If lime disappeared tomorrow, civilization would fall hard! It is the main ingredient in cement and can be used to make #mortar and #plaster. It can also be used in the arts for #limewash and fresco, in #Soapmaking, mixed with casein (milk protein) to make #PreIndustrial waterproof #glue and #paint, for smelting and refining metal, and to remove hair and prepare skins for rawhide, hide glue or tanning. Ever read the ingredients on your tortillas or tortilla chips and seen 'traces of lime'? That’s because lime is used in processing #corn kernels to make tortillas, hominy and grits, which is easy to do at home. Not only does it make corn more nutritious and digestible, but it also lends to the unique flavor of those products. Beet sugar is processed with lime too. Lime is also used to potentiate certain drug substances such as betel nut and coca leaves, a small bit of lime being chewed with the plant material to activate it. So, yeah, wow, lime is one of the most useful substances ever!

"A WORD ON SAFETY: A lot of people think that lime is some deadly scary chemical that will burn you face off. It’s not… not really... well, maybe. #QuickLime is dangerous, but that is a brief transient state. During #slaking, the quicklime will give off heat and boil vigorously, so that is dangerous since the stuff can splatter around and is not only hot, but also highly alkaline. So, yeah, okay, maybe doing a face plant in a boiling tub of quicklime may burn your face off. Don’t do that! Otherwise, the stuff is not that horrible, and people have been making #tortillas, mixing mortar, plastering walls and tanning leather without goggles and hazmat suits for a very long time. It is also non-toxic. You definitely don’t want your pets drinking lime water or your kids playing with lime, but that is due to it’s concentration mostly, and not to inherent toxicity. When diluted, it becomes less and less caustic and is at some point completely harmless. Once converted to #CalciumCarbonate by drying, it’s just like egg shells, sea shells or stone, not only non-toxic, but actually used as a #calcium supplement. So, don’t get it in your eyes, keep it away from children and pets, be careful when slaking and use common sense and everything will be fine. It will temporarily dry skin though skin though, so be aware of that.

"Before we get to the fun stuff, let me explain how this works. Don’t be intimidated by the chemistry terms, they aren’t important. The changes lime goes through have a name, The Lime Cycle. By heating stone or shells red hot, about 900 Celcius (called calcining), we can change lime from it’s stable inert form, calcium carbonate, into #Calciumxide. Calcium oxide, aka Qucklime, is the most unstable and highly reactive form of lime. Quicklime reacts violently with water, giving off tremendous heat and boiling vigorously. This reaction with water makes it into #CalciumHydroxide, which is similar to #lye, but not as strong. This is the form that is used the most in the arts and industries mentioned above. If the lime is kept under a layer of water, it will not only keep forever, but it improves with age! This stuff is called lime putty. You may be more familiar with the dry lime you can buy in a bag, which is dry calcium hydroxide. This bagged powdered #HydratedLime is widely available, but inferior to wet #SlakedLime putty. You can hardly buy lime putty, and it is very expensive, but you can make it! For more on the forms of lime see my article, Understanding Lime.

"Basically, #LimePutty is like liquid rocks. Once it is allowed to dry with exposure to air, it absorbs carbon from the atmosphere and turns back into a hard rock (or shell, which is pretty much the same thing). Think about that for a second. That is awesome!

"And thus the lime cycle is completed from rock or shell, to quicklime, to lime putty, and back to rock/shell.

"In my book, it doesn't get much funner than burning and slaking lime, so lets get this party started!"

Learn more:
https://www.instructables.com/Burn-Seashell-Lime-in-a-Primitive-StrawClay-Kiln/

#SolarPunkSunday #OldTech #LowTech #LoTech #DIY #TraditionalTechnology
#AncientTechnology #CalciumCarbonate #TraditionalMortar #History #HistoricalMethods #OldTech #SeashellLime

Burning #SeaShells to make #quicklime

Posted on November 10, 2018 by Per Storemyr

"Burning seashells to make quicklime once was a great tradition in the #NorthAtlantic region. In Millstone Park, Hyllestad (W-Norway), we have built two #limekilns, reviving old lime burning traditions, involving #craftspeople, volunteers and the public. Recently we burnt sea shells to make #LimePaint and #mortar! Read about the experiment in a new poster and web article."

https://per-storemyr.net/2018/11/10/burning-sea-shells-to-make-quicklime/

#SolarPunkSunday #TraditionalTechnology #AncientTechnology #Romans #Vikings #CalciumCarbonate #TraditionalMortar #Plaster #Paint #Limestone #Marble #History #HistoricalMethods #LowTech #OldTech

Burning #SeaShells to make #quicklime

Posted on November 10, 2018 by Per Storemyr

"Burning seashells to make quicklime once was a great tradition in the #NorthAtlantic region. In Millstone Park, Hyllestad (W-Norway), we have built two #limekilns, reviving old lime burning traditions, involving #craftspeople, volunteers and the public. Recently we burnt sea shells to make #LimePaint and #mortar! Read about the experiment in a new poster and web article."

https://per-storemyr.net/2018/11/10/burning-sea-shells-to-make-quicklime/

#SolarPunkSunday #TraditionalTechnology #AncientTechnology #Romans #Vikings #CalciumCarbonate #TraditionalMortar #Plaster #Paint #Limestone #Marble #History #HistoricalMethods #LowTech #OldTech

Burning #SeaShells to make #quicklime

Posted on November 10, 2018 by Per Storemyr

"Burning seashells to make quicklime once was a great tradition in the #NorthAtlantic region. In Millstone Park, Hyllestad (W-Norway), we have built two #limekilns, reviving old lime burning traditions, involving #craftspeople, volunteers and the public. Recently we burnt sea shells to make #LimePaint and #mortar! Read about the experiment in a new poster and web article."

