Hendo's Oven

[Archena]

Re: Hendo's Oven

Here is a link to another motarless wall system, Proto II? by Angelus Block.

Proto II? Wall Systems
-or-
Angelus Block Co., Inc.

J W

Thanks! Two new links!

[Unofornaio]

Re: Hendo's Oven

I forgot about these guys. I filled in as a line mason for a few weeks for a company from your neck of the woods (Design Masonry now called the Masonry Group) very large company we used blocks from Angelous . We were doing perimeter walls for a housing track in Bakersfield that used this post tension system...I honestly have my doubts about it as far as the footing engineering.
They were getting $85. a liner foot for these walls 9 courses high ungrouted..outrageious. The blocks that I mentioned above (6x6x18's) were manufactured by Angelous.
Design Masonry has been creeping into the valley for a couple of years now and I did the work with them when they first came up here....BIG- (now after the merger) HUGE COMPANY BAD WORK... they do a lot of super custom stuff which is where they got their start. Their average mason makes $13-15hr and the tenders make $9-10hr WAY below average. Their thing (scam for cheap labor in my opinion) is they recruit guys and train them at their school for a month and send them out to the sites. Another fine example of why the quality of masonry work has gone down hill out here. Billing out at $50.hr its hard to compete with 13-15hr.
Back to the subject, the blocks are interlocking but they do need a bed joint. Much easier to lay for the novice by eliminating the head joint. I suppose you could dry stack them and the interlocking head would give some extra sheer strength.

[jwnorris]

Re: Hendo's Oven

Here is a link to another motarless wall system, Proto II? by Angelus Block.

Proto II? Wall Systems
-or-
Angelus Block Co., Inc.

J W

[Unofornaio]

Re: Hendo's Oven

I'd have to ask the brickie, but I understand the inclusion of some sort of 'damp course' is standard practice to prevent damage due to rising damp - called 'salt damp' here. Quite common in older houses (at least in Adelaide) where the salts in the rising damp crystalize (I think) and ultimately turn the mortar to dust. Debatable for a small structure like this, but having seen what salt damp can do, we erred on the side of caution.

If this is what I am thinking of its a problem in areas where there is a high alkali content in the ground. Alkali soil looks very much like the white area in your footings the dirt is almost chalky. I suspected thats what it was but since you already had the moisture barrier I thought their might be another explanation for it..now I know..INSURANCE. this "salt damp" you speak of is called something else here in the states that I cannot think of but I have repaired areas like this, the mortar has virtually returned to dust, it does the same thing to concrete. thanks for the reply.

[Archena]

Re: Hendo's Oven

I don't know where you are at on your build but I found this thread so I thought Id reply. These types of interlocking blocks are becoming more and more popular. I have a buddy that did a wall and ordered them from Lowe's several years ago. I'm sure Home Depot carry a similar product. You may also want to check with you local masonry yard to see if they have any "seconds" which to them is at the very least least a pallet. Last summer I purchased a version of these blocks that require a bed joint but not a head joint @ .55 for 6x6x18..heck I didn't care they were going to be stuccoed over. Here are some links I found:
Azar Mortarless Building Systems Inc.
VOBB dry stack concrete blocks

Thanks! I had found some a few days after making that post but I didn't have one of those links!

'Preciate it!

[Bacterium]

Re: Hendo's Oven

I'd have to ask the brickie, but I understand the inclusion of some sort of 'damp course' is standard practice to prevent damage due to rising damp - called 'salt damp' here. Quite common in older houses (at least in Adelaide) where the salts in the rising damp crystalize (I think) and ultimately turn the mortar to dust. Debatable for a small structure like this, but having seen what salt damp can do, we erred on the side of caution.

your on the money Hendo...after chatting with my brickie.

The alternate I used to that was I put plastic (Fortecon) under my first pour

[Hendo]

Re: Hendo's Oven

Why the tar paper under the brick in this application?

I'd have to ask the brickie, but I understand the inclusion of some sort of 'damp course' is standard practice to prevent damage due to rising damp - called 'salt damp' here. Quite common in older houses (at least in Adelaide) where the salts in the rising damp crystalize (I think) and ultimately turn the mortar to dust. Debatable for a small structure like this, but having seen what salt damp can do, we erred on the side of caution.

[Unofornaio]

Re: Hendo's Oven

Cool!

I found a company subsidary in the US but it only makes bricks so I'd pretty much given up on finding them here.

I don't know where you are at on your build but I found this thread so I thought Id reply. These types of interlocking blocks are becoming more and more popular. I have a buddy that did a wall and ordered them from Lowe's several years ago. I'm sure Home Depot carry a similar product. You may also want to check with you local masonry yard to see if they have any "seconds" which to them is at the very least least a pallet. Last summer I purchased a version of these blocks that require a bed joint but not a head joint @ .55 for 6x6x18..heck I didn't care they were going to be stuccoed over. Here are some links I found:
Azar Mortarless Building Systems Inc.
VOBB dry stack concrete blocks

[Unofornaio]

Re: Hendo's Oven

Why the tar paper under the brick in this application?

[Archena]

Re: Hendo's Oven

Cool!

I found a company subsidary in the US but it only makes bricks so I'd pretty much given up on finding them here.

[jengineer]

Re: Hendo's Oven

I have not searched for them but they must be available in the US. We blew through Fresno a few weeks back and a friend of the wife's is in a new cookie cutter home AND they have a backyard! The block wall around the property did not have any concrete seams. That implied to me that interlocking blocks are available - I did not get a chance to roam around the neighborhood to find the source of the blocks. I will drop them a line and see if they can find out.

[Archena]

Re: Hendo's Oven

Thanks! I really appreciate it!

[Hendo]

Re: Hendo's Oven

Archena,

It's called the Connex Mortarless Block System and is produced by Boral Masonry. You can download a detailed info sheet at http://www.boral.com.au/mdg/pdf/connex.pdf if you're interested.

It was developed in Australia, so I can't comment on its availability in the US.

Good luck!

Thanks to all for your kind words and encouragement - it has been bit wet here lately and I still haven't started the dome. However, other priorities have kicked in, like home maintenance, re-constituting the back lawn after all the activity and trenching, and re-vamping sub-floor cabling for various electrical toys, etc etc.

Cheers, Paul.

[Archena]

Re: Hendo's Oven

The blocks are designed to interlock with adjacent blocks and the course above, so once the first course has been laid in mortar (to compensate for any unevenness in the slab), the remaining courses are dry laid. Mortar thickness varied from ?? at one corner to a little over ?? at the opposite corner, so the slab was reasonably level. The blocks are 8? high and are bevelled on the sides and top, to simulate a ?? mortar joint. Laying these blocks was very satisfying work, as it all goes up so quickly!





...

Wow!

Question, what are those blocks called? I assume my (eventual) supplier can order them. That is so totally cool!

Thanks!

[daz]

Re: Hendo's Oven

thats a very serious construction hendo ,have you started the dome yet?