InSynch Roots

Straw Bale Building Course - 17 Sept 2011

2011-09-23T04:10:00.000-07:00

After the mandatory theory hour or three, the course attendees (roots) headed out to the Pony Cottage on the Riverbend farm in Lanseria (close to the InSynch Training Centre) to build the straw bale walls for a new addition to the cottage a new Bedroom.

Pre-Dipping the bales... before stacking them, making the plastering process quicker and easier.

The bedroom was constructed using a non-load bearing straw bale walling system. The bales were hand-picked as best as possible, the Vapourt barrier was put in, the bales pre-dippedf and stacked and pinned as required.Next weekend we will apply the Base and Final Plaster layers, and thus continue with the construction of the bedroom.

Group Photo of all who did the course...

Sustainable Building & Design Courses - Observatory Cape Town

2011-05-03T09:13:00.000-07:00

Hi All

More Pictures and comments to be posted soon.

In the mean time here is 1 or 3.

PS: In case you did not know. At the last minute we had to change venue. We changed from Houtbaai to Observatory.

Upcoming Events: Sustainable Building & Design Courses - Houtbaai Cape Town

2011-04-06T06:26:00.001-07:00

(CPD Accredited)

InSynch will be running a number of courses in Cape Town during the Easter break 2011, by popular demand.

The Course Line-up:

1. Green Home Design Course (Saturday, April 23rd)
2. Straw Bale Building (Sunday, April 24th),

3. Cob Building (Monday, April 25th),

4. Natural Paint & Plaster (Tuesday, April 26th) and

5. Rammed Earth (Wednesday, April 27th).

If you are interested in attending any of these courses, please book ASAP. Limited space available.

If you would like to get CPD points for the courses attended, please contact CIFA for bookings and more info.

See you all there... by the 'Mooontin'!!

Bookings: info@insynch.co.za or call Sonia Armstrong on 076 6688877

Date: April 23rd - April 27th, 2011.

Location: Houtbaai, Cape Town

Rammed Earth Course - 5 March 2011

2011-03-11T02:13:00.000-08:00

Bulking Factor, Continious System, Formwork, Californian Method, Pipe Clamps, Release Agents, Soil Science, Cement Content, Lime Content, Stabilisation Factor, Crush Tests, Test Blocks, Soil Selection, Council Approval, Mix Ratio's, Moisture Content, Mix Procedures, Ram Vibration, Ram Technique, Production Volumes, Cost per M2, Finishing & Touch Ups....

are just some of the issues discussed during the Theoretical part of this Course.

The day is broken into two parts:

Part One: Theory & Best Practice (Based on InSynch's Experience & Theory)

Lunch

Part Two: Practical - the students select Soil, Prepare and Mix it, Build Formwork and Ram a small test block.

Finally: before we go home, we have a quick sneak peak of the test wall by removing the formwork and revealing the wall.....

"Aaawwh... it looks beautiful", says Sancha, an Architect all the way from Bloemfontein.

Most of the other students flew all the way from Cape Town to do the course.

Lets hope they enjoyed the course and are going to start producing some Rammed Earth buildings in the Mother City.

Alastair

RAMMED EARTH Course - December 2010

2010-12-14T01:23:00.000-08:00

Final InSynch course for 2010......

Using Rammed Earth, the students built the 1st of two pillars for the base of a future cob oven on the Riverbend Farm in Lanseria (oven to be completed on the next Cob Oven course).

A usual the theory part of the course extended into a late lunch, giving the students just not enough time to complete the ramming of the pillar. So, unfortunetly the wall (or pillar) was not revealed..!
The pillar will be completed by InSynch staff and will be available for all to see during the next course... in January 2011.

Keep em' Peeled.....!

For the New Year Course Schedule.., soon to be posted to the InSynch website (http://www.insynch.co.za/ ).

From All at InSynch, we wish all our past, current and future students and clients a restful and festive Christmas break and an awesome entry into the new year!!

See you all on the other side.
Alastair & Sonia.

Natural Paint & Plaster Course - May 2010

2010-06-07T04:32:00.000-07:00

One of the BEST courses ever...!!!

Natural Paint:

Mixing paints made from local and natural ingredients, non-toxic, zero VOC's, and kinda' cheap.

