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Earth Ram Makes Bricks From Compacted Soil
Building with dirt is a practice as old as the Indians of the Southwestern United States and the new Earth Ram, manufactured in Mesa, Arizona, the heart of "adobe country'', makes use of the area's "dirt technology" to make "dirt building" a reality anywhere.
The Earth Ram makes solid, uniform size bricks from an
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Earth Ram Makes Bricks From Compacted Soil BUILDINGS New Techniques 6-2-14 Building with dirt is a practice as old as the Indians of the Southwestern United States and the new Earth Ram, manufactured in Mesa, Arizona, the heart of "adobe country'', makes use of the area's "dirt technology" to make "dirt building" a reality anywhere.
The Earth Ram makes solid, uniform size bricks from any type of soil without adding water, cement or mortar of any kind. Using tremendous pressure, it simply compresses dirt straight from the ground into bricks up to 12 by 16 by 4 in. in size. The bricks can be laid into a wall immediately after being made with conventional mortar, slurry bonds or no bonding agent at all, depending on the soil type, according to Allen Jones, sales representative for the manufacturer.
"The Earth Ram exerts 225,000 lbs.of pressure, making blocks averaging 45 lbs. each at a rate of about 300 per hour. The machine is portable and you can lay the bricks directly into a wall as you make them," Jones told FARM SHOW.
Earth Ram bricks are four times stronger than conventional adobe bricks commonly used in the Southwest, according to Jones. He notes that adobe bricks are made from certain mixtures of soil, and sun dried for several days, while the Earth Ram uses most any soil and the bricks can be used immediately.
The Earth Ram is a portable machine rigged for road travel. A John Deere diesel powers its hydraulic ram, conveyors and augers. It makes four different brick sizes and can switch to a different size in about 15 min. At least three men are needed to operate it ù one to load it with dirt,another to level and load dirt under the ram, and a third to take bricks off the conveyor.
The Earth Ram sells for $50,000 and is being used by several custom operators in the Southwest. The standard charge for bricks is 12 cents each, including fuel, labor and the machine.
For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Allen Jones, Earth Ram, 2129, N. Country Club Drive, Mesa, Ariz. 85201 (ph 602 834-4002 or 834-4213).
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