My Old Kentucky Dome

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Hey Ken,
I just checked out your Picasa site. What is that a mini concrete truck?

Yep! I put a post about it in the Tools, Tips and Techniques board.
http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f28/...html#post13470

It was a cool little truck. About the size of an F550 with a mixer on it. The company has 4 or 5 of them.

[Unofornaio]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Hey Ken,

I just checked out your Picasa site. What is that a mini concrete truck?

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

You gotta tell me how you got your spreadsheet to be public....

I like easy questions!
Open your Google Spreadsheet then click the "Publish" tab on the top, right side of the sheet. It will give you the URL of your newly published, public sheet.

[asudavew]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

ken...... you need to slow down

I was trying to keep up!


Looking good though!

Do me a favor please sir?

You gotta tell me how you got your spreadsheet to be public....

Thanks !

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Started work on the hearth bricks this weekend.

I drew a template on 4 pieces of foam board taped together; cut it out with a box cutter. Traced a rough pattern on the garage floor with chalk then arranged the bricks on the floor (in hindsight, I should have placed my insulation boards down first).

I then traced the pattern onto the bricks with pencil and started cutting. I was surprised at how fast, easy and accurately the cutting went. The Harbor Freight saw rocks!

Next step will be to transfer the bricks onto the insulation board and cut the first course of wall bricks.

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

The arch forms can be removed now. Just be careful not to exert any upward strain

Done! My form was constructed so I could remove 2 screws and drop it straight down 2cm. Worked like a charm.

For these bricks you kept them pretty clean so all you would need was a ounce or 2 of acid in a gallon and a big sponge. Wipe the "bloom" (cement residue) off the brick faces. and then rinse with a vinegar solution of the same ratio.

Thank you for the advice! I ran to the hardware store this morning and bought muriatic acid, gloves and acid brush. While I couldn't remove every bit of debris, the bricks brightened up considerably.

[Unofornaio]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

The arch forms can be removed now. Just be careful not to exert any upward strain when removing them or you may break your bond, it will not fall but you will see the crack along a joint. If this does happen you can always go back and fill it. then do the acid wash.
For these bricks you kept them pretty clean so all you would need was a ounce or 2 of acid in a gallon and a big sponge. Wipe the "bloom" (cement residue) off the brick faces. and then rinse with a vinegar solution of the same ratio.

[wlively]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Your arch looks great. I would think that 48hrs would be enough.

I didn't trust my mortar skills, so I custom cut my vent arch and in theory it should be free standing right away. I took a deep breath and decided to test the theory,so as soon as it was complete I pulled the form. It didn't move and I couldn't believe I actually did it right the first time.

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Very nice looking work. Go over those with a little bit of acid wash and they will really look great.

Thank you. I have been reading up on the acid wash and will definitely do that.

Any idea when it will be safe to remove the arch form? The mortar feels hard as a rock after 24 hours but I don't want to pull the form too soon. I have been keeping it wet.

As to the screws to hold the brick, wall ties are made for this. They are a galvanized corrugated piece of metal with pre stamped holes for nails.

Ahhhh... something to remember for the next project

[Unofornaio]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Very nice looking work. Go over those with a little bit of acid wash and they will really look great.

James- the hollow brick really are not much different to lay.

Most real manufactured brick (not the home depot in stock reds) have cores or holes. Most manufactures also offer solids in the same style. This is for end pieces or somewhere you will see the holes. You can easily tell an unprofessional job by the last brick on a cap being a core instead of a solid. I got a booklet from Lowe's a couple of months ago, for their wood working club and right there on the front page was a patio that had a brick sitting wall and the last brick was a 3 hole core. Un freaking believable.

As to the screws to hold the brick, wall ties are made for this. They are a galvanized corrugated piece of metal with pre stamped holes for nails.

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

I wanted to catch up to you, but I won't be able to pour my hearth until at least next weekend.

You'll catch up! My local supplier for Cal-Sil sheets is backordered. I have to scramble on Monday and start calling refractory and insulation places.

[asudavew]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Yeah, It's looking great!

I wanted to catch up to you, but I won't be able to pour my hearth until at least next weekend.

But I sure like your curved arch and cantilever.

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Do you like working with the hollow bricks for decorative brickwork?

This is my first attempt at any brickwork so I'm really not qualified to answer.

I am guess that it is lighter and the bricks and mortar adhere better.

I suspect the hollows do hold the mortar better. I used a couple of cut solid bricks for the tops of the columns. They were considerably heavier and the mortar seemed to slide off easier... but that may be due to my lack of skill.

Finally, how did you calculate your brick layout to set the screws in the mortar?

A few posts up I posted a photo of the arch test fitted with the bricks propped into position with bits of styrofoam and rocks. I placed pencil marks on the curved form and the block wall as guides (I still screwed up a couple of joints even with the pencil marks!). Once I had the marks, I drilled a few holes where the joints would go and screwed in 2" wood screws (about 1.5" sticking out).

My father-in-law (retired mason) recommended that I do something to help attach the bricks to the block wall. When I gave him the wood screw idea, he said it should work.

The curved landing and curve storage frame work well together.
James

Thanks! I'm pretty happy with how this is turning out.

[james]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

I like that. Very nice -- I am really coming to like the curved arch into the storage.

Do you like working with the hollow bricks for decorative brickwork? Would our pro builders recommend doing that? I am guess that it is lighter and the bricks and mortar adhere better.

Finally, how did you calculate your brick layout to set the screws in the mortar? Again, would our pros recommend that.

The curved landing and curve storage frame work well together.
James

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Looks great Ken...very professional looking!