Cob: Re: Cobber in the Rye

[goshawk at gnat.net]

Well as far as straw goes, I've pretty much been a wheat straw man. Well the other day a fellow 
came by and had some Rye straw. It looked a bit more like hay than straw but he was a neighbor 
and offered a good price plus need a bit of money anyway, so heck I ended up with some Rye 
straw. 

Well here is my opinion:

Appreance: wheat straw I've worked with is much longer in length and the tubes of the straw are 
larger and appear to have more insulation qualities. The rye straw was much rougher on the 
hands, which is not as important in strawbale building but if you cob and don't use gloves you'll 
change that behavior quickly. Another factor which might have been more a factor of this 
particular batch of rye straw has sticker bush branches imbedded in the straw -- ouch -- for us 
bare hand cobbers. 

Thus to wrap up my opinion, rye straw would do if that's what you have but it won't have has much 
insulation (strawbale) and it would be as gentle on your hands for cobbers. For cobbing, I go thru 
the straw and pick out the sticker branches before I mix but I still wear gloves as the straw is not 
as gentle as wheat straw.  The rye straw cob I laid yesterday does seem fine how ever so I'll finish 
using the rye, but if two bales one wheat, one rye I'd go for the wheat... ouch missed a sticker 
branch...

Pat in Mauk......
Pat Newberry
www.gnat.net/~goshawk