source for clay in Wellington to make cob

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gchiu

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# 254340 7-Aug-2019 17:26

Anyone know where to source clay in Wellington to make cob? I know I could extract it from the ground by stratifying clay soil in water but that's a lot of hard work.

In 2009 there was a dump of 140,000 tonnes of clay to fill an excavated quarry but that was in Auckland.

Wondering if I can build a cob oven.

Dynamic

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# 2291836 7-Aug-2019 17:36

I've stumbled across this site before, which may be of some help.

http://www.look4fill.co.nz/I-have-fill-view

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Bung

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# 2291840 7-Aug-2019 17:49

For about 50 years there was a brick and tile factory in Ira Street south of Otaki St. The clay came out of the hill behind it. Most gardens in Strathmore have clay like cheddar cheese once you start digging.

gchiu

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# 2291943 7-Aug-2019 22:12

The look4fill site seems to be mainly for Aucklanders based on the listings.

I think I may have the wrong idea. If you want clay for pottery, that's expensive. But if you need clay for cob, you just need a clayish soil which is most of Wellington I suspect. Screen out the rocks, add sand and straw, and you make cob. Anyway, I think I'll try that.

neb

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# 2291959 7-Aug-2019 23:52

If you're willing to pay the postage, I can ship some to you. Please specify how many cubic kilometres of it you'd like, and where you'd want it dumped.

Love, Neb.

Aucklander.

nickb800

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# 2291973 8-Aug-2019 05:20

Quarries might have it, as they often need to remove it to her to rock. Maybe horokiwi? I'm pretty sure winstones paraparaumu do

SATTV

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# 2292023 8-Aug-2019 07:35

I knew someone that teaches people to make pizza ovens from adobe clay, to get her clay she would go to a new building site as they were doing earthworks and ask for some, apparently it was never a problem.

From what I remember you want the grey clay not the brown clay ( I could be wrong ).

She also said that once you cooked your pizza and let it die down, put a whole chicken in the oven wrapped in bacon and let it cook overnight, in the morning you have a cooked smoked chicken.

Great project, one I want to do one day.

John

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Bung

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# 2292114 8-Aug-2019 09:27

This is off a UK clay supplier's site

"The most common natural clays are:

Ball clays – found in Devon and Dorset
China clays – found in Cornwall
Fireclays – found above and below seams of coal
Local clays – typically red earthenwares that will vary enormously, but will always fire to a red terracotta colour

Although any of these clays can be used to build a wood-fired oven, we hear from many people who think that a fireclay will be the best clay for the job, most likely because they assume that it has superior refractory qualities because of its name. This is a misnomer – ball clay could be used with equal, if not greater, success."

gchiu

805 posts

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# 2292477 8-Aug-2019 18:31

neb> Please specify how many cubic kilometres of it you'd like

I suspect shipping of a cu metre would be too expensive! Thanks though.

nickb800> Maybe horokiwi? I'm pretty sure winstones paraparaumu do

I did check all the quarry price lists but none except in the South Island listed clay. Maybe I need to give them a call.

SATTV> to get her clay she would go to a new building site as they were doing earthworks and ask for some, apparently it was never a problem.

Interesting idea.

This is the oven I want to build. It's double chambered so that the second chamber burns off the smoke. Smoke is an issue with all the traditional single chambered cob ovens.

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

nickb800

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# 2292728 9-Aug-2019 06:31

An older price list for the Paraparaumu Winstones quarry lists clay - cheap as chips - might be worth giving them a call.

https://www.winstoneaggregates.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Kapiti-Quarry.pdf

gchiu

805 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 2292729 9-Aug-2019 06:33

Wow! $1.20 per tonne of clay. I'll get on the phone to them in the morning!