It's Time to Start

[RCLake]

Re: It's Time to Start

Well Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm finally done with chapter 4 of the e-book. Only 13 chapters to go. My son was home for the holidays and we mixed and poured the concrete for the stand holes and the hearth. Six bags of portland cement, 60 5-gallon pails of sand/gravel mix(lifted 5 times each) and 5 hours of hard work but this phase is done

I would like to thank Dmun for his concrete tutorial in getting to this stage. I didn't rent a mixer for this stage but the mixing wasn't the bad part it was lifting the sand and then the cement that wore me out.

I'll post pictures as soon as my arms can lift the camera up.

By the way I was in Dallas this week and picked up 2 bags of Heat Stop 50 and a strap of 75 fire bricks, so while the kids sleep in I start on the floor design. Oh By The Way, be careful with these brick shops they will try to sell you anything, claiming it is the refractory mortar that you want. I wish shipping wasn't so expensive so I could have ordered it from FB.

[gjbingham]

Re: It's Time to Start

costs a lot.....yes, but it is really cool, huh? Having someone else do the work for you would really cost a bundle. Think about how much money you're saving!

George

[Acoma]

Re: It's Time to Start

RC, I plan on stone exterior too. Who knows though, at time of framing, my mind may change. Sounds similar to each phase of the oven build. We see great ideas to use. Lets see if you keep this idea

[RCLake]

Re: It's Time to Start

Oh by the way I've saved the picture from the previous post from the internet, I think on the FB forum . I'm planning on something like it - it may cost more than the rest of the WFO.

[RCLake]

Re: It's Time to Start

Yes, 8#, two inch thickness would be awesome. Sounds like your price is excellent. Perhaps a third inch and do away with anymore insulation such as vermiculite/concrete/perlcrete. My three inches plus around my 36" plus one inch +/- vermiculite/concrete allow no heat transfer at all.

I had been thinking about a 2 inch blanket and 2 bags of loose vermiculite over it, but you have change my mind to 3" of blanket. The cost trade off is a push. I'm thinking about a stone exterior later so I could always add loose V later

[RCLake]

Re: It's Time to Start

Geeze, I love your property. What water are we looking across? The Gulf, or is that a lake?

We live on Richland Chambers Reservoir, it's the third largest lake in Texas. It was built in 1988 as backup water supply for Fort Worth. We are an hour south of Dallas but the lake isn't overdeveloped. We love it here

[Frances]

Re: It's Time to Start

About Vermiculite, I'd advise to take the medium. Mine was too corse and while it works ok, the insulating layer will be more stable with medium, as the cement is more evenly distributed through it.

Talking of bricks, I got 200 and now have about 65 left over... but they were slightly bigger than the US ones and I made hardly any cuts, so don't listen to me on that one

[gjbingham]

Re: It's Time to Start

Yes, 8#, two inch thickness would be awesome. Sounds like your price is excellent. Perhaps a third inch and do away with anymore insulation such as vermiculite/concrete/perlcrete. My three inches plus around my 36" plus one inch +/- vermiculite/concrete allow no heat transfer at all.

Geeze, I love your property. What water are we looking across? The Gulf, or is that a lake?

[asudavew]

Re: It's Time to Start

The prices I was quoting were for 2", 1" would be half that about $44-55 which is less than ebay and I can avoid shipping. I'm planing on going with the 8# , thinking it is just like a heavier blanket.

8 lb has better insulating qualities.

[RCLake]

Re: It's Time to Start

Check Ebay for ceramic fiber blanket. I think you can find a better price.


George

The prices I was quoting were for 2", 1" would be half that about $44-55 which is less than ebay and I can avoid shipping. I'm planing on going with the 8# , thinking it is just like a heavier blanket.

[Acoma]

Re: It's Time to Start

If you are going to get all the bricks at once, go 300 to be safe. Return the rest if needed, and you also have the opportunity to use best ones too..

[gjbingham]

Re: It's Time to Start

Check Ebay for ceramic fiber blanket. I think you can find a better price.

I'm guessing 230 bricks minimum, depending on how precise you'll be cutting your bricks. I think Ken's Old Kentucky Dome thread has a spreadsheet (which I've never looked at) may detail his brick use.

George

[Les]

Re: It's Time to Start

RC,

I am building a 42". I have already bought 225 brick and I will need more. My approach has me wasting quite a bit of brick though. 2 bags of heat stop will not be enough. I bought one and went through it in a heart beat. Since then, I've been "rolling my own", so I couldn't tell you where I'm going to end up at. I can't answer questions 3 or 4. I went with the 8# thinking it would be better. And for the little delta in price, what's the harm.

Les...

[Acoma]

Re: It's Time to Start

RC, my answer, and they may vary:
1: 200 will not be enough, maybe 75 good ones more.
2: Get 1-3 more, depending on whether you will cover the dome with cladding.
3: Don't know yet.
4: I will go with 2 of the 1"x24"x25' at #8.

[RCLake]

Re: It's Time to Start

I've started my shopping list for the dome construction, hoping to find everything in Dallas. I was able to find someone to order Heat Stop 50 for me, most wanted to sell the wet mix. I got two bags ordered for $50 each and firebricks at $1.02 so happy with that. Found places for vermiculite and kaowool as well at good prices - the price range does vary greatly between vendors/products. I do have questions and would like your advice.

1. I'm doing a 42" with 20" dome - will 200 bricks be sufficient?
2. Is two bags of HS50 enough?
3. What coarse vermiculite is best, fine, medium, coarse, or extra course?
4. I could get 2" Kaowool 6# for $1.85/sf or 8# for $2.22/sf, I assuming the heavier the better but I'm not sure. What is the 6 pound or 8 pound related to, it can't be the sf or a 50sf box would be 300-400 pounds.

NOTE THIS IS AN UPDATE FROM 2/25/2008
I bought 260 firebricks and I have 1/2 brick left, I probably wasted 10 mainly in the arch/vent
I have almost finished my third bag of Heat Stop 50 and I've bevel cut most of my bricks