https://per-storemyr.net/2018/11/10/burning-sea-shells-to-make-quicklime/

#SolarPunkSunday #TraditionalTechnology #AncientTechnology #Romans #Vikings #CalciumCarbonate #TraditionalMortar #Plaster #Paint #Limestone #Marble #History #HistoricalMethods #LowTech #OldTech

Burning #SeaShells to make #quicklime

Posted on November 10, 2018 by Per Storemyr

"Burning seashells to make quicklime once was a great tradition in the #NorthAtlantic region. In Millstone Park, Hyllestad (W-Norway), we have built two #limekilns, reviving old lime burning traditions, involving #craftspeople, volunteers and the public. Recently we burnt sea shells to make #LimePaint and #mortar! Read about the experiment in a new poster and web article."

https://per-storemyr.net/2018/11/10/burning-sea-shells-to-make-quicklime/

#SolarPunkSunday #TraditionalTechnology #AncientTechnology #Romans #Vikings #CalciumCarbonate #TraditionalMortar #Plaster #Paint #Limestone #Marble #History #HistoricalMethods #LowTech #OldTech

Burning #SeaShells to make #quicklime

Posted on November 10, 2018 by Per Storemyr

"Burning seashells to make quicklime once was a great tradition in the #NorthAtlantic region. In Millstone Park, Hyllestad (W-Norway), we have built two #limekilns, reviving old lime burning traditions, involving #craftspeople, volunteers and the public. Recently we burnt sea shells to make #LimePaint and #mortar! Read about the experiment in a new poster and web article."

https://per-storemyr.net/2018/11/10/burning-sea-shells-to-make-quicklime/

#SolarPunkSunday #TraditionalTechnology #AncientTechnology #Romans #Vikings #CalciumCarbonate #TraditionalMortar #Plaster #Paint #Limestone #Marble #History #HistoricalMethods #LowTech #OldTech

Well darn! I don't have any specific themes planned for this week's #SolarPunkSunday. And, well, I've been busy #Solarpunking! However, I'll make an effort to post some stuff. But I want to know what you all are doing that's #SolarPunk! Are you #composting? #GardeningForPollinators? Participating in a #CommunityGarden? #SharingResources? Know of a #ToolLibrary? #RepairCafes? What about #NewTechnology or #TraditionalTechnology that's relevant to #ClimateAdaptation? To me #SolarPunk is about sharing ideas, knowledge and #BuildingCommunity . Share away!

Well darn! I don't have any specific themes planned for this week's #SolarPunkSunday. And, well, I've been busy #Solarpunking! However, I'll make an effort to post some stuff. But I want to know what you all are doing that's #SolarPunk! Are you #composting? #GardeningForPollinators? Participating in a #CommunityGarden? #SharingResources? Know of a #ToolLibrary? #RepairCafes? What about #NewTechnology or #TraditionalTechnology that's relevant to #ClimateAdaptation? To me #SolarPunk is about sharing ideas, knowledge and #BuildingCommunity . Share away!

@wyatt_h_knott Actually, the Aztecs invented rubber, which was re-invented in the 1800s. I just found out about that myself.

Aztec, Maya Were Rubber-Making Masters?

Ancients blended plant juices to get bouncier or tougher rubber, study says.

By Rachel Kaufman
Published June 30, 2010

"Ancient civilizations in much of #Mexico and #CentralAmerica were making different grades of rubber 3,000 years before Charles #Goodyear 'stabilized' the stuff in the mid-19th century, new research suggests.

"The #Aztec, #Olmec, and #Maya of #Mesoamerica are known to have made rubber using natural latex—a milky, sap-like fluid found in some plants. Mesoamerica extends roughly from central Mexico to Honduras and Nicaragua.

"Ancient rubber makers harvested #latex from #RubberTrees and mixed it with juice from #MorningGlory vines, which contains a chemical that makes the solidified latex less brittle."

Read more:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/100628-science-ancient-maya-aztec-rubber-balls-beheaded

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/XMpwr

#AncientTechnology #SolarPunkSunday #TraditionalTechnology #IndigenousHistory

@wyatt_h_knott Actually, the Aztecs invented rubber, which was re-invented in the 1800s. I just found out about that myself.

Aztec, Maya Were Rubber-Making Masters?

Ancients blended plant juices to get bouncier or tougher rubber, study says.

By Rachel Kaufman
Published June 30, 2010

"Ancient civilizations in much of #Mexico and #CentralAmerica were making different grades of rubber 3,000 years before Charles #Goodyear 'stabilized' the stuff in the mid-19th century, new research suggests.

"The #Aztec, #Olmec, and #Maya of #Mesoamerica are known to have made rubber using natural latex—a milky, sap-like fluid found in some plants. Mesoamerica extends roughly from central Mexico to Honduras and Nicaragua.

"Ancient rubber makers harvested #latex from #RubberTrees and mixed it with juice from #MorningGlory vines, which contains a chemical that makes the solidified latex less brittle."

Read more:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/100628-science-ancient-maya-aztec-rubber-balls-beheaded

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/XMpwr

#AncientTechnology #SolarPunkSunday #TraditionalTechnology #IndigenousHistory

An Experienced Wood Firer Shares #Kiln Plans for a Small Instructional #WoodFiredKiln

Design your own wood kiln using these wood kiln plans!

by John Thies

Excerpt: "I set out to build a very versatile and efficient wood-firing kiln that could be used by students who had interest in a complete hands-on experience, from the preparation, loading, firing and unloading to the final clean-up phase. I didn't want to interfere with the successful larger firings, in which students can get a large volume of wood-fired pots without the in-depth hands-on experience. The new kiln would allow me to cut down on the extensive labor, fuel and overhead costs of my larger kiln.

