Post by woodyz on Aug 15, 2018 20:26:32 GMT -7
So I have had a little bio-mass compound lever press for a few years, even using a caulking gun as one. My Wife wanted to extend the Height of some of the raised beds I let her take over for flower beds. She wanted either to add a brick or a cement block depending on the bed so she didn't have to bend down to "play with her flowers"
So I wondered if I could make a brick/block press and make brick/block from raw materials, cheaper than I could buy them.
Final answer: No, not for that small of a job. If I needed a large number of brick/block it would be worth the effort.
But you all know how I am about doing "proof of concept" experiments so I will know how to do a thing if I ever really needed to. Although I will tell you I am getting to old to be doing much make work for very much longer.
So I had this compound lever press I used to make fuel for a bio-mass stove and briquettes from scraps of paper and saw dust. While it works good for that it didn't have the #psi to compact sand/mortar/clay into a tight enough brick/block.
So first I built a 2x10 block frame/form and rigged a hydraulic piston to do the pushing on the board pressing the mix into the form. It was enough pressure but it was to inconvenient to make a block then take the piston loose so I could get the block out of the mold.
So I made the original briquette press so it had a bigger lever and a better angle to put all of the force into the top of the form. Getting the mix of sand/clay/cement/water to end up with a brick that stayed together and dried well with out cracks was trial and error. But I works. I can put 30-40 pounds of pressure on the lever and create 400# on the form.
The links below are where I found different info to help me figure out what I needed to do.
I had to add some metal strap reinforcements to my form, it would push the screws out at the sides. I see where others have made their form from metal.
So then I was thinking I could use some brick/block at the retreat in retaining walls and masking walls. The dirt there is good moist black sediment from when the lake is up over parts of the place. I want to try making compressed dirt block with just enough cement to keep them together. They do it in Africa with a hand press or just tamping and compressing the dirt in a wall, then remove the forms and the wall stays up.
SO I will try it when I can get to it. I thing building material from the site dirt/rocks/vegetation will help hide the out of place building/road/etc I can hide chimneys/air vents/entry and exits with natural material.
I the fall we rent a firewood split er and split logs. I bet I can put a form in front of that ram and it will compact so tight blocks.
just thought I would share this 'proof of concept' now I know it will work.
leehite.org/biomass/documents/Micro%20Compound%20Lever%20Press%20Brace%20Version%203D-PDF.pdf
leehite.org/biomass/documents/Easy_BioPress_Micro_Compound_Lever_Press.pdf
leehite.org/biomass/documents/Compound_Lever_Large_Biomass_Briquette_Press.pdf
leehite.org/biomass/documents/Briquette_Experiment%201-16-10_and_june_revision_2.pdf
cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php?topic=8421.0
cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,17192.0.html
leehite.org/
halcyontimes.wordpress.com/2014/03/11/diy-papercrete-brick-press/
So I wondered if I could make a brick/block press and make brick/block from raw materials, cheaper than I could buy them.
Final answer: No, not for that small of a job. If I needed a large number of brick/block it would be worth the effort.
But you all know how I am about doing "proof of concept" experiments so I will know how to do a thing if I ever really needed to. Although I will tell you I am getting to old to be doing much make work for very much longer.
So I had this compound lever press I used to make fuel for a bio-mass stove and briquettes from scraps of paper and saw dust. While it works good for that it didn't have the #psi to compact sand/mortar/clay into a tight enough brick/block.
So first I built a 2x10 block frame/form and rigged a hydraulic piston to do the pushing on the board pressing the mix into the form. It was enough pressure but it was to inconvenient to make a block then take the piston loose so I could get the block out of the mold.
So I made the original briquette press so it had a bigger lever and a better angle to put all of the force into the top of the form. Getting the mix of sand/clay/cement/water to end up with a brick that stayed together and dried well with out cracks was trial and error. But I works. I can put 30-40 pounds of pressure on the lever and create 400# on the form.
The links below are where I found different info to help me figure out what I needed to do.
I had to add some metal strap reinforcements to my form, it would push the screws out at the sides. I see where others have made their form from metal.
So then I was thinking I could use some brick/block at the retreat in retaining walls and masking walls. The dirt there is good moist black sediment from when the lake is up over parts of the place. I want to try making compressed dirt block with just enough cement to keep them together. They do it in Africa with a hand press or just tamping and compressing the dirt in a wall, then remove the forms and the wall stays up.
SO I will try it when I can get to it. I thing building material from the site dirt/rocks/vegetation will help hide the out of place building/road/etc I can hide chimneys/air vents/entry and exits with natural material.
I the fall we rent a firewood split er and split logs. I bet I can put a form in front of that ram and it will compact so tight blocks.
just thought I would share this 'proof of concept' now I know it will work.
leehite.org/biomass/documents/Micro%20Compound%20Lever%20Press%20Brace%20Version%203D-PDF.pdf
leehite.org/biomass/documents/Easy_BioPress_Micro_Compound_Lever_Press.pdf
leehite.org/biomass/documents/Compound_Lever_Large_Biomass_Briquette_Press.pdf
leehite.org/biomass/documents/Briquette_Experiment%201-16-10_and_june_revision_2.pdf
cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php?topic=8421.0
cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,17192.0.html
leehite.org/
halcyontimes.wordpress.com/2014/03/11/diy-papercrete-brick-press/
