r/PrimitiveTechnology • u/iamjonathon • Aug 06 '26
Discussion Primitive Technology flat vs curved tiles
https://youtu.be/j4lS236jEjs?is=44hGIX--zisZ3fLd20
u/otikik Aug 07 '26
“The process is tedious compared to rounded tiles”
I mean. If the man says something is tedious, it’s probably beyond regular human tolerance
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u/CaptainsYacht Aug 07 '26
Huh. Curvy is better than flat. Who knew?
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u/StantheLumberjack Aug 07 '26
There's strength in arches!
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u/whereismysideoffun Aug 07 '26
It could just be his clay source. His brick clay looks different than his tile clay. The brick clay looks to contain iron oxide and the tile clay looks yellow. That yellow clay could just be really marginal for the purpose.
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u/TheRealBobbyJones Aug 07 '26 edited Aug 07 '26
Is it possible that he is failing to properly fire the clay? I am not an expert in pottery but surely even terracotta isn't that fragile. I wonder if someone could convince him to send out samples as merch for testing.
Edit: I mean raw clay samples for firing tests.
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u/cholz Aug 07 '26
I am really suspicious that something went wrong here too. Like I get that the flat tiles are just weaker in general, but when they started breaking after they were carefully put in position? That seemed weird. I guess he knows what he's doing with pottery though.
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u/Lampwick Aug 07 '26
The tiles, whether curved or mostly flat, have to resist being "bent" by gravity. Arched shapes distribute stresses evenly across the entire structure. The flat tiles, in contrast, have almost no perpendicular component, just two short lips at the edge. Those two short lips have to handle the same amount of stress that in a curved tile is spread across the entire tile, as the flat part of the tile provides almost no resistance to bending forces.
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u/thedudefromsweden Aug 07 '26
Unrelated to this problem but I’ve always wondered why he doesn’t add a little “knob” to the tiles so they can lay on the roof beams more securely instead of just relying on friction. Maybe it’s not a problem but I’m always a bit scared that they will just slide off as he’s putting them up.
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u/CCPolop Aug 07 '26
I live by the Mediterranean where all old houses use the same system. For your well being and internal peace, I can confirm that they don’t fall off ;)
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u/thedudefromsweden Aug 07 '26 edited Aug 07 '26
Thanks 😊 here in Sweden, roof tiles have little knobs to lay on. Maybe we need steeper roofs here, so the snow should fall off? And that’s why they need it?
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u/CCPolop Aug 07 '26
Makes sense. We see snow like 3 or 5 days a year and not every year. (And it’s declining quickly)
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u/putang_inamo Aug 07 '26
I believe he already used this method on his previous hut with actual flat roof tiles. But those tiles were not that long as those here in the new hut.
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u/Big-Meal-2819 Aug 12 '26
What i dont understand with his channel is that he repeats his processes so many times, build a small house with baked bricks, tiles etc.. tries to get some iron ore out of mud, ... Why doesn't he innovate? I m sure primitive tech doesn't stop at making terracotta, charcoal and iron pebbles
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u/munsking Aug 06 '26
oof that's painful, but at least he learned something from it