Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

[brickie in oz]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

We have a standing monthly donation to the Fred Hollow foundation so I love what you are doing for your neighbours/neighbourhood.

The Fred Hollows Foundation | Restore sight for $25 and help Fred's dream live on

[Lancer]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

Thank you brickie, but I'll tell you, these are great kids. Our daughter, Abby, is 4 today and we're like best friends. Augustine is 2 and true communication is off in the future but he has a ready smile and bright eye. We're very happy to have them here as they bring a lot of joy to our lives.

Here we are playing in the pool as it fills.



She always likes to put up three fingers for her age. Though the pool was made before they arrived this section is the perfect depth for Abby to walk. Soon Augustine will be tall enough too...



Here she finds some small plumbing pipe offcuts. Abby said "Shing shing" which means ring. We took them and washed em up and she hid them somewhere. She's a wonderful child, as is her brother.



Thanks again brickie, for the like.

[brickie in oz]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

We're adopting a brother and sister who are related to my wife. Its a long story but a typhoon left their family destitute and the parents came looking for someone to adopt them.

I takes me hat of to you sir, you deserve a big hug for your generosity, have a virtual one from me......

[Lancer]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

A general question... We took some rice to the mill yesterday and I studied the device that mills and separates it. There are three shutes out of the mill, one is for the rice, one for a fine husk powder which the pigs eat, and the last for husk roughage which, while still fine, isn't good for anything. There are piles of the stuff by every rice mill and it can be had for free. This I plan on burning on top of my wood fire. Get a good hot wood fire going and put this stuff on top, free fuel right? The first ever rice husk fired pizza oven. Well wood and rice...

So how to get the rice husks on top of the fire? Could take a shovel and try to get them in and dump on top. That might be a messy deal. What I'm considering is a shute. Leave a hole through the side over where I plan on burning the wood. Then make a removable refractory cement and perlite plug to stop the hole when not in use. Just slide the plug down the chute and into the hole. When fuel is added remove the plug and pour rice husks into the shute. They go through the wall and directly on top of the fire. Though opening a hole over a fire might be tricky, the fire will be somewhat reduced as it needs fuel.

Third possibility is to have a welder weld me up a steel bucket on a steel rod with a T handle. Fill the bucket with husks and less likely to spill than a shovel, though heavy. Could add a hook to the dome hanging high on the opening to help carry the load. Hope that makes sense... The hook would be the fulcrum between the bucket and T handle. The whole thing would hang from the hook rather than have to be carried the whole way to the fire.

What do you guys think?

[Lancer]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

Thank you Dave, I'll heed your advice! Don't know how I'll attach a roof to the chimney, that's going to require some thought. I'll make sure the lime is good for refractory, or I'll take my chances with open eyes. One the octagonal roof, I figure with a round stand a roof approaching round makes sense. Besides, I'm not a big fan of right angles in a home, though there are some in mine I try to limit them, break things up a bit.

stonecutter, thanks, its been a long few years designing and building it. Kids love the pool, and that means a lot. Funny, I started the pool before the kids came along. We're adopting a brother and sister who are related to my wife. Its a long story but a typhoon left their family destitute and the parents came looking for someone to adopt them. So, watch out if you build a pool, the kids come next.

[stonecutter]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

That is one beautiful site you have there!

[cobblerdave]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

Gudday
Chimneys get hot ,bloody hot ,especially steel so placing anything flammable near it like napa and wood will need some carefull thinking. I do however like the idea of an octagonal roof. Round stand ,octagon roof sounds like you want something a bit different than standard shape which is good. Think things through though something's are done for a good reason.
On your lime hunt don't except agricultural lime ,what you asking for is builders lime ,slaked lime , hydrated lime .
Regards dave

[Lancer]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

Dang I was in the city today (What passes for a city on this island) and completely forgot to check to see if lime is available ready made.

Ah well, next time. Likely go back next week.