I named the new kiln '#Manabigama' at the suggestion of my friend Phil Berneburg, former technical editor for CM. In #Japanese, mana means educational or learning, bi means a thing of beauty, and gama means kiln.

The Manabigama is a traditional design with a few simple modifications. I see it as a cross between an #AnagamaKiln and a #GroundhogStyleKiln. Basically, it is a crossdraft tube built into the side of a hill. The overall interior dimensions are 24 inches in width, 7 feet in depth, 40 inches in height. Its firebox is in the front, incorporated into the inside with a grate system, and extra air intakes are built into the front and sides. This is done to provide more secondary air intake to help burn green or wet fuel. The firebox is plenty adequate being 2 feet wide, 2 feet deep and 30 inches high from the floor to ware level. The chimney has inside dimensions of 9 inches deep by 18 inches wide and is 12 feet high. The shape is a long rectangle with two straight, 18-inch-tall side walls and a catenary arch built on top. This creates ample headroom for ease of loading, as well as extra height for stacking and tall pieces.

There is approximately 24 cubic feet of ware space, more than enough for teaching purposes. The kiln door is in front, only halfway down, and is bricked up including the stoke hole. It can be loaded in two to three hours, fires evenly to Cone 10-12 in eight hours tops, or if you choose, you can fire two to three days depending on how much ash buildup you like. The consumption of fuel is also minimal-less than half a cord of wood. When loading the wood kiln, be sure to use wadding to prevent pots from sticking to shelves.

All in all, the Manabigama is a very simple design to build. It is capable of yielding wonderful ash-glazed pieces with a minimum of labor, fuel and overhead costs. And it is a fantastic wood-fired kiln for teaching without the tremendous strain of a large three-chambered kiln."

https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/daily/article/An-Experienced-Wood-Firer-Shares-Kiln-Plans-for-a-Small-Instructional-Wood-Kiln

#SolarPunkSunday #WoodFiredKiln #DIY
#Kilns #Pottery #Quicklime? #DIYKilns #TraditionalTechnology #Adaptation

An Experienced Wood Firer Shares #Kiln Plans for a Small Instructional #WoodFiredKiln

Design your own wood kiln using these wood kiln plans!

by John Thies

Excerpt: "I set out to build a very versatile and efficient wood-firing kiln that could be used by students who had interest in a complete hands-on experience, from the preparation, loading, firing and unloading to the final clean-up phase. I didn't want to interfere with the successful larger firings, in which students can get a large volume of wood-fired pots without the in-depth hands-on experience. The new kiln would allow me to cut down on the extensive labor, fuel and overhead costs of my larger kiln.

I named the new kiln '#Manabigama' at the suggestion of my friend Phil Berneburg, former technical editor for CM. In #Japanese, mana means educational or learning, bi means a thing of beauty, and gama means kiln.

The Manabigama is a traditional design with a few simple modifications. I see it as a cross between an #AnagamaKiln and a #GroundhogStyleKiln. Basically, it is a crossdraft tube built into the side of a hill. The overall interior dimensions are 24 inches in width, 7 feet in depth, 40 inches in height. Its firebox is in the front, incorporated into the inside with a grate system, and extra air intakes are built into the front and sides. This is done to provide more secondary air intake to help burn green or wet fuel. The firebox is plenty adequate being 2 feet wide, 2 feet deep and 30 inches high from the floor to ware level. The chimney has inside dimensions of 9 inches deep by 18 inches wide and is 12 feet high. The shape is a long rectangle with two straight, 18-inch-tall side walls and a catenary arch built on top. This creates ample headroom for ease of loading, as well as extra height for stacking and tall pieces.

There is approximately 24 cubic feet of ware space, more than enough for teaching purposes. The kiln door is in front, only halfway down, and is bricked up including the stoke hole. It can be loaded in two to three hours, fires evenly to Cone 10-12 in eight hours tops, or if you choose, you can fire two to three days depending on how much ash buildup you like. The consumption of fuel is also minimal-less than half a cord of wood. When loading the wood kiln, be sure to use wadding to prevent pots from sticking to shelves.

All in all, the Manabigama is a very simple design to build. It is capable of yielding wonderful ash-glazed pieces with a minimum of labor, fuel and overhead costs. And it is a fantastic wood-fired kiln for teaching without the tremendous strain of a large three-chambered kiln."

https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/daily/article/An-Experienced-Wood-Firer-Shares-Kiln-Plans-for-a-Small-Instructional-Wood-Kiln

#SolarPunkSunday #WoodFiredKiln #DIY
#Kilns #Pottery #Quicklime? #DIYKilns #TraditionalTechnology #Adaptation

So, this isn't a #Kiln (it is only spec'ed to 700 F), but it could be useful for cooking food.

How To Build Your Own #CobOven – Step-by-Step

Written by Author Cheryl Magyar Published on February 27, 2024

Excerpt: "earth ovens work – and bake well – because the heat generated by burning wood is absorbed into the thermal layer of the oven. Then that radiant heat is evenly released through the air, while conduction (from the contact of the bread dough on the hot bricks) and convection (hot rising air) play a part in the thorough baking process too.

