[Cob] Has anyone tried Sodium silicate - water glass?

[SUSAN EVANS]

I was wondering if anybody has ever tried using water glass (sodium 
silicate) when mixing cob?  It is used in ceramics when pouring clay slip 
(liquid clay) into molds to make the water "wetter". It can make a very 
thick mixture into a very soupy one - and its effects are temporary.  I was 
thinking it could be a way to use a concrete mixer for production.  Its 
effects last a day or two so one could mix up several batches of cob and 
pour them onto tarp-lined places around the building foundation for use the 
next day.  Chemically it seems safe - it was used as a preservative for 
eggs, among other things.  It is alkaline but you are not using very much.  
The cost factor should not be too high as a little goes a long way - and 
again, I'm trying to make this process more cost effective.

I'm looking for ways to make construction a bit more cost efficient since I 
won't be doing all the labor myself - I will need to hire help.  I also 
figure if cob construction is made cheaper, it will become more mainstream.  
Right now it's very labor intensive.

Sue Evans