The first batch of mini adobe bricks are drying in the sun. I ended up making a form to make four 3″x4″x1.5″ blocks at a time. I wanted to start slow so I decided to make a small batch today. I sifted out the large pieces of clay with a 1/2″ mesh screen and mixed 1 3 gallon bucket of clay soil and 1 3 gallon bucket of sand in the wheel barrow. I used an 18 gallon plastic rubbermaid type container to mix the dry mix with water. I love the feeling of the mud squishing up between my toes. 
I ended up getting 52 bricks with some mud left over for next time. I would have made more but I ran out of the boards I was making them on. There is probably enough clay for 8 or 10 more. In all reality if I make a batch like this every weekend I will be doing good. You wouldn’t think stomping around in mud would be that tiring. I was wiped by the time I was done though.
2 responses so far ↓
1 Lynne // Sep 18, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Awesome! So, are adobe bricks unfired? Will drying outdoors make them durable enough to be used for your oven without a covering, or will you need a “roof” on the oven?
Also, why adobe bricks rather than all construction bricks?
2 kerry // Sep 18, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Yes, adobe bricks are unfired. The oven will need to be covered to protect it from driving rain. Clay is a funny thing. If it gets wet slowly the outer layer will swell protecting the inner layer. A driving rain though will knock the clay particles off so there is never a wet protective outer layer. I am looking into a lime plaster. As I understand it and inch or two of lime plaster over the outer layer of clay/sand mix will protect better than the clay. The plan is to cover with a tarp this winter and build a roof for it next year.
One interesting note. The inside inch or so of the oven can actually bake hard given a hot enough fire or series of fires. I saw a photo somewhere on the Internet of someone tearing one of these ovens apart and the inside was hard ceramic like clay.
I could use fire brick for the oven but regular construction bricks wouldn’t stand up well to frequent heating/cooling cycles. I like the idea of the adobe and making the bricks myself though. Kinda cool.
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