Pine resin can be used as the matrix (glue) with rock dust (such as marble dust) to produce a durable and aesthetic composite.
[1 to 3 Paragraphs: Overview (material / process, properties, inspiring uses, recent breakthroughs etc.)]
Basalt rock, molten at 1400°C, can be extruded into fibres which float on water, have high elasticity, and a tensile strength over twice that of steel.
[1 to 3 Paragraphs: Overview (material / process, properties, inspiring uses, recent breakthroughs etc.)]
Dongba paper is made from the Canescent wikstroemia using a traditional low energy process. Properties of this material include being strong, mothproof and resistant to decay.
Dongba paper is made from the Canescent wikstroemia using a traditional low energy process. Properties of this material include being strong, mothproof and resistant to decay.
Dongba paper is the name given to a paper upon which Dongba religious scriptures were inscribed by the Naxi ethnic group based in Northeast Yunnan, China.
The only known use is for paper. Nowadays the paper is predominantly sold as tourist memorabilia.
We wonder what other applications this material could have given its durability and other properties. For instance, could it be used in bulk, not just as single flat sheets? perhaps moulded?
The Dongba paper is made from the Canescent wikstroemia (latin name Wikstroemia Sikokiana), locally known as asbestos bark or Yan leather. Canescent wikstroemia is a rare shrub (it is suspected that over-harvesting in the past made it rare) which normally grows on mountains with an altitude over 3,000 meters. It has resistant properties that make Dongba paper insect-proof and able to be preserved for a long time. The overall process for converting the raw material into a usable paper is lengthy and relatively complex, with a few additional ingredients required including hemp, shellac and shanhuo grass.
The bark of the tree is used, with the outer blackened skin removed. The bark is sun dried for at least half a day and then soaked in water for a few days (5 days suggested). As the bark becomes softer it is stirred into water which will turn black and smell. Care should be taken as the bark has toxic properties which can cause eyes and hands to itch and sting.
The bark mulch is then combined with a mixture of stove ash, hemp and shanhuo grass. For every 1kg of wikstroemia, 5 kg of stove ash, 50 g of hemp and 25 g of shanhuo grass are added. The additives are mixed in gradually. The mixture is then boiled in a large pot (7 to 8 kg per pot) for 24 hours, stirring occasionally. The boiled mixture will then turn yellowish.
The balls are placed on large stakes and beaten using a hammer. The pulp is rolled into fewer balls now, just four to five. These are then beaten some more with a hammer in a mortar with shellac for five minutes.
The penultimate phase involves evening out the paper using a mesh (traditionally bamboo mesh) and wooden frame. The mesh and frame is dipped in water and then the pulp placed on it and rubbed to even out the fibres. Any impurities should be removed at this point.
The pulp is then removed from the bamboo mesh and thinly applied [how thick] on a wooden board for drying out in the sun. Once the paper is half dried it is removed and then smoothed with a rounded stone (something similar to a rolling pin), as if flattening dough.
Soapwort is a plant that can be been used to make liquid soap; for body and fabric washing; simply by soaking or boiling the leaves or roots in water. Nowadays the soapwort is only used to clean antique tapestries.
Saponaria officinalis or 'soapwort', is a plant that can be been used to make liquid soap; for body and fabric washing; simply by soaking or boiling the leaves or roots in water. Nowadays the soapwort is only used to clean delicate fabrics such as antique tapestries.
Grows in cool places at low or moderate elevations in Europe and Asia.
No new uses identified by authors. Your contributions welcome!
http://www.northdaysimage.ca/soapwort.html
Finishing plaster made from fine clay and cow dung has a pliable, fibrous texture and can be used inside or out: around doors and windows.
[1 to 3 Paragraphs: Overview (material / process, properties, inspiring uses, recent breakthroughs etc.)]
Green woodworking, using unseasoned timber, benefits from using nature as the factory to a greater extent than 'conventional' carpentry.
Green woodworking, using unseasoned timber, benefits from using nature as the factory to a greater extent than ‘conventional’ carpentry. Branches are used rather then requiring whole trees to be felled, and with less or no machine processing energy, glues and finishes. The craft often occurs in woodland near to the trees from which wood is sourced, increasing sensitivity to effects on the ecosystem, and providing an enviable place to work.
Bodging is a traditional green woodworking occupation, where chair components were made in the woods and exported to workshops where the complete chairs were assembled by furniture makers (called cabinetmakers in the UK).
Green woodworking has seen a recent revival due to its increased media coverage and the renaissance of hand tool woodworking in general.
Green timber is softer than seasoned timber so hand or small power tools can be used rather than industrial machines. It can also be cleaved (split) along the grain rather than requiring sawing into planks. Green woodworkers try to use the natural shape and flexibility of branches in their designs, so can use them whole or cleft (split). Cleaving follows the grain and can be far stronger than planks where the sawing cuts through grain fibres; “like spring-steel compared to cast iron“, so smaller members are required.
Joints can be made without adhesives by exploiting the shrinkage that occurs as the members dry. Drier timber is used for the tenon resulting in it shrinking less than the encapsulating mortise so that the joint tightens as they dry.
If wood cannot be used when freshly felled it can be preserved for green woodwork by storing it in a water-filled trough or pond to maintain moisture.
Bioplastics can be a 'best of both worlds' solution; the consistent properties of plastic but with naturally sourced raw materials and biodegradable at end of use.
Bioplastics can be a ‘best of both worlds’ solution; the consistent properties of plastic but with naturally sourced raw materials and biodegradable at end of use.
Charring is a natural means of creating a more durable wood surface through improved fire, rot and insect resistance.
Charring is a natural means of creating a more durable wood surface through improved fire, rot and insect resistance. The charring process known as Shou Sugu Ban was developed in Japan and traditionally applied on japanese cedar. The technique has also been tested on other outdoor woods including western red cedar, southern cypress, black walnut, red and white oak and reclaimed hemlock.
The charred wood is typically used for outdoor purposes such as cladding, fences and shed walls. Contemporary designers are also applying the technique to create indoor furniture and decorative items. The beauty of charring is that you create not only a protective layer to the original wood but an interesting texture and emphasise the grain of the wood.
Potential Uses
We wonder whether charring could be used more frequently to improve outdoor furniture to extend their lifeline (and thereby avoid wastage) as well as avoid use of plastics or metal.
First the wood is burned with a blow torch (we wonder whether a solar concentrator could be used) for seconds to minutes depending on the thickness of the wood. This is followed by cleaning the charred wood with water and a brush to remove charcoal dust. The wood is then left to dry. It can be used without a finish or an oil applied to it for additional protection and luster.
A building material made from earth and often organic material. Adobe means mudbrick in Spanish, but in some English speaking regions of Spanish heritage it refers to any kind of earth construction.
[1 to 3 Paragraphs: Overview (material / process, properties, inspiring uses, recent breakthroughs etc.)]
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43962688