But why would you want to build an earth oven when you already have a place to bake in your kitchen?
Well, you might want to build a cob oven because:

it has the chance to become the centerpiece of your outdoor living space – where family and friends gather to eat well, laugh and create long-lasting memories in nature.
clay is an abundant material to work with.
the wood you burn can be sourced locally, plus it’s renewable.
cob ovens are a low-impact alternative to gas or charcoal.
it gives you the chance to apply your artistic and creative abilities to a functional object.
it promotes self-reliance – you still get to bake, even if the power is out for a prolonged period of time.
food cooked in cob ovens tastes better, you’ll have to try it to find out.
you love pizza, or bread, or baked meat."

Learn more:
https://www.ruralsprout.com/cob-oven/

#SolarPunkSunday #DIY #Homesteading #TraditionalTechnology #EarthOvens #WoodFiredOvens #AncientTechnologies #NaturalBuildingMaterials

So, this isn't a #Kiln (it is only spec'ed to 700 F), but it could be useful for cooking food.

How To Build Your Own #CobOven – Step-by-Step

Written by Author Cheryl Magyar Published on February 27, 2024

Excerpt: "earth ovens work – and bake well – because the heat generated by burning wood is absorbed into the thermal layer of the oven. Then that radiant heat is evenly released through the air, while conduction (from the contact of the bread dough on the hot bricks) and convection (hot rising air) play a part in the thorough baking process too.

But why would you want to build an earth oven when you already have a place to bake in your kitchen?
Well, you might want to build a cob oven because:

it has the chance to become the centerpiece of your outdoor living space – where family and friends gather to eat well, laugh and create long-lasting memories in nature.
clay is an abundant material to work with.
the wood you burn can be sourced locally, plus it’s renewable.
cob ovens are a low-impact alternative to gas or charcoal.
it gives you the chance to apply your artistic and creative abilities to a functional object.
it promotes self-reliance – you still get to bake, even if the power is out for a prolonged period of time.
food cooked in cob ovens tastes better, you’ll have to try it to find out.
you love pizza, or bread, or baked meat."

Learn more:
https://www.ruralsprout.com/cob-oven/

#SolarPunkSunday #DIY #Homesteading #TraditionalTechnology #EarthOvens #WoodFiredOvens #AncientTechnologies #NaturalBuildingMaterials

#Wikihow - How to Make a #BrickKiln

Guide to making and using an easy #DIY brick kiln for firing #pottery

Co-authored by Tony Hoang

Last Updated: March 26, 2024

"Brick kilns have been used for thousands of years to create pottery, tiles, and other common objects. Whether of simple or complex design, all brick kilns use a wood fire to harden objects inside. You can easily make brick kilns once you’ve determined the needed dimensions and identified a flat clear area outdoors. By laying brick to build the kiln’s walls and covering it with a piece of iron or ceramic fiber for its roof, you can start firing your own pottery in no time."

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Brick-Kiln

#SolarPunkSunday #WoodFiredKiln #DIY
#Kilns #Homesteading #Pottery #Quicklime #BackyardKilns #TraditionalTechnology

#Wikihow - How to Make a #BrickKiln

Guide to making and using an easy #DIY brick kiln for firing #pottery

Co-authored by Tony Hoang

Last Updated: March 26, 2024

"Brick kilns have been used for thousands of years to create pottery, tiles, and other common objects. Whether of simple or complex design, all brick kilns use a wood fire to harden objects inside. You can easily make brick kilns once you’ve determined the needed dimensions and identified a flat clear area outdoors. By laying brick to build the kiln’s walls and covering it with a piece of iron or ceramic fiber for its roof, you can start firing your own pottery in no time."

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Brick-Kiln

#SolarPunkSunday #WoodFiredKiln #DIY
#Kilns #Homesteading #Pottery #Quicklime #BackyardKilns #TraditionalTechnology

Ahhhh... Using a hand-drill to start a fire. Now that takes me back to my days at the Wilderness School! I'd love to try and make a pottery-kiln (I'll be researching that soon...)

#Australia - Making #lime with Primitive Technology

"When heated above 840 degrees Celsius, the lime decomposes into calcium oxide (CaO) or #Quicklime and releases carbon dioxide (CO2). When water is added to the quicklime it becomes calcium hydroxide Ca (OH)2 or #LimePutty. From here the calcium hydroxide can then be shaped into a form and allowed to set.

Carbon dioxide enters the lime putty as it dries causing it to turn back into calcium carbonate. The new calcium carbonate has then set, remaining solid and water resistant.

In my local geography, calcareous rocks such as limestone are absent leading to a difficulty in acquiring the feed stock for lime making. However, I was still able to make lime by collecting the shells of large terrestrial snails that are native to the rainforest here. The unoccupied shells of these snails were gathered up and stored at the hut. Fire wood was gathered and packed neatly into the kiln.

Importantly, the firewood was stacked on top of the grate rather than underneath it in the firebox as is the normal procedure for firing pottery. Using an ordinary updraft pottery kiln in this configuration allows it to reach much higher temperatures than would be possible during normal use. The wood was lit from above and the fire burned down towards the grate. Alternate layers of shells and wood were added on to this burning fuel bed. After adding the last layer of wood to act as a 'lid' to prevent heat loss from above I left the kiln to finish on its own, unsupervised. The whole process took about an hour and a half.

When the kiln had cooled down a few hours later, I took out the calcined shells. Not shown in the video was the fact that some shells got so hot, the dirt stuck to them turned into slag and fused to them, possibly with the lime acting a flux lowering its melting point. This extreme heat (+1200 c) should be avoided as the over burnt lime becomes 'dead lime', unable to slake in water. Most shells were still useable though. They were taken out of the kiln and had water added to them.