I'll give your overhead protection some thought Dave. Oh and Gudday to you mate. Had planned on tiling over the dome in a mosaic to help waterproof it, but it wouldn't be too difficult to put a nepa roof over. That's a local product, a plant which is usable for roofs and hardly hinders heat from rising through it so the working area would stay cool. Thing is its got to be replaced every 5 years. Still, with flashing built into the chimney it would keep everything dry enough.

How hot does the chimney get?: Could I use it as the center pole in an octagonal roof? In other words, attach 2X6s to it?

[cobblerdave]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

Gudday lancer
Brickie is a man of few words but he is right
Burn the lime (quick lime ) then hydrate it laborious and dangerous pay someone to do it ....ie buy it
On square vs round. I recon round is cool but I recon you better to have overhead protection in the Philippines.
My hearth insulation doesn't get to the edge of that slab. The render dome goes further out than that. Those corners are tiled and the gape between the tile and render sealed. The tile grout gape is reproofed yearly with a bond all product. Same as any brickwork you see. The chimney is capped. The chimney had a gape between it and the dome long since silasticed.
That leaves the last 2 entry points the dome brick and hearth.
The dome as with all brickwork draws in moisture just from the air, the Philippines that is very likely.
The hearth is a soak hole ..... Just pour a cup of water and watch it disappear. That's why I say overhead protection wood probably suit.
My oven gets damp in the summer (soaking this yr). But I don't use the oven much in the heat. The other 9 months are glorious cool and dry and sunny. Perfect for entertaining and enjoying the outdoors and the oven.
Regards dave

[brickie in oz]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

Never used it in an oven, I always use a bought pre made product.

[Lancer]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

Slaked lime, yes? How does it handle high heat, any ideas brickie in oz?

hydrated lime - definition of hydrated lime by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

hydrated lime - a caustic substance produced by heating limestone
calcium hydrate, calcium hydroxide, caustic lime, lime, lime hydrate, slaked lime
hydrated oxide, hydroxide - a compound of an oxide with water

Shop QUIKRETE 50 lb Hydrated Lime at Lowes.com

50 lb Hydrated Lime

For use in building construction
Can be mixed with Portland cement and other ingredients to make mortar mix and base coat stucco

[brickie in oz]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

1 part limestone, crushed fine

Do a google on hydrated lime.

[Lancer]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

General question...

There is a limestone mining business a couple hundred meters down the road. A friend of mine here, his wife is related to the owners and can get us in. There I should be able to find very high quality crushed limestone. I'm considering mixing the cement as follows:

1 part limestone, crushed fine
1 part red clay
3 parts sand
1 part Portland cement

What do you folks think?

I don't know if I can find cooked limestone here, or "lime", but I could cook the limestone, at least somewhat, when we fire the bricks, would that be better?

[Lancer]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

cobblerdave, want to ask your opinion on something. I read through the first page of your thread on your build, so far. Very nice btw, great look. Anyway your platform is square and your oven a round dome. Therefore any rain that ends up on the square part of the platform that's not covered or enclosed by the dome tends to "wick" as I think you put it, as wax gets pulled up a wick, into the dome adding moisture. I've come up with a plan and I want to know what you think. My plan is to make the platform round, a circle like the base of the dome, but 3 inches smaller than the dome. Then a 1/4" strip of plywood wrapped around the circular platform. Now build the triple layer dome with the final layer on the outside overlapping and enclosing the platform by 3". When its all set up remove the plywood strip from between the platform and dome. Now there's expansion and contraction joint for differing rates of dome vs platform...no stress cracks. The dome sits on the platform and also encloses it. Any water that lands on the dome runs off like a roof and gets no chance to land on the platform and wick in.

Its just an idea, what do you think, will it help keep out rain?

[Lancer]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

The perlite should remain dry as the only holes into the void will be from the bottom up, for venting moisture out the base while the heat stays up.

The plastic coating you mentioned, I didn't know about that, thanks. I'll make the perlite filled void thicker...was planning 3" thick, I'll go 4". Thanks cobblerdave

Btw, hows the election going down under? I have 2 Aussie friends, one wants change of government the other wants reelection.