[Strawbale] re. metal vs. plastic mesh / electric field issues

[Howard Switzer]

By avoiding concrete stucco we avoid mesh.... and we avoid control and expansion joints too.  I am amazed by lime stucco, so are the plaster contractors we've worked with.

Howard Switzer
931-589-6513


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: SArjuna at aol.com 
  To: strawbale at listserv.repp.org 
  Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2006 8:32 PM
  Subject: [Strawbale] re. metal vs. plastic mesh / electric field issues


       Andrew Morrison sent me the following, in response to my Q about metal 
  vs. plastic mesh.   Following his remarks is my response to his questions.

  Andrew wrote:

  The biggest issues I see with the plastic mesh are its lack of
  structural strength and the weakness it offers for shaping bale corners
  around windows, etc...In some of the buildings we build, the mesh is an
  integral part of the structural shear system. With welded wire mesh, we
  gain strength but the plastic mesh offers no real value to the system. In
  addition, the plastic mesh does not hold its shape as well as metal mesh
  does when shaping window and door openings. We use both plastic and metal
  but I prefer the metal for ease of construction. Plastic is less aggressive
  to work with and cuts easily, but it also is harder to attach to the walls
  at wood framing because the pneumatic stapler often blows right through the
  tabs. 
       I hear the concern about the electronic fields, and I am open to
  ideas about that. Is it possible to ground the mesh in a way that would
  direct the electrical noise into the earth?

       Shivani responds:
       
       There are a couple of problem with this, big ones.
       One is that the earth (terra firma) is no longer at zero potential.   
  The electric utilities are using the earth to return about 70% (in some areas, 
  more) of the electricity to their substations.    You might be lucky and find a 
  current-free spot to ground to, but you'd be about as likely to hit a spot 
  with high-frequency ground current, and bring that into the house.
       The electricity delivered by the utility in most areas these days is 
  extremely "polluted" or "dirty" with health-damaging high frequencies.   
  High-frequency electricity behaves quite differently from 50/60 Hz.    It is subject 
  to "the skin effect," meaning that it tends to spread out and travel over the 
  surfaces of things (even things that wouldn't ordinarily be thought of as very 
  conductive).   There are invisible rivers of current, sometimes as much as 100 
  feet wide, flowing over the surface of the earth on their way back to the 
  substation, because the utility transmission system is 50 years old and was never 
  designed to deal with high frequencies.   In addition, each house will 
  usually have its own river heading out to retun to the substation.   (This can be 
  mapped if you have an oscilloscope.   We've done it here at our place.)
       Another problem, even if you found "clean" earth to ground to, is that 
  grounding the mesh would most likely then create a loop circuit for the 
  high-frequency to travel on.   Onto the mesh, onto the ground, then back onto water 
  pipes/wiring/metal rain spouts/another area of mesh.....
       There are things one can do to forestall the high frequencies "getting 
  loose" in the house, yes, but offering an attractive pathway like metal mesh, 
  that involves the entire building, is at the absolute other end of the 
  spectrum.
       Are there any builders here who prefer the plastic mesh?   If so, would 
  you kindly say something about why?
       If any of you have an electric field meter that is capable of 
  identifying high-frequency fields (and distinguishing them from 60 Hz) I would much 
  apreciate hearing what kind of readings you get in various SB buildings.
       Regards,
       Shivani Arjuna
       Life Energies
       (www.LifeEnergies.com   Where there is lots more info. about electrical 
  pollution & electrosmog.)
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