An exothermic reaction then ensued. Heat was produced as the lime quicklime turned into slaked lime. The water heated up creating steam and the shells decomposed into a white paste. The paste was stirred and crushed pottery was added to it as an aggregate (sand is normally used for this, I just had a lot of old pot sherds lying about to dispose of).

This lime mortar mixture was then formed into a block shape and left to dry. It took about a week and a half to set as we have had extremely humid, wet weather. The block was observed to have set demonstrating its properties.

What I created is actually lime mortar, typically used for mortaring bricks and tiles together. It’s basically the ‘Glue’ that holds together the building blocks of masonry structures. From my research 20 kg of lime mortar is used on a 1 m square section of brick wall. 5 kg of lime to 15 kg of aggregate (sand, grog etc.) per a 1 m square section of bricks. The shells, though large, are not terribly abundant. A method for finding shells efficiently needs to be made before considering making lime mortar in this fashion. From my experience sand bars in a creek sometimes accumulate snail shells from higher up in the mountains. In these spots, water velocity decreases and shells in the water tend to drop out of the water column. Additionally lime may be partially replaced with ordinary wood ash in mortar without a corresponding decrease in strength. To conclude, making lime in a land without limestone is possible but can be problematic when trying to do so on a large scale."

Watch:
https://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/making-lime-with-primitive-technology

YT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek3aeUhHaFY&t=46s

Wordpress:https://primitivetechnology.wordpress.com/

Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2945881

#SolarPunkSunday #SustainableMaterials #TraditionalTechnology #ZeroWaste #Mortar #LimeMortar #Snailshells #Adaptation #AncientTechnologies #Science #AnimalProducts #LocalMaterials

Ahhhh... Using a hand-drill to start a fire. Now that takes me back to my days at the Wilderness School! I'd love to try and make a pottery-kiln (I'll be researching that soon...)

#Australia - Making #lime with Primitive Technology

"When heated above 840 degrees Celsius, the lime decomposes into calcium oxide (CaO) or #Quicklime and releases carbon dioxide (CO2). When water is added to the quicklime it becomes calcium hydroxide Ca (OH)2 or #LimePutty. From here the calcium hydroxide can then be shaped into a form and allowed to set.

Carbon dioxide enters the lime putty as it dries causing it to turn back into calcium carbonate. The new calcium carbonate has then set, remaining solid and water resistant.

In my local geography, calcareous rocks such as limestone are absent leading to a difficulty in acquiring the feed stock for lime making. However, I was still able to make lime by collecting the shells of large terrestrial snails that are native to the rainforest here. The unoccupied shells of these snails were gathered up and stored at the hut. Fire wood was gathered and packed neatly into the kiln.

Importantly, the firewood was stacked on top of the grate rather than underneath it in the firebox as is the normal procedure for firing pottery. Using an ordinary updraft pottery kiln in this configuration allows it to reach much higher temperatures than would be possible during normal use. The wood was lit from above and the fire burned down towards the grate. Alternate layers of shells and wood were added on to this burning fuel bed. After adding the last layer of wood to act as a 'lid' to prevent heat loss from above I left the kiln to finish on its own, unsupervised. The whole process took about an hour and a half.

When the kiln had cooled down a few hours later, I took out the calcined shells. Not shown in the video was the fact that some shells got so hot, the dirt stuck to them turned into slag and fused to them, possibly with the lime acting a flux lowering its melting point. This extreme heat (+1200 c) should be avoided as the over burnt lime becomes 'dead lime', unable to slake in water. Most shells were still useable though. They were taken out of the kiln and had water added to them.

An exothermic reaction then ensued. Heat was produced as the lime quicklime turned into slaked lime. The water heated up creating steam and the shells decomposed into a white paste. The paste was stirred and crushed pottery was added to it as an aggregate (sand is normally used for this, I just had a lot of old pot sherds lying about to dispose of).

This lime mortar mixture was then formed into a block shape and left to dry. It took about a week and a half to set as we have had extremely humid, wet weather. The block was observed to have set demonstrating its properties.

What I created is actually lime mortar, typically used for mortaring bricks and tiles together. It’s basically the ‘Glue’ that holds together the building blocks of masonry structures. From my research 20 kg of lime mortar is used on a 1 m square section of brick wall. 5 kg of lime to 15 kg of aggregate (sand, grog etc.) per a 1 m square section of bricks. The shells, though large, are not terribly abundant. A method for finding shells efficiently needs to be made before considering making lime mortar in this fashion. From my experience sand bars in a creek sometimes accumulate snail shells from higher up in the mountains. In these spots, water velocity decreases and shells in the water tend to drop out of the water column. Additionally lime may be partially replaced with ordinary wood ash in mortar without a corresponding decrease in strength. To conclude, making lime in a land without limestone is possible but can be problematic when trying to do so on a large scale."

