Silo and cob

[minnikin1]

OK, we've been pondering what to do with this wonderful concrete stave silo.
It's such a cool space that I want to use it somehow, but I know they are dangerous once the silage is removed.

So we were wondering. What if we build a cob or earthbag wall inside, with a couple of wheel-shaped support structures at 2 intervals, say one at 9 feet and one at 18 feet?
I'm thinking we could shorten the overall height of the silo to accomodate 2 stories of useable space inside.

Does it sound feasible?

[uncle Will in In.]

Yes, but I would either bolt the new floors to the concrete staves, or put poles inside the walls for support. Meanwhile you need to come up with an inexpensive elevator to get up there.

[posifour11]

thats a very interesting idea! making me wish i hada silo....

[minnikin1]

Originally Posted by uncle Will in In.

Meanwhile you need to come up with an inexpensive elevator to get up there.

I was planning to weave a magic carpet this winter...

Actually, lack of scaffolding has just been a general problem around the new farm. Everything is way way up there. Leaks in the barn roof, the top of silo,
siding and louver repairs. What i used to call our 'giant' ladder doesn't come close!
It looks like we will be renting a scissor lift sometime in spring and having
"working high" party.

[cindyc]

There is a family here (must be rich from the look of the house) who used a silo in their house. They built some kind of obsevation tower with windows all the way around at the top. Wish I had a digital camera, I'd send you a picture. It looks really cool. I have no idea how they braced it, though.

I have heard there are plans floating around about how to make an apartment out of them. Our friends had one and were going to do that before they moved to Thailand. You might do a google search and see? It could have also just been his idea. He was a pretty handy indivdual.

Anyway,
Good luck,
Cindyc.

[uncle Will in In.]

The old grain elevaters that are fast dissapeering from the landscape had what they called a man lift in them. It was just a wooden cage that had counter balance weights on a long cable which went to the top of the mill and over a pulley up there. A reversable electric motor could be used to greatly improve on a similar setup.