[Strawbale] 3-string bales...

[Marcus]

Thanks, Jeff, for putting up the report. I just skimmed it 
but what it seems to me it shows is that this was a test of 
wall systems which had as their main difference the quality 
of the plastering. I suspect the 2SB versus 3SB performance 
is misleading. I'm guessing that if the 3SB walls were 
plastered by the crew with stucco experience the results 
would have been reversed. I appreciate the difficulties of 
the constraints of the lab space &c.

In my mind (which I may be totally out of) the tests don't 
necessarily demonstrate that 2SB's are better (or worse) 
than 3SB's. They certainly demonstrate that the quality of 
the plaster work and the details of fastening the wall 
system together are very important.

One small observation, judging from some pics it appears 
that the straw was short stemmed as results from the grain 
being harvested with a combine using a 'chopper'. When the 
stucco does bond well with the straw, long stem straw (not 
chopped) will be substantially stronger.

Thanks again for sharing the report,

Marcus