Cheap, how cheap..?

Well we mix a 20L drum of Alis paint... costing something like R15. It can be used as an exterior paint and should last up to 10 to 20 years.

You don't believe it....

well time will tell on the exterior walls the course attendees just painted!

the paint from previous courses... is still holding strong with no colour fading or deterioration.

The team mixing the Alis paints.. we mixed about 4 or 5 different colours and recipe variations.

Helen as chief chef.

Erwin... our foxie doing some quality control on the Quark (old milk) paints.

Seems it passed with flying colours...!!!

The guys taking on some of the staff quarters with their various natural paints on the Riverbend Farm.

Looking good Jean.

A lovely toned down natural pigment using some of the natural clays.

Helen, now as Picasso putting the finishing touches on the building.

We also teach you to quickly clean your brushes - hee he!

Johan. enjoying himself with the quark paints.... jeepers check the colours bru!!

Aimee, our usual course mascot and "climb in boots an' all" participant does a stunning job painting some roses on the building entrance.

Thanx Aimee'kies

Colours galore.

onto, Natural Plaster:

Mixed with local ingedients, nothing from a quarry or a hardware store.
The fibre was a nice batch of loovly fresh horse manure.

Mark ensuring we have a good mix of plaster aggregate with clayey soil.

Stick it must stick.... and look beautiful and protect the cob walls.

Yip Ladies... the manure is fresh - harvested this morning from Colin and Co. our Plaster Machines (our horses).

Different trowelling techniques are demonstrated and practiced.

It seems even Sonia from InSynch Sustainable Technologies is becomming a Plastering Master.

Sonia is teaching the internal Lime Renders to some of the course attendess.

Gerald, Peter and Alex enjoying themselves..

Wow... the end of the day on Riverbend Farm at the InSynch Training Centre in Lanseria, South Africa.

Alastair

Workshop: Constructed Wetland Build & Plant - Feb 2010

2010-05-25T01:57:00.000-07:00

The workshop to complete a constructed wetland system on the Riverbend farm, near the InSynch Training Centre to recycle the grey and blackwater coming from the cottage.
The workshop was held on the 20th February 2010.

Maria & Porcia preparing the outlet pipe.

Yes Maria... that is the wetland....^%#%@@

Packing in the layers of stone.

Brare Rabbit..?

"Get a move on guys... I need to flush the toilet tonight!!!!"

"Two Beers for me thanx!!"

It seems you have broken a sweat Maria... Gothard will be impressed.

Grinning Bear - Mike (from Green Free Pools).

Discussing the finer details of Blackwater management...

Mike dancing with a piece of corrugated iron... Boom Boom!!

Organic compost being spread, just before the planting begins.

Luke & Liam adding their strength and advice... thanx Guys!!

Nearly ready for the plants..

The models have arrived.

Team photo at the end of a busy, fun and fruitfull day!!!

All we need do now, is final connect the septic tank diversion pipe, allow the Phragmites's (common reed) roots to grow a little, build up a diversity of effective and friendly microorganisms and wallah.... we have a nature friendly, easy to mantain black and grey water recycling plant in our back yard.

Thanx, everyone for you help!

Alastair Armstrong

InSynch Sustainable Technologies (Pty) Ltd

info@insynch.co.za

Natural Paint & Plaster Course - November 2009

2010-05-25T01:01:00.000-07:00

WE did another of the very popular Natural Paint & Plaster courses at the InSynch Training Centre (ITC) in Lanseria, South Africa on 21 November 2009.
Mostly fun and lost of learning and practicing new skills and techniques was done by all that attended.
Start spreading the message... speaking directly to the industry professionals that attended (architects and interior designers).

For more info:
info@insynch.co.za

Two well known architects get their hands dirty, mixing up the fibre to go into the plaster.
PS: you will have to ask them what exactly kind of fibre it was.. phooie!

Some volumteers from the local Bathabile project - learning how to plaster.
The Bathabile Project is the local community and parents building a straw bale classroom at the Bathabile School.

Justin, a site manager and rammed earth expert from InSynch & EarthWorx Construction... tests his skills.

Niko Knigge, Bathabile Project Manager.

Checking on our progress, I suppose??