Watch:
https://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/making-lime-with-primitive-technology

YT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek3aeUhHaFY&t=46s

Wordpress:https://primitivetechnology.wordpress.com/

Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2945881

#SolarPunkSunday #SustainableMaterials #TraditionalTechnology #ZeroWaste #Mortar #LimeMortar #Snailshells #Adaptation #AncientTechnologies #Science #AnimalProducts #LocalMaterials

How to Make #Lime (#Apog) from #Clamshells

Aug 1, 2020

"Eating seashells is one of your favorites?... Well, what you can do to the #clamshells?... Some of us, didn't know on how to make it into valuable product just like making lime or 'apog'. Find out in this video, saving shells to become waste."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGdEYUj5LU8

#SolarPunkSunday #SustainableMaterials #TraditionalTechnology #ZeroWaste #Clamshells #Mortar #LimeMortar #Seashells

How to Make #Lime (#Apog) from #Clamshells

Aug 1, 2020

"Eating seashells is one of your favorites?... Well, what you can do to the #clamshells?... Some of us, didn't know on how to make it into valuable product just like making lime or 'apog'. Find out in this video, saving shells to become waste."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGdEYUj5LU8

#SolarPunkSunday #SustainableMaterials #TraditionalTechnology #ZeroWaste #Clamshells #Mortar #LimeMortar #Seashells

#LimeMortar - using #OysterShells for historic preservation.

Sep 17, 2009

"This is footage from the Chincoteage lighthouse Sept 25 2009. The Historic Preservation Training Center instructors demonstrating How to create lime by adding oyster shells to water to produce mortar used in historic preservation of buildings in general. What you are seeing is the reaction of the shells in water after about 15 minutes. This mortar was used to repair the inside masonry walls of the 'OIL SHED' located beside the lighthouse. The Shells are fired to remove the carbon dioxide prior to adding them to the water in the wheel barrow. They turn to a creamy paste, known as lime or lime putty. Add sand or aggregate and apply to application."

Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rF9TdI0OFMQ

#SolarPunkSunday #SustainableMaterials #HistoricPreservation #TraditionalTechnology #RestoreRepair #Restoration #Masonry

#LimeMortar - using #OysterShells for historic preservation.

Sep 17, 2009

"This is footage from the Chincoteage lighthouse Sept 25 2009. The Historic Preservation Training Center instructors demonstrating How to create lime by adding oyster shells to water to produce mortar used in historic preservation of buildings in general. What you are seeing is the reaction of the shells in water after about 15 minutes. This mortar was used to repair the inside masonry walls of the 'OIL SHED' located beside the lighthouse. The Shells are fired to remove the carbon dioxide prior to adding them to the water in the wheel barrow. They turn to a creamy paste, known as lime or lime putty. Add sand or aggregate and apply to application."

Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rF9TdI0OFMQ

#SolarPunkSunday #SustainableMaterials #HistoricPreservation #TraditionalTechnology #RestoreRepair #Restoration #Masonry

[Academic Paywall] Can Smart #Technology and #TraditionalWisdom Craft Truly #Sustainable Built Environments?

Building and Environment
Volume 267, Part B, 1 January 2025, Christina Priavolou

"The built environment significantly impacts global resource consumption and energy usage, accounting for 40 % of annual utilisation. Within this substantial ecological footprint lies the potential for transformation towards sustainability. By channeling insights from traditional practices and synthesising them with academic research, this article presents an innovative approach aiming to create built environments that are both technologically smart and deeply rooted in local wisdom.

Built environment developments often result in structures that stand as isolated entities, disconnected from their surroundings. Instead of endorsing standalone structures, this article advocates for collective actions that respect local elements. At its core, it seeks to leverage the rich insights from traditional knowledge and combine them with academic scholarship, acknowledging the contribution of traditional wisdom in addressing local needs and identities. The primary focus is on exploring how structures within the built environment can be crafted to provide both smart and context-appropriate responses to the imperative of sustainability.

The advent of Industry 4.0 technologies like Building Information Modeling and laser scanning has revolutionised the construction industry by optimising material use, energy consumption and aligning construction processes with sustainable design principles. In response to the impending Industry 4.0 revolution and the advent of such digital technologies, it becomes increasingly evident that addressing environmental concerns requires more than just smart solutions . In that respect, it is acknowledged that the built environment is a complex interplay of aesthetics, technology, environmental considerations, and societal intricacies, necessitating a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to tackle such challenges comprehensively.

Drawing from historical architectural records and built environment planning doctrines, which emphasise the importance of creating meaningful, sustainable spaces in harmony with local contexts, this approach aims to bridge the gap between globalised patterns and traditional wisdom. The #vernacular field, coined by Illich, encapsulates the essence of local wisdom, needs, and identities. The growing interest in vernacular architecture underscores its significant environmental value and ability to foster diversity linked to local climate, landscape, materials, and way of life. Moreover, previous studies have shown that integrating traditional construction techniques can offer unique solutions to contemporary sustainability challenges. For instance, Hamard et al. demonstrated how natural building materials such as cob and straw, when combined with passive design strategies, can reduce building energy consumption by up to 50 % depending on climate conditions and design features. Similarly, Nguyen et al. highlighted the adaptability of vernacular architecture in response to local climate conditions, demonstrating its potential to improve energy efficiency by reducing heating and cooling loads by 30–60 %. Ozorhon and Ozorhon [10] have also stressed the importance of actively engaging local communities in preserving cultural heritage, which fosters community ownership and resilience, ultimately contributing to more sustainable and socially cohesive outcomes.

Ιn response to pressing global environmental challenges and events, such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, this article seeks to trigger discussions for timely and holistic solutions to built environment challenges, reflecting local contexts while aligning with global sustainability goals. It seeks to enrich our understanding of how the integration of modern technology with traditional knowledge can lead to more sustainable, resilient, and community-focused built environments. This study delves into three key themes: holistic planning with traditional insights, the role of technology and multidisciplinary approaches, and the need for resilient and community-centric solutions.

Through two exploratory case studies in Greece, the article illustrates how applying these themes can create sustainable and contextually appropriate built environments while discussing the concept of convivial construction and its implications for fostering inclusive and sustainable built environments."

