Cob: cob in the great white north

[Joe Leonard]

I have been reading with interest the messages sent on the coblist for
sometime, and have learned a lot, thank you.
I tried to send my last message to the list but I guess it only got to
one recipient.  So for those of you interested.....
I acquired a building permit in Idaho for a straw bale, cob house.  The
frame is post and beam, but very simple and inexpensive.  The wood posts
and trusses were made for a metal building and the cost was, including a
metal roof for a 1,400 sq. ft. house $2.60 per sq. ft. The permit was
approved for straw bale exterior walls on a rubble foundation, the wood
posts are in concrete poured to a depth of 3 feet.  A trench was dug
around the perimeter of the house and we made the forms for the concrete
out of cob, there was no problems during the pour, the forms held
nicely.
The interior walls and floors will be cob, and were also approved.  We
are recycling windows (single pane) and doors.  We are building
insulated shutters for the windows, styro foam sandwiched between wood.
The straw bales for the exterior walls are three string and we have a
farmer down the road growing the wheat as I write, they should be bailed
in early August.  We are considering 2 string bales for ceiling
insulation, laid between the rafters and cob top and bottom, the cob on
the bottom, will be the ceiling and exposed to the interior of the
house.  The exterior tin will eventually be thatched with bull rush,
more for looks then anything else.
This house will not receive any bank financing and is being built out of
pocket.  We hope to move in in October, hopefully in comfort.  The
finished house will end up costing approximately $20.00 per sq. ft.
including all appliances.

I am in need of information on hardening cob floors, I would appreciate
suggestions and formulas.  Also, can anyone tell me how to access the
coblist archives?  Please feel free to comment on any techniques that I
have describe.

Thank you
Joe Leonard