Krynauw, mixing a Quark (Sour Milk) paint.

Mother (Sonia) and daughter (Aimee) having some fun with the quark based paints.

Sonia is co-founder, director and trainer with InSynch Sustainable Technologies (Pty) Ltd.

Group Photo...

What a stunning day and time for a sundowner at the InSynch Training Centre (ITC).

See you all soon.

Alastair Armstrong

info@insynch.co.za

Past Cob Building & Solar Power Courses 2008/2009

2010-05-24T07:32:00.000-07:00

These courses were presented at the InSynch Training Centre (IST) in Lanseria Jhb/Pta, Gauteng, South Africa by InSynch Sustainable Technologies (Pty) Ltd.

On the Solar Power Course, Solar Electric (PV) and Outback Power systems with Wind Turbines and various Solar Hot Water systems were demonstrated.

Thank you to AM Solar for the equipment and assistance withthe Solar Power and Renewable Energy course

The Cob Building course was done on the Riverbend Cob Guest House.

Straw Bale & Building Course - 27 Feb 2010

2010-05-24T07:19:00.001-07:00

Straw Bale Building Course presented at InSynch Training Centre (ITC) in February 2010 in Lanseria Jhb/Pta, Gauteng, South Africa by Alastair & Sonia Armstrong from InSynch.

Students built a straw bale bedroom onto a straw bale cottage on the farm at the centre.
Next is the Natural Paint and Plaster course which will teach the students the next step in the straw bale building process and the harder part... the plastering... Hope to see you all there!!!

AlastairA
(alastair@insynch.co.za )

Straw Bale & Natural Building Course - Sept2009

2010-05-24T07:03:00.000-07:00

Straw Bale building course presented by Alastair Armstrong from InSynch Sustainable Technologies (Pty) Ltd and EarthWorx Construction at the InSynch Training Centre in Lanseria Jhb/Pta, South Africa.

The students built a small bedroom onto an existing straw bale building on River Bend Farm, which is in the Rhenosterspruit Nature Reserve.

Mud/Cob Pizza Oven Course - 2009

2010-05-24T06:49:00.000-07:00

Course presented by Sonia Armstrong from InSynch Sustainable Technologies (Pty) Ltd at Riverbend Farm near the InSynch Training Centre (ITC).

RAMMED EARTH Construction - August 2009

2010-05-24T06:29:00.000-07:00

The course was run at the InSynch Training Centre (IST) in Lanseria, Jhb/Pta, South Africa.
The students built a demo Rammed Earth wall onto the training centre.
The wall will be used as a wind break and as a dividing wall for a future jacuzzi installation.
Solar Power will be used to drive the jacuzzi, of cause.
see:

InSynch Sustainable Technologies
EarthWorx Construction

RAMMED EARTH Construction Course - May 2009

2010-05-24T06:07:00.000-07:00

Basic Rammed Earth Construction Course - 10 May 2009

Done on site at Protea Echo with Architect and home owner Eva Bali, from TWS Architects.
The course done on the construction sitre where InSynch and EarthWorx Construction were building a Rammed Earth home for Eva.

Wetland Construction & Design - June 2009

2010-05-24T03:59:00.001-07:00

Constructed Wetland Design & Construction Course
24 June 2009 - InSynch Training Centre (IST)

We constructed a wetland that processes Grey and Blackwater from the Training Centre.

Past InSynch Natural/Green Building Courses

2010-05-23T23:25:00.000-07:00

Pictures from past courses run at InSynch's Training Centre (ITC) in Lanseria Jhb/Pta.

The courses run, included:

Basic Straw Bale Building
Basic Cob Building
Advanced Natural Building
Intro to Rammed Earth Construction
Green Home Design & Retro-fit
Renewable Energy / Solar Power Course
Natural Paint and Plaster
Grey Water and Wetland Design Courses
Intro to Permaculture
Mud/Cob Pizza Oven Construction

The InSynch Training Centre (ITC) is based in:
Hills & Dales, Lanseria, Johannesburg.
Tel: 07 666 888 77 (office)
Web: http://www.insynch.co.za/
Email: info@insynch.co.za

Rammed Earth Course:

Natural Paint & Plaster Course(s):

Straw Bale Building Course(s):

Rammed Earth Course