Clay Mortar

[Tscarborough]

Re: Clay Mortar

Yes, it is higher in alumina, but it is not fired. You do not need it anyway, at least not that much of it.

[dimitrisbizakis]

Re: Clay Mortar

20 Euros is a day's work? Geez things are bad in Greece. I feel for you. We will probably spend more than that buying the meat for our Australia Day BBQ today. Take heart and don't give up, mate. The news and opinions websites say the corner has been turned, and Greece will survive.

ONe point I'd like to make about brick dust and its hydraulic properties. I suggest the mud from a wet saw will probably have already hydrated and won't have much in the way of cementitious properties when you go to use it in a mortar.

(offtopic on)
...it's a day's work IF you have a work....yeah, it's ungly here and the bad thing is that people are loosing their hope, only this year there where 2000 suicides!
Greece will survive(as a Country), for the people i don't know, somehow politics don't care for the people, like the think that a Country is just the building's.
The main reason i build the oven is for to bake the week's bread with few firewood for saving some money for the kids.
Anyway, i hope things will get better.
(offtopic off)
As for the mix i thing i will go with just lime, Cement, sand and the clay i have found from the closed clay brick factory.
I'll make some test's with 2 bricks joined and placing them in my firestove to see the results before i make the final dome.
My love to Australia, lot's of our people have been helped there.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Clay Mortar

You don't really need to test it it, will work fine. Remember that mortar is not used to hold bricks together, it is used to hold them apart.

[dimitrisbizakis]

Re: Clay Mortar

You don't really need to test it it, will work fine. Remember that mortar is not used to hold bricks together, it is used to hold them apart.

It's realy nice to hear THAT point of view!
Does make any difference that i don't tamper cut the bricks, even on the top of the dome?

[cobblerdave]

Re: Clay Mortar

Gudday
That's right you don't need perfectly tapered bricks to achieve a perfectly strong and working dome. Just looks better that's