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360132324010473

#SolarPunkSunday #TraditionalTechnology #SolarPunk #sustainability #Vernacular #ClimateChangeAdaptation #BuildingForClimateChange #LookToThePast #BuildForTheFuture

[Academic Paywall] Can Smart #Technology and #TraditionalWisdom Craft Truly #Sustainable Built Environments?

Building and Environment
Volume 267, Part B, 1 January 2025, Christina Priavolou

"The built environment significantly impacts global resource consumption and energy usage, accounting for 40 % of annual utilisation. Within this substantial ecological footprint lies the potential for transformation towards sustainability. By channeling insights from traditional practices and synthesising them with academic research, this article presents an innovative approach aiming to create built environments that are both technologically smart and deeply rooted in local wisdom.

Built environment developments often result in structures that stand as isolated entities, disconnected from their surroundings. Instead of endorsing standalone structures, this article advocates for collective actions that respect local elements. At its core, it seeks to leverage the rich insights from traditional knowledge and combine them with academic scholarship, acknowledging the contribution of traditional wisdom in addressing local needs and identities. The primary focus is on exploring how structures within the built environment can be crafted to provide both smart and context-appropriate responses to the imperative of sustainability.

The advent of Industry 4.0 technologies like Building Information Modeling and laser scanning has revolutionised the construction industry by optimising material use, energy consumption and aligning construction processes with sustainable design principles. In response to the impending Industry 4.0 revolution and the advent of such digital technologies, it becomes increasingly evident that addressing environmental concerns requires more than just smart solutions . In that respect, it is acknowledged that the built environment is a complex interplay of aesthetics, technology, environmental considerations, and societal intricacies, necessitating a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to tackle such challenges comprehensively.

Drawing from historical architectural records and built environment planning doctrines, which emphasise the importance of creating meaningful, sustainable spaces in harmony with local contexts, this approach aims to bridge the gap between globalised patterns and traditional wisdom. The #vernacular field, coined by Illich, encapsulates the essence of local wisdom, needs, and identities. The growing interest in vernacular architecture underscores its significant environmental value and ability to foster diversity linked to local climate, landscape, materials, and way of life. Moreover, previous studies have shown that integrating traditional construction techniques can offer unique solutions to contemporary sustainability challenges. For instance, Hamard et al. demonstrated how natural building materials such as cob and straw, when combined with passive design strategies, can reduce building energy consumption by up to 50 % depending on climate conditions and design features. Similarly, Nguyen et al. highlighted the adaptability of vernacular architecture in response to local climate conditions, demonstrating its potential to improve energy efficiency by reducing heating and cooling loads by 30–60 %. Ozorhon and Ozorhon [10] have also stressed the importance of actively engaging local communities in preserving cultural heritage, which fosters community ownership and resilience, ultimately contributing to more sustainable and socially cohesive outcomes.

Ιn response to pressing global environmental challenges and events, such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, this article seeks to trigger discussions for timely and holistic solutions to built environment challenges, reflecting local contexts while aligning with global sustainability goals. It seeks to enrich our understanding of how the integration of modern technology with traditional knowledge can lead to more sustainable, resilient, and community-focused built environments. This study delves into three key themes: holistic planning with traditional insights, the role of technology and multidisciplinary approaches, and the need for resilient and community-centric solutions.

Through two exploratory case studies in Greece, the article illustrates how applying these themes can create sustainable and contextually appropriate built environments while discussing the concept of convivial construction and its implications for fostering inclusive and sustainable built environments."

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360132324010473

#SolarPunkSunday #TraditionalTechnology #SolarPunk #sustainability #Vernacular #ClimateChangeAdaptation #BuildingForClimateChange #LookToThePast #BuildForTheFuture

5 Clever Ways to Use Lanolin At Home

April 28, 2023

"As we may all know, lanolin is commonly used in skincare products due to its ability to moisturize and protect the skin. However, it has many other uses around the home that you may not have known and considered.

It is a versatile and useful substance that can be used in many ways around the home. From leather conditioner to lip balm, lanolin is a natural and effective ingredient that can help you to care for and protect your belongings.

Let's explore some clever ways to use lanolin at home."

https://www.nznaturally.nz/blogs/news/5-clever-ways-to-use-lanolin-at-home

#SolarPunkSunday #OldWays #NoChemicals #AnimalProducts #TraditionalArts #TraditionalTechnology #DIYCleaners #HomeProduct #Waterproofing #NoPFAS #NoChemicals #LeatherConditioning #WoodPolish #RustPrevention #LipBalm

5 Clever Ways to Use Lanolin At Home

April 28, 2023

"As we may all know, lanolin is commonly used in skincare products due to its ability to moisturize and protect the skin. However, it has many other uses around the home that you may not have known and considered.

It is a versatile and useful substance that can be used in many ways around the home. From leather conditioner to lip balm, lanolin is a natural and effective ingredient that can help you to care for and protect your belongings.

Let's explore some clever ways to use lanolin at home."

https://www.nznaturally.nz/blogs/news/5-clever-ways-to-use-lanolin-at-home

#SolarPunkSunday #OldWays #NoChemicals #AnimalProducts #TraditionalArts #TraditionalTechnology #DIYCleaners #HomeProduct #Waterproofing #NoPFAS #NoChemicals #LeatherConditioning #WoodPolish #RustPrevention #LipBalm

#EdwardianFarm - Extracting Lanolin from Sheep's Wool

"In this clip from Edwardian Farm, Ruth Goodman extracts lanolin from sheep's wool.

