<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi. As someone who has no actual experience of Strawbale building, simply a great interest, I purchased building with awareness earlier this year. After having to pay extra duty etc to get it into the UK, it became a rather expensive purchase!<DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>The book and the DVD are very well produced and kept me engrossed for many hours - I also think that the end product is a beautiful if rather small building.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>However, as I watched the DVD I did get quite disheartened at the apparent complexities that were in the building process. The more I watched, the more it seemed to alienate me, the uninitiated builder and I ended up thinking that building with strawbale was going to be far too complex for the average guy - all the other books and their authors I've read have gone to great lengths to assure the 'new' builder that strawbale is accessible to everyone.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>I was also disappointed at the amount of concrete used in the build - I accept that this may be due to code / building regulations compliance, but nevertheless, part of my reason for liking strawbale and other 'alternative' building methods is the fact that you use more ecological building materials.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Are there any other strawbale DVD's available in the UK, and if so, how can I get them?</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Thanks, Martin</DIV><DIV><BR><DIV><DIV>On 2 Jun 2007, at 11:00, <A href="mailto:strawbale-request@amper....muni.cz">strawbale-request@amper.ped.muni.cz</A> wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Send Strawbale mailing list submissions to</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </SPAN><A href="mailto:strawbale@amper....muni.cz">strawbale@amper....muni.cz</A></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </SPAN><A href="http://amper.ped.muni.cz/mailman/listinfo/strawbale">http://amper.ped.muni.cz/mailman/listinfo/strawbale</A></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </SPAN><A href="mailto:strawbale-request@amper....muni.cz">strawbale-request@amper.ped.muni.cz</A></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">You can reach the person managing the list at</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </SPAN><A href="mailto:strawbale-owner@amper....muni.cz">strawbale-owner@amper...d.muni.cz</A></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">than "Re: Contents of Strawbale digest..."</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Today's Topics:</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>1.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>Re: Brilliance is subjective (Rob Tom)</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 44px; text-indent: -44px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 17px; "><B></B><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 44px; text-indent: -44px; "><FONT face="Helvetica" size="4" color="#000000" style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><B>From: </B></FONT><FONT face="Helvetica" size="4" style="font: 14.0px Helvetica">"Rob Tom" <<A href="mailto:ArchiLogic@yahoo...">ArchiLogic@yahoo...</A>></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 40px; text-indent: -40px; "><FONT face="Helvetica" size="4" color="#000000" style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><B>Date: </B></FONT><FONT face="Helvetica" size="4" style="font: 14.0px Helvetica">1 June 2007 17:00:46 BDT</FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 27px; text-indent: -27px; "><FONT face="Helvetica" size="4" color="#000000" style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><B>To: </B></FONT><FONT face="Helvetica" size="4" style="font: 14.0px Helvetica">"European strawbale building discussions" <<A href="mailto:strawbale@amper....muni.cz">strawbale@amper....muni.cz</A>></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 61px; text-indent: -61px; "><FONT face="Helvetica" size="4" color="#000000" style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><B>Subject: </B></FONT><FONT face="Helvetica" size="4" style="font: 14.0px Helvetica"><B>[Strawbale] Re: Brilliance is subjective</B></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 71px; text-indent: -71px; "><FONT face="Helvetica" size="4" color="#000000" style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><B>Reply-To: </B></FONT><FONT face="Helvetica" size="4" style="font: 14.0px Helvetica">European strawbale building discussions <<A href="mailto:strawbale@amper....muni.cz">strawbale@amper....muni.cz</A>></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">On Thu, 31 May 2007 21:16:48 -0400, Catherine Wanek <<A href="mailto:blackrange@zianet...">blackrange@zianet...</A>> wrote:</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Thus Ted had to use rebar pins,</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">wire mesh, etc., which many experienced straw-bale builders now would</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">choose to avoid.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>Therein (I believe) lie Rob Tom's criticisms.</DIV> </BLOCKQUOTE><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Actually, "no".</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">As mentioned, it has been a number of years since I first saw the DVD but a few of the items that come to mind now (aside from the above) have more to do with basic building techniques/methods and basic design that would apply to buildings of any sort, not having anything to do with Code restrictions/prescriptions.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">ie Foundation forming technique</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>Concrete finishing method (aside from the acid-etched concrete choice)</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>Framing technique</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>Sheet metal roofing technique</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>"Passive solar" design</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">... all of which were done improperly and/or just plain badly and to suggest that they were done with any degree of "awareness" is simply inaccurate.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">"Awareness" suggests to me that one first has an understanding of the basics and having contemplated them, implemented changes that are an improvement upon the norm .</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">That was not the case in the BWA DVD that I viewed.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">--<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">=== * ===</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Rob Tom</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Kanata, Ontario, Canada</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">< A r c h i L o g i c<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>at <SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>C h a f f Y a h o o<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>dot<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>C a<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">(winnow the chaff from my edress in your reply)</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">_______________________________________________</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Strawbale mailing list</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><A href="mailto:Strawbale@amper....muni.cz">Strawbale@amper....muni.cz</A></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><A href="http://amper.ped.muni.cz/mailman/listinfo/strawbale">http://amper.ped.muni.cz/mailman/listinfo/strawbale</A></DIV> </BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>