42" build in Virginia

[Gulf]

Re: 42" build in Virginia

Fabby,
These are the good times!. I am sure that they will be followed by many, even greater times. I love to see folks having fun with their ovens. Especially, during the curing .

[fabby]

Re: 42" build in Virginia

finally some progress pics.
Started the curing with small fires. By the fourth fire. The wife wanted to try some bread. I said "what the hay, throw it in there and see what happens."

pretty cool.
;;

oh yeah.....

[fabby]

Re: 42" build in Virginia

Latest update. I spent the weekend with curing fires while I was finishing up some rock veneer.

I still need to do some tuck pointing but it was nice to get the fires going. On the third day, I had the oven up to about 400 F, but it was a long slow burn rather than a rapid temp increase.

My question, is it better at this stage to have longer more even fires or continue to hit the temp and let it cool. My dome is looking good, no cracks to note of, and the top 2/3's is looking 'whiter' in regards to the mortar. Is that what happens when the oven cures?

I hope to get some photos up tonight.

[Bec1208]

Re: 42" build in Virginia

Ok all jokes aside, how is your sand, is it fatty?

Brickie, didn't know you had your own sand.

Brickie?s sand
As the name implies this is the preferred sand of bricklayers. It has a clay component, up to 30 per cent by weight, that makes it sticky. When blended with cement and lime to make mortar, the resulting mix is termed ?fatty?, which means it is easy to work when laying bricks, as it is compressible and oozes out of the joints.
Description: Brickie?s sand has a slightly sticky look and feel when damp and forms lumps when dry. It can leave colour on hands or clothes due to its clay content.
Uses: A major component of brick- and block-laying mortar and bagging for walls. It?s available in yellow and white to allow for different mortar colours.
Other names: Fatty sand, brick sand, brickie?s loam.

[fabby]

Re: 42" build in Virginia

i put up another course of stone yesterday as well as insulated the chimney and cut the caps. Will need to mortar them if it doesn't rain today.

The sand I am using is from a local outdoor products supplier, it has more clay adn clumpiness than the earlier bags I bought at Lowe's for masonry, and I have been adding an acrylic fortifier to the mix as well. This works OK but the rocks still tend to slide. I have been using some chips of stone to brace against the lower stone, and even in some cases, letting the stones touch a little bit. I will get some pics on here soon.

do I need to have the chimney top mortared for a week before I can start curing?

[brickie in oz]

Re: 42" build in Virginia

OK, Al, Yeah I googled "blue tac".........you were being funny weren't you

But then when I googled "sh1t to a blanket", apparently in some cultures they do use that for adhesion?

Oh, it's just pooh.

I probably wont try that, I say 'probably' because I will not totally rule it out at this point. Damn stones better start sticking better or I'll try anything.

(I can hear it now from the kids, "Dad, why does the pizza smell funny?")

Ok all jokes aside, how is your sand, is it fatty?

[fabby]

Re: 42" build in Virginia

Thanks for the tips. Heading out to fill the chimney with vcrete and then close it up. I hope to start the curing process next week. My dome has been done for three weeks. I thought I would give the chimney a week to cure as well before the fires start.

[Les]

Re: 42" build in Virginia

Thanks Les. Your chimney top looks great. The space between the flue liner and the top bricks has a layer of high heat mortor to seal that top? Will that crack? Or is there some other glue I cannot see?

That's what I used and no problems

Also, I have some leftover paver bricks, can I use that on the top course rather than the bricks with holes, or do I need to get some regular solid bricks?

You could probably use them - most likely not a good match, I would bite the bullet and buy a few solids.

I also have some leftover gray pavers I could use as well. Will they bond with mortar?

Mortar sticks to pavers incredibly well.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: 42" build in Virginia

Fabby,

Go to Gulf's Picassa album and look at pic 250-260ish to get an idea on his chimney top. Might give you an idea.

[silvfox]

Re: 42" build in Virginia

fabby,
If you did'nt already have some of your stone set I would suggest expanded metal lath tapcon screwed to the block first. Since you're into it if you want to really stick the stone use a 600PSI construction adhesive available in quart caulking cartridges. You'll need to brace the heavier stones until set unless they are resting on another stone. When all your stones are set come back and grout between them.

[fabby]

Re: 42" build in Virginia

OK, Al, Yeah I googled "blue tac".........you were being funny weren't you

But then when I googled "sh1t to a blanket", apparently in some cultures they do use that for adhesion?

Oh, it's just pooh.

I probably wont try that, I say 'probably' because I will not totally rule it out at this point. Damn stones better start sticking better or I'll try anything.

(I can hear it now from the kids, "Dad, why does the pizza smell funny?")

[fabby]

Re: 42" build in Virginia

Al, what is blue tac?

[fabby]

Re: 42" build in Virginia

Thanks Les. Your chimney top looks great. The space between the flue liner and the top bricks has a layer of high heat mortor to seal that top? Will that crack? Or is there some other glue I cannot see?

Also, I have some leftover paver bricks, can I use that on the top course rather than the bricks with holes, or do I need to get some regular solid bricks?

I also have some leftover gray pavers I could use as well. Will they bond with mortar?

[brickie in oz]

Re: 42" build in Virginia

So the question is, how do you get real stone to stick to block?

It's almost like I have to do one row at a time, and let it set, and then come back for the next row?

Blue Tac......

Is your sand fatty, ie, has it got lots of clay in it or is it lean and mean stuff?
Fatty sand will make the rock stick like sh1t to a blanket.

[Les]

Re: 42" build in Virginia

I am somewhat perplexed on how to close off the top of the chimney. I was thinking of filling the space with v-crete,then a paver brick over the top course of the chimney, and fill the top with concrete.

This is how I did it - post 155. You can see the flue under the cover. I recall filling the void ( between liner and brick) with vermiculite/portland until the top. I capped it off w/ high heat mortar.

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/8/les-build-4207-15.html