Lanolin, also called wool wax or wool grease, is a yellow waxy substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool-bearing animals. Most lanolin used by humans comes from domestic sheep breeds that are raised specifically for their wool. Lanolin primarily consists of sterol esters. Its waterproofing property aids sheep in shedding water from their coats. Certain breeds of sheep produce large amounts of lanolin.

Lanolin and its many derivatives are used extensively in products designed for the protection, treatment and beautification of human skin.

Crude lanolin constitutes about 5–25% of the weight of freshly shorn wool. The wool from one Merino sheep will produce about 250–300 ml of recoverable wool grease. Lanolin is extracted by washing the wool in hot water with a special wool scouring detergent to remove dirt, wool grease (crude lanolin), suint (sweat salts), and anything else stuck to the wool. The wool grease is continuously removed during this washing process by centrifugal separators, which concentrate it into a wax-like substance melting at approximately 38 °C (100 °F)."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2pEIsyWD-Y

#SolarPunkSunday #AnimalProducts #Lanolin #TraditionalTechnology #NaturalWaterproofing #Waterproofing #NoChemicals #NoPFAS #OldWays

#EdwardianFarm - Extracting Lanolin from Sheep's Wool

"In this clip from Edwardian Farm, Ruth Goodman extracts lanolin from sheep's wool.

Lanolin, also called wool wax or wool grease, is a yellow waxy substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool-bearing animals. Most lanolin used by humans comes from domestic sheep breeds that are raised specifically for their wool. Lanolin primarily consists of sterol esters. Its waterproofing property aids sheep in shedding water from their coats. Certain breeds of sheep produce large amounts of lanolin.

Lanolin and its many derivatives are used extensively in products designed for the protection, treatment and beautification of human skin.

Crude lanolin constitutes about 5–25% of the weight of freshly shorn wool. The wool from one Merino sheep will produce about 250–300 ml of recoverable wool grease. Lanolin is extracted by washing the wool in hot water with a special wool scouring detergent to remove dirt, wool grease (crude lanolin), suint (sweat salts), and anything else stuck to the wool. The wool grease is continuously removed during this washing process by centrifugal separators, which concentrate it into a wax-like substance melting at approximately 38 °C (100 °F)."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2pEIsyWD-Y

#SolarPunkSunday #AnimalProducts #Lanolin #TraditionalTechnology #NaturalWaterproofing #Waterproofing #NoChemicals #NoPFAS #OldWays

Ancient #Maya masons had a smart way to make #plaster stronger

Up close, the Mayas' timeless recipe from #Copán looks similar to mother-of-pearl.

By Rahul Rao, Apr 19, 2023

[Recent discoveries] "seemed to confirm past archaeological and written records suggesting that ancient Maya masons mixed #PlantMatter into their plaster. The other standard ingredients (lime and water) wouldn’t account for complex carbon chains.

"To follow this lead, the authors decided to make the historic plaster themselves. They consulted living #masons and Maya descendants near #Copán. The locals referred them to the #chukum and #jiote #trees that grow in the surrounding #forests—specifically, the sap that came from the trees’ bark.

"The authors tested the sap’s reaction when mixed into the plaster. Not only did it toughen the material, it also made the plaster insoluble in water, which partly explains how Copán survived the local climate so well.

"The microscopic structure of the plant-enhanced plaster is similar to nacre or mother-of-pearl: the iridescent substance that some molluscs create to coat their shells. We don’t fully understand how #molluscs make nacre, but we know that it consists of crystal plates sandwiching elastic proteins. The combination toughens the sea creatures’ exteriors and reinforces them against weathering from waves.

"A close study of the #AncientPlaster samples and the modern analog revealed that they also had layers of rocky calcite plates and organic sappy material, giving the materials the same kind of #resilience as nacre. 'They were able to reproduce what living organisms do,' says Rodríguez Navarro."

Source: https://www.popsci.com/science/ancient-maya-plaster/

#IndigenousKnowledge #IndigenousNews #Honduras #SolarPunkSunday #TraditionalTechnology #Resilience #BuildingMaterials

Ancient #Maya masons had a smart way to make #plaster stronger

Up close, the Mayas' timeless recipe from #Copán looks similar to mother-of-pearl.

By Rahul Rao, Apr 19, 2023

[Recent discoveries] "seemed to confirm past archaeological and written records suggesting that ancient Maya masons mixed #PlantMatter into their plaster. The other standard ingredients (lime and water) wouldn’t account for complex carbon chains.

"To follow this lead, the authors decided to make the historic plaster themselves. They consulted living #masons and Maya descendants near #Copán. The locals referred them to the #chukum and #jiote #trees that grow in the surrounding #forests—specifically, the sap that came from the trees’ bark.

"The authors tested the sap’s reaction when mixed into the plaster. Not only did it toughen the material, it also made the plaster insoluble in water, which partly explains how Copán survived the local climate so well.

"The microscopic structure of the plant-enhanced plaster is similar to nacre or mother-of-pearl: the iridescent substance that some molluscs create to coat their shells. We don’t fully understand how #molluscs make nacre, but we know that it consists of crystal plates sandwiching elastic proteins. The combination toughens the sea creatures’ exteriors and reinforces them against weathering from waves.

"A close study of the #AncientPlaster samples and the modern analog revealed that they also had layers of rocky calcite plates and organic sappy material, giving the materials the same kind of #resilience as nacre. 'They were able to reproduce what living organisms do,' says Rodríguez Navarro."

Source: https://www.popsci.com/science/ancient-maya-plaster/

#IndigenousKnowledge #IndigenousNews #Honduras #SolarPunkSunday #TraditionalTechnology #Resilience #BuildingMaterials