Hi all from Aussie

[david s]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

The larger the pieces of refractory are the more likely they are to crack. Having said that 230 mm square is not really large and I think you should be quite ok. It is better not to mortar the floor bricks IMO because the gaps allow for the expansion movement. The gaps will soon fill with ash anyway. If you ever have to replace any of the floor bricks, which is unlikely, it is much simpler if they are not mortared.

[Aussie Pete]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

Not sure what bricks you got then, mine are perfectly flat & straight edge (not rounded), & they seem to be pretty square, and they butt up to each other very nicely. I wouldn't worry too much about a little gaps, you need that for expansion anyway i think.
With the dome, dont you lay the bricks with a bit or mortar as you go around the circle...(not sure though), that would eliminate air gaps between the bricks .
wheres the pics Rob??

[robertjusher]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

HI Aussie Pete.
I used 230mm sq becouse I thought it would be easier to use less bricks and fewer joints.
I had a bit of a play with mine this afternoon and the 230sq's might not have been that good an idea. I tried my best but seem to have gaps betwwen them apx 1mm at the widest. The bricks are crap, not square, not straight and have curved edges.
But I hope still work well.
Seems to be flat and no ridges to catch a peel. If not I can pour a 15mm thick refractory mortar base over the floor , but should be fine......?
I got my arch started and 2 rows around the base tonight, I need to work out wedge sizes to begin the next course.
I have a question for the group-
After the dome is built I then want to fill in the gaps with homebrew mortar. How do I ensure that when rendering the mortar over the brick that there is no air pockets in the narrow gaps at the points where the bricks join.
I am thinking that pockets of air will cause expansion problems when heated and cause cracks?
Is this a problem or am I just dreaming up a new problem?

Thanks for the eye tip AL!!
Rob

[brickie in oz]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

I gave it a good going tonight with a powered mixer ( work drill) and seems ok. Still quite thick.

Dont get it in your eye or its a trip to emergency.

[brickie in oz]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

Cant help with the tiles sorry, not my area of expertise.

[Aussie Pete]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

Rob, our decision to go the 230 SQ fire bricks 3", is something i'm interested to know if is the right one or not (is there a right & wrong answer??). Majority of the builders here just use the 230 x 115 bricks on their side or flat, is that because:

a. all they thought of
b. couldn't get anything bigger
c. is all they could get.

what would retain heat better, a large surface area brick, or more smaller bricks?. Does it even matter?

My thinking was it would retain and capsulate more heat because of the surface area. Surely a larger brick would retain more heat than a smaller one.

I've done no further work on my oven, work . Unfortunately work is a necessary evil. Hoping to do more work on weekend, hopefully get most of tiling on base done or even finished, will post more pics as i go (if i remember).

Al, i have a question for you ( or anyone for that matter)..... as you know i have the sandstone tiles on the top, in my lack of tiling professionalism the tile glue wasnt as thick as it probably should of and a few of the tiles have slightly (ever so slightly) sunken, so that a few of the tiles arent exactly level, (nothing that requires pulling them up or anything), how or what can i do to fix it up. My finished effect will be grout in between the tiles (not sure of color) & the grout nice level & flat, then i'll seal it. Nice & flat, so i can move plates & glasses around easily without them catching on the tile edges.
I've thought of sanding the tile edges down a bit, so there all nice and flat, but not sure on what type of sander or how rough to go, would i need to sand then do some kind of polishing to it...just not sure. the tiles have got that nice rainbow effect through it, so it should still look normal even after sanding.

Any thoughts??

[robertjusher]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

Thanks Al
I gave it a good going tonight with a powered mixer ( work drill) and seems ok. Still quite thick. I did a few bricks tonight on the arch , so I see how it goes. It had 10mm or so of liquid on top and steadly got stiffer towards the bottom. Any thing less then perfect and the drum goes back. I don't need help making a mess of this.
Aussie , I have not got insulation yet. I will have some down time soon to sort out the last of the shopping list. Still to choose tiles, pavers,etc... Igot 75 mm thick 230 sq bricks for my floor. should hold plenty of heat.
Rob

[brickie in oz]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

T The airset is very solid and will requie some serious mixing.

Sounds like its going off, Id take it back, it should be like thickish custard, without the skin.

[Aussie Pete]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

when a "Mandarinian" logs on, let me know

[Aussie Pete]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

yeh i got the SQ 230 x 230 blocks for the floor 3" thick, how thick did u get.
i already have all the blanket & fireclay. Am thinking of buying more blanket though, let me know what prices you got, we may be able to buy extra, might save on costs?
I'm getting some calsil board also.

[robertjusher]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

The oven at clay pave gets lit on the odd SAturday morning. It's one of their kits. You will need a small forrest to get that thing hot !
My bill was for 100 standard size fire bricks, 15 arch bricks (cheating), 20x 230mm SQ blocks for the base, fire clay and a drum of air set cement. The airset is very solid and will requie some serious mixing.
Just need to price insulation blanket,or maybe vermicemnt?
Then render, then tiles, then finish cureing then Pizza....
Next hand op in less then 2 weeks so the build will stop for a month or so,,,

[Aussie Pete]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

i must have got of lightly, my firebrick bill was only about $150 or so, not doing the pompeii thing, so understandable i suppose.
Hey Rob, did you see claypaves pizza oven out the front...dont think they use it much.

[cobblerdave]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

Gudday
I brought 100 firebricks at first ,the child saw the bill and was not impressed.....didn't show her the bill for the next 75

Regards Dave

[robertjusher]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

DAMM RAIN
I get a day offf and it rains all day so far.
I did get toClaypave and have left $575.00 poorer but have most of what I need.
On with the build !

[robertjusher]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

Thanks Al
My thoughs as well. Why make life hard !
I think cutting bricks is notgoing to be a strong point.
Total refractory does not have a price list online but Daren is very helpful and knows all prices off the top of his head and is easy enough to get on the phone.
Rob