It's Time to Start

[Frances]

Re: It's Time to Start

...I'm not even going to go there...

[gjbingham]

Re: It's Time to Start

Oh, I've got my sags too. Easy to overlook, if you never look in a mirror! Any cracks, I've only got one. My oven's a different story

[RCLake]

Re: It's Time to Start

Given that I put concrete blocks down the center I didn't think a middle leg would be needed. So what if it sags, sorry to say so do I.

[Frances]

Re: It's Time to Start

I used a middle leg.


It's still there in fact. I'll have to saw it out, but haven't go round to it yet.

[gjbingham]

Re: It's Time to Start

No one will look under there and fault you for a little sag.

I did use a middle leg and it turned out perfectly in the middle. My plywood was a bit warped on one edge so I shimmed a leg out on the cantalevered edge area, attempting to approximate the desired depth of concrete once the weight of the pour flattened out the concrete. I misjudged and got my sag there. One of many little things that I notice but no one else seems to.

Only a half a brick left? Perhaps you should frame it??

[RCLake]

Re: It's Time to Start

NOTE THAT I'VE UPDATED A COUPLE OF POSTS
1. Material quantity, I've bought 260 firebricks and have 1/2 brick remaining, I'd guess I wasted about 10 bricks, mainly in the arch/vent area plus all the debris from the bevel cuts.
2. I'm almost finished with my third bag of Heat Stop 50.
3. I'd suggest insert legs in the center area of the plywood before pouring the hearth. I removed my forms today and even with cement block wall in the center I notice the weight of the hearth had bowed the OSB down a bit.

Hope this helps someone.

[RCLake]

Re: It's Time to Start

One of the Christmas presents I received this year was a dough docker, I was so happy to be able to say what it was thanks to an answer I recently recieved on this forum. I also recieved a peel, infrared gun and a scale so maybe the family is buying into my obsession, or I'm just hard to buy for.

[RCLake]

Re: It's Time to Start

Mixing with the mixer is really worthwhile for the big slabs.

For the slab it was a great help, I couldn't figure a way to raise it to a level that would allow the mix to pour out into the hearth without raising the mixer a lot higher. If I did that I'm not sure I could fill the mixer up so decided not to rent the mixer and mix in a garden wagon instead.
For a slab it worked great

[RCLake]

Re: It's Time to Start

Here are a couple of shots after the pour. We did the stand and hearth at the same time to connect them better. From now on I won't have to get something done all at once. I think I'll enjoy that.

[RCLake]

Re: It's Time to Start

A couple of pictures of the forming before the pour. I did some of the rebar as a "U" to help tie the two sides together. Also copy an idea from Ken by tieing the two side boards together with wire turnbuckles. I didn't notice any movement in the form so not sure if it helped, but it sure didn't hurt

NOTE THIS IS AN UPDATE FROM 2/25/2008
I remove the form today and even with a brick wall in the center I noticed that the weight of the hearth had bowed the plywood down a little. I used 7/16" OSB and I would suggest having an additional leg in the center of the plywood.

[Acoma]

Re: It's Time to Start

Uh oh,
You'll soon be dreaming of setting bricks, row after row, on your dome... Just enjoy the few moments in which you're fully engrossed in your vision... The thrill of the dome building disappears so quickly...
G.

George, there are the exceptions. Working with 16" space on perimeter due to the tent over an oven...and the limited hours due to 20-30 degree temps. Well, it still has its addiction. I agree, every day you think of the next thing to get done. And George, where are your latest photos?

[gjbingham]

Re: It's Time to Start

Uh oh,
Your life, as you know it, has ended. You'll soon be dreaming of setting bricks, row after row, on your dome. It'l pass too quickly. Just enjoy the few moments in which you're fully engrossed in your vision, that which no others understand. The thrill of the dome building disappears so quickly. Enjoy.

BTW, looks like a great BBQ/outdoor kitchen in the works. I look forward to seeing your progress.

G.

[RCLake]

Re: It's Time to Start

I thought I would post some pictures of my progress. First on the stand, my wife was out of town with the camera so these are from my phone, so quality is so so.
1) I went with a "H" stand so I can store firewood from both sides, otherwise whatever was in the back would stay there.
2) Then I went without a lentil, making the opening larger. I did use angel iron glued on to tie the two sides together and with the center wall I figured the vast majority of the dome will be secure.

[dmun]

Re: It's Time to Start

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.

You're more than welcome. It must be pretty well buried at this point. I put that information together because I couldn't find anything useful on the internet.

Mixing with the mixer is really worthwhile for the big slabs.

[gjbingham]

Re: It's Time to Start

You noticed that too about the masonry supply places. They all gave me a dumb look when I asked for low-duty fire brick, then kind of nod and say "yup, we've got firebrick".