42" Pompeii in Kentucky

[ckdickerson]

Re: 42" Pompeii in Kentucky

Dave, I'm glad you mentioned that the perlcrete stays spongy for a week because I was just going to ask. I poured the perlite mix early this morning and after about 15hrs it feels like a rice krispy treat, probably doesn't taste like one though. I thought I would post a few more pics.

[ckdickerson]

Re: 42" Pompeii in Kentucky

I pulled the forms off today. The insulating concrete has dried nicely and is very firm. I hope to start constructing the dome and floor this weekend and maybe post some more pictures. I realized yesterday that I forgot to leave a hole in the slab for my floor thermocouple so I stopped today after work and bought a 12" long 1/4" masonry bit. I hope I don't hit rebar!!!

[tfasz]

Re: 42" Pompeii in Kentucky

Looking nice. Could not be 100% sure from the pics, but you have a concrete slab with rebar in it that you poured on Saturday and then you put the perlcrete over it on Sunday right? It will take some time to setup, and keeping it damp during the week will help it setup.

Nice work on the foundation - you look like you must have some prior masonry experience to get it that nice on your first shot.

[ckdickerson]

Re: 42" Pompeii in Kentucky

Thanks for the reply tfasz. Yes I poured the structural concrete on Saturday followed by the insulating layer Sunday. I have been keeping a tarp over it to keep the sun off of it and it has set up nicely.

I have layed a few blocks and brick in the past but I'm taking my time and trying to do a nice job. It's not perfect but pictures hide alot.

[ckdickerson]

Re: 42" Pompeii in Kentucky

Didn't work on the oven much today but I did manage to get the floor laid. I used a 1:1 fire clay and fine sand mixture which was very difficult to work with. The mixture seemed to dry faster than I could lay the brick. My floor ended up a little uneven but I can live with it. I am attaching pictures of the floor and the thermocouple installed into the brick before laying. The thermocouple is recessed into the brick 1/2" from the cooking surface.

[ckdickerson]

Re: 42" Pompeii in Kentucky

I started laying the dome today. I didn't cut angles on any brick yet. Everything including the head joints looks good except one place. I guess my perlcrete had a dip in it which transfered into the soldier run and then on into the dome and of course it's in the back in plain view when you look through the door. I should have been more careful leveling things up before I started. I think angles will need to be cut on the head joints of the next run of brick to get even joints on the brick. I've noticed that some people cut all their brick to get even joints from the inside out, is there any benefit to this other than less mortar usage. Does it effect the structural integrity of the dome?

[ckdickerson]

Re: 42" Pompeii in Kentucky

I started on the vent today. Does this look like it will work? I cut angles on the side of the vent walls to accept the soldier run and plan to cut the bricks on each dome run to that angle where they join the vent wall. Will this be a strong joint?

[ckdickerson]

Re: 42" Pompeii in Kentucky

I built the first half of the upper vent today. I took alot of cutting. There is a one inch lip for the door cut on each brick behind the form. I hope the arch holds when the form is removed.

[Les]

Re: 42" Pompeii in Kentucky

Thats looking pretty sweet. Kick out the forms (after a day), no worries.

Les...

[ckdickerson]

Re: 42" Pompeii in Kentucky

I finished my vent and made some progress on the dome in the last two days.

[Eric Pfeifer]

Re: 42" Pompeii in Kentucky

Beautiful work!

[ckdickerson]

Re: 42" Pompeii in Kentucky

Thanks for the complement Eric. How is progress on your oven, from your pictures it looks like a very ambitious project to say the least.

[ckdickerson]

Re: 42" Pompeii in Kentucky

More pics.

[ckdickerson]

Re: 42" Pompeii in Kentucky

I completed the dome today. I was going to try to complete the last run without any support from underneath but gave up on the ninth run when gravity desided it liked the bricks better than the mortar. I went with the plywood circle and sand technique which worked quite well I must say. I got a little sloppy on last run with the cuts on the head joints. When you get that close to the top you really need to cut each brick individually to get a perfect fit but I was so close to being finished that I found an angle that was close and cut all the run before laying it. I regret this but at least you can't see it without sticking your head in the oven.

[DaveW]

Re: 42" Pompeii in Kentucky

Your dome looks perfect to me. Congratulations. I was not smart enough to drop the sand form the same day and had a mess when I finally did. Nice work,
dave