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No progress to report, but my thermocouples and SuperIsol boards arrived today. Still waiting on the HeatStop50, but I should be able to start moving things outside on the weekend. I can't wait! The SuperIsol seems like it will be very easy to work with. I just need to figure out where to make the cuts to maximize the stability (and minimize the seams).
I got the soldier course all tapered, but I forgot to leave enough room for a mortar joint. I'm hoping I can adjust them to fit without much more cutting (you can see in the lower part of pic #1 that I was playing with that idea).
Okay, I already changed my mind, again! Since the soldier course will go around the outside of the oven, a full soldier won't stand up much higher around the floor than a half soldier, and everything seems to just fit better with the full soldier. So I'm back to my original plan.
You can see quite a difference in the brick types.
Bruce
Yeah, I see the brick difference in the arches. I'm interested in the floor, though. This seems to be where inclement weather might have an impact. Dick, do you intend on having two doors, then? One to seal off the oven proper, for heat retention, the other to seal off the arch transition when the oven is not in use to keep it dry?
Thanks for the comments, Christo! (On both threads.... I meant to go back and delete the other one before someone posted to it, but you beat me.)
I think I won't mortar the floor bricks into place (except at the entryway), so hopefully I'll be able to replace them as needed, like if I chip some with a peel.
I mocked up the first layer of bricks for the arches (the 2 bricks on the right in the photo). The red line is where another cut would go to accomodate a soldier. I have no idea if this is a good way to begin the arch, so I'm wide open for suggestions! I thought I'd include an expansion joint (gap) as far back as the reveal, and then close it up.
If I cut 3 more sets of bricks identical to the 2 on the right shown here, and stack them up, there will be a long mortar joint running up the side of the arch. Is that a huge concern?
I'd really appreciate any input, because the arch really has me stymied!
(Per my previous post, I plan to mortar bricks 1-9 into place.)
Thanks Dick, good advice. I'll plan on incorporating an outer door. I was planning to mortar the outer-most 2 rows of fire bricks in the landing area, but I can see how rain and snow could still cause problems.
I've read that you don't want firebrick exposed (especially any freeze thaw scenarios) as they do absorb water. Not sure about "warmer" areas were freezing isn't an issue.
I used "house bricks for my outer decorative arch and am planning on building a door to keep out the elements when not in use.
My recommendation is plan on keeping them dry once the oven is dry.
I'm sure this has come up, but when you extend the firebricks out to the hearth entry, is there a problem with them exposed to the elements (rain, freeze, etc.)
Good question, Mike. I didn't consider that. I'd like to hear some opinions on it. Perhaps the landing bricks will need to be sealed somehow to keep ice from getting in there.
The floor is cut! It went faster than I thought (though perhaps my cuts weren't as precise as they could have been). The plan is to put half-high soldiers around the outside of the floor.
Now I'll have to work on mock-ups for the arch and dome.
Daren, thanks for showing the photos of both herringbone arrangements. I don't think I'd have known a difference.
I'm sure this has come up, but when you extend the firebricks out to the hearth entry, is there a problem with them exposed to the elements (rain, freeze, etc.)
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