My Wood fired Redux

[Tscarborough]

Re: My Wood fired Redux

Yeah, dry mix definitely doesn't work with perlcrete.

[stonecutter]

Re: My Wood fired Redux

I dry mixed out of habit..you know, mortar... thinking wet mixing might need longer to coat everything even and avoid clumps. I'll give it a try when I cast my panels.

[Tscarborough]

Re: My Wood fired Redux

I mix the portland and water together, then fold it into the perlite.

[stonecutter]

Re: My Wood fired Redux

Dogonit! Stonecutter,
Full scale esperiments Youv'e got more money to spare than me .
Seriosusly, from what I can see, the earth tones you are using will match your stone perfectly. Can't wait to see the finished product .

HA! It's not cash flow, I'm using material I have hanging around. I am actually thinking more grey for the cast pieces. There is going to be quite a bit of granite work on the enclosure and I think it will look better...well, IMO anyway.

[Gulf]

Re: My Wood fired Redux

Here is what I am doing with the cast concrete. These are experimental and won't be used, but they give an idea of what the two layers will look like.

Dogonit! Stonecutter,
Full scale esperiments Youv'e got more money to spare than me .
Seriosusly, from what I can see, the earth tones you are using will match your stone perfectly. Can't wait to see the finished product .

[stonecutter]

Re: My Wood fired Redux

I had a little extra material so I made this little panel to see how it would hold up. Out of the four ovens built, only one has a block surround...the rest have a wood framed enclosure. After insulating, I encase the oven with durock as an extra precaution...9 years and no issues with the 3 ovens. So I got to thinking about making my own panels out of perlcrete. This sample was compacted in lifts, so it is pretty solid. I don't care about insulation r-value too much, since it is not the primary insulation on the oven. The next sample will be around 1 1/2" thick...this one is 2.75". I'm not sure what I will settle on dimensionally just yet...probably something like 1.5' x 2'. I am going to add a polymer to the water to help bind the perlite particles a little more, and go richer on the mix...something like 3 or 4 :1

The sample....

[stonecutter]

Re: My Wood fired Redux

I did a 6:1 with 1.6 on the water. Take this for what it's worth..... When I portioned out the perlite, I used 1 gallon as my unit of measure. After filling the first portion of perlite, it was dumped into the wheelbarrow. Then I took the measured Portland cement and put about a third of it over the perlite. Repeat for the next two buckets of perlite. Then I was able to gently fold and mix the dry material without breaking up the pieces into fine particles.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: My Wood fired Redux

What ratio did you use, I just purchased some perlite to put over my ceramic fiber on my dome. What worked, what didn't.

[stonecutter]

Re: My Wood fired Redux

Thanks Russell.

Some pics of the Perlcrete slab. This is the first oven I have used perlite. I like mixing and finishing it better than vermiculite.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: My Wood fired Redux

It will be interesting to see the finished product. BTW, again, nice stonework.

[stonecutter]

Re: My Wood fired Redux

Here is what I am doing with the cast concrete. These are experimental and won't be used, but they give an idea of what the two layers will look like. They are three color hand press on the top layer, without the slurry fill. I am just going to cast the ones to be installed with a flowable mix, and maybe tint it with a bit of charcoal and earthtone. Insulation slab was done yesterday, with a capillary break between the structural slab and the insulation.

[stonecutter]

Re: My Wood fired Redux

I imagine I speak for nearly everyone here in saying that we are incredibly envious of your access to such a fabulous supply of lovely stone! ~Xene

Xene, the stone I am using was brought in from Tennessee by a very small local landscape supply place, because the area I live in is completely devoid of stone! Trust me, this area was a BIG adjustment for me, after living in New England all my life until a few years ago..we grow stone up there! The other stone that will be used in this build..the granite...I brought back down here after one of my trips to NE for commissioned work. I have around 1000lbs in various shapes, which I am incorporating into the oven design. Glad you like it so far!

[Xene]

Re: My Wood fired Redux

I imagine I speak for nearly everyone here in saying that we are incredibly envious of your access to such a fabulous supply of lovely stone! Dry stacking is just so beautiful and the thought of not having to mix mortar...oh my, like a dream! Even the thought of the heavy lifting and fitting is romantically appealing in a patience building, back-breaking, old-world sense. Love that!

I find myself lurking here more now that my oven is built than I ever did before, of course some of that has to do with the fact that I didn't ever plan to build an oven, my project was more a whim and a dare than anything else... It makes it all the more intriguing now that I understand the process.

Watching you and these other talented craftsmen at their trade (obviously having fun) is a wonderful thing - thanks for sharing it with us!

~Xene

[stonecutter]

Re: My Wood fired Redux

Thank you Xene. Cast concrete pieces are next, and I am doing the insulation layer at the same time...when I can squeeze it in!

[Xene]

Re: My Wood fired Redux

Amazing. Love this, can't wait to see it all come together.