Chesham
So I went to Chesham on Tuesday and presented the 1:1 model part of the project to the brickmaker Jim at HG Matthews. The good news: it can be done. The, er, interesting dilemma: it's pretty expensive. And slightly insane. And I don't know where to put it. Or how to transport or carry it. But hey, problems are there to be solved. Here are a few pics from the visit (which was amazing: if you get the chance to go to a factory where they make brick the traditional way - do!):
Jim showing the clay they use to make the bricks.
This machine, if I remember it correctly, gets rid of the pieces of (flint) stone within the clay.
Molds used to create specials.
It's a pretty dusty work environment.
More molds. They're so beautiful.
Kneading the clay by hand before making specials.
One of the finished, fired bricks. It was more exciting to feel the 'green,' unfired ones.
The bricks are put outside to dry. It takes about two weeks. This process is now almost green at this plant, compared with the energy-intensive equivalents at more commercial manufacturers.
More to follow.
More to follow.
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