Cob Re: Suitability for art nouveau architectural material?

[Bill Martin]

Dear All,

I am a newbie to coblist, so be gentle. An interesting cover story in the 
current Mother Earth News sparked my cob interest, and was the impetus 
for joining this list. Most of the more creative uses of cob that I've 
seen, are (de facto) examples of art nouveau architecture, though some are 
"diamonds in the rough". I wonder how refined a medium this is for this 
purpose... can the finished surface be hewn somehow to a glass-like 
surface in the finished product? Could it be used as a cast for pouring 
molten iron... or is this precluded by the limitations of the medium?    
What are the strength and temperature tolerances? If the straw is ground 
to the consistency of a powder, would that make a significant difference 
in the finish? Can it be sanded... and/or blow-torched... and/or guilded? 
Am I asking too many questions?

Bill of Michigan