New build - 1.2M dome

[deejayoh]

Not a a bad idea at all. If you have one of those quartz halogen, use it - they put out a lot of heat. Or a space heater.

[jonv]

Hope this isn't a bad idea... heat lamp for a bit of gentle drying. I guess the dryer it is before I start burning in a couple of weeks the better.

[jonv]

The cold weather scuppered our efforts to finish the dome yesterday, but today the job is done. It looks much better in the photo than it is in reality, but I'm happy enough with it.

We have a friend visiting for a few days so I'm taking a week off the build. Will then hope to build the vent and get insulation on in time to cure before new year...

[jonv]

Getting way ahead of myself

[jonv]

Good point! Don't know what I was thinking

[Bauldy 2]

Copper reacts with chlorine i would bend pipe around the outside of flu pipe, maybe next year.

[jonv]

Interesting idea. Wonder if it will have much detrimental effect on the exhaust... Why not try malleable copper tube instead? Got to be much easier to bend around the pipe.

[Bauldy 2]

Yep been very cold down here in Essex just above freezing all day used company called flu linings got a contact there they do different sizes to fit 6 7 8" funnels it's 316 grade 1 mm thick the flu is also 316 not as shiny as yours, I'd like to try and bend a stainless tube around flue pipe and run water through it to heat a hot tub or outside shower just need the pipe a small circulation pump some valves and then good to go

[jonv]

Thanks The last few courses went a bit wonky - it's not as neat as yours, but I guess the pizza doesn't mind... I will fit the plug tomorrow, with the help of a skinny friend who can squeeze in there and mark out a template for it

I wasn't planning on a design for it, although I am thinking of one for the keystone of the decorative arch. I'll probably cut a large keystone from a piece of sandstone and carve the year and a design into it, if my skills will permit, or find a mason who does have the skills if I make a hash of it.

Look forward to seeing your chimney and funnel. Where did you find such a thing? I didn't see anything like that so went with a standard twin wall flue and anchor plate.

Cold enough this morning that when I soaked the bricks before cutting they came out with a layer of ice on them that I had to chip off. I suppose it kept the blade cool

[Bauldy 2]

Looking good boss I've ordered stainless flu and a funnel shaped heat collector didn't want to double up on fire bricks and old stocks making chimney too heavy and bulky weather hear getting a bit nippy.I m also wrapping up oven at night are you going to do a design on plug? my daughter and partner designing a gecko for mine time to let her loose with the dremmel.Keep up the good work soon have a curing fire to warm u up.

[jonv]

Getting a bit cold for this. Had to cover with thick old curtains and put a frost heater in the dome last night. One more frosty night and then we get a brief warm spell - hoping to finish before more cold weather arrives.

[jonv]

Thanks

Good job these little errors only matter to the builders - the pizzas will taste just the same regardless

[Bauldy 2]

Wow looking good boss.ive also had to correct droop and tear drop shape.bauldy

[jonv]

Shiny things

[jonv]

Finished the ninth course

This time I had to use smaller bricks; not thirds yet, but less than the half bricks I've been using on previous courses - a bit of wastage in cutting them, but I didn't want to drop straight to thirds. In retrospect, I may have been better changing to these on the previous course as the chords are a little more pronounced than I would have liked, but it's ok.

The mortar is still overcoming gravity - I just need to hold each brick for a while until it has grabbed hold. However, I am starting to experience some minor errors in the form now. Small errors in placing individual bricks have multiplied up a little at a time over the nine courses so that the rear of the oven is now a bit low and a bit tight on the radius; I am no longer quite flat nor entirely round.

Despite my best efforts to make small corrections on each course, I have not been able to address the drift. I think this is partly due to using arch bricks that are a close match to the dome radius; they do a good job of reducing the amount of mortar and they keep the form reasonable without having to worry too much, but they do somewhat limit the scope for making the small adjustments needed to bring things back on track. I have also found that some of the bricks are a little thicker than others - this might also have been part of the problem as I didn't notice until recently. I have even ground off a couple of them after the mortar has set...

I guess (or hope!) I'm not much more than 1/4 inch out at the moment but it is deteriorating as I near the top - just hoping it is still close enough when I get to cut the keystone... it will be most uncomfortable if I end up having to grind the thing to some funny profile once it has been stuck in there!

Anyway, another two weeks and the dome should be done