My Old Kentucky Dome

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

I seem to remember you leaving a gap between the floor and the soldiers. I am there now. What was that all about?

Dusty,

Apparently, if you put the soldiers tight against the floor, the floor can (or will) expand when heated and push out your soldier course causing dome cracks. The plans recommend leaving a small gap between the floor and soldier course to allow for the expansion. The gap will fill with ash which has some compressibility.

I cut some corrugated cardboard strips from an old box and used them as spacers between the floor and first course. Some of the strips I pulled out, some are stuck in there. They will burn away during curing. The cardboard also will keep stray mortar from falling and dripping into your gap.

Here's a pic:


Click this link to see the full size pic

Hope this helps!

[Acoma]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Ken, I totally forgot that detail. Thanks. I have this noted for my self as well.

[dusty]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Yep! That helps alot. I waited to set the soldiers because I sorta remembered you talking about that cardboard. I don't recall reading it in the plans, but I read them a while ago. I suppose I need to refresh. Thanks Ken. I think I'm done for today, but when I resume, I will set the soldiers with a piece of cardboard spacer.

dusty

[dusty]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

And I forgot to mention. Now that I have started, and have begun to realize the magnatude of each small detail, I appriciate your finished dome even more...FIVE times as much!

dusty

[asudavew]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

And I forgot to mention. Now that I have started, and have begun to realize the magnatude of each small detail, I appriciate your finished dome even more...FIVE times as much!

dusty

Ditto on that one Dusty.

He made it look easy.

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Hey Dusty, don't let the magnitude of each small detail get you bogged down. As long as the bricks resemble a crude dome, it's going to cook pizza!

I seem to enjoy over-complicating things to make them more challenging (James has even blown the whistle on one of my ideas ). The downside to this sickness is that there are others here enjoying pizza tonight while I'm still scheming up a design for my vent transition.

[Frances]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Yep. See, I have gaps all over the place round the hearth.... it happened all by itself because I could only cut streight lines with my anglegrinder and even then it was all pretty aproximate.

But then, after cooking pizza, I come here and admire Ken's dome.

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Vent to chimney anchor transition. First of two courses.

[dusty]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Actually, I'm enjoing the the challenge now that I finally get to start the dome. My project is an outdoor kitchen and there were many steps to finish before I could begin...They're done! I've been looking forward (and working towards) the oven part of the project for a month.
I appreciate your attention to detail. I figure that that oven is going to be around for a long time. I want to be done, but when I am, I don't want to be wishing that I would have done this or that.
Ken, another question. When you cut two bricks and there is no space between them for mortar- like you so often did- how did you "glue" them together? Is there a small bit of mortar in there? Ref-mix? Heat stop?

Thanks,
dusty
Here's a photo of my finished floor.

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

...I don't want to be wishing that I would have done this or that.

I feel the same way. I'm not in a big hurry to get it fired up. I really enjoy engineering and design. I'll probably start preliminary work on my enclosure before starting a fire, just to make sure the mortar has adequately cured in the dome and vent.

When you cut two bricks and there is no space between them for mortar- like you so often did- how did you "glue" them together? Is there a small bit of mortar in there? Ref-mix? Heat stop?

I used HeatStop50 (dry) for everything. All joints are mortared. After buttering a brick, I place it into position and tap it until the excess mortar oozes out. Sometimes I ended up with a great joint, sometimes I needed extra mortar to fill the gaps. I ended up with a big flat spot on the handle of my father-in-law's mortar trowel from all the tapping . I think I owe him a new one!

I was surprised at how smooth the HeatStop is. It really is like creamy peanut butter. You won't have any problem getting tight (or fat) joints with it (and Refmix is supposed to be even better).

Here's a photo of my finished floor.

It's looking super. I'm looking forward to watching your progress. Keep up the great work!

[Dannyboyblue]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

I used HeatStop50 (dry) for everything. All joints are mortared.

I though you had left both your floor and the space between your floor and your soldier course without mortar.

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

I though you had left both your floor and the space between your floor and your soldier course without mortar.

You are correct... sorry for the confusion! I should have specified the dome and arches.

[dusty]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Thanks Ken. I ordered two bags of refmix yesterday from FB and it is sitting on my porch already today! I'm hoping that if I make most of the joints narrow enough that two bags may be enough mortar. I'll find out soon enough as I am anxious to get started.

dusty

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome



After a spell of cold weather, rain, and work I was finally able to finish my chimney transition today... And that also completes the oven!

Next task is to start assembling insulation, studs, and enclosure materials. Tomorrow I head out to the sheet metal roofing places and look at roofing material.

I'm going to give the vent a good week or two to cure before starting to play with fire.

[asudavew]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

I'm going to give the vent a good week or two to cure before starting to play with fire.

You have much more patience than me Ken! I didn't wait long enough.. But (and James would agree) cracks add character!


I was wondering what you have been up to, and now I see.

The vent looks great!

A question for you though:
What size is the opening on the transition?
I need to go bigger.....
But I am just not sure how!

I will be anxiously waiting for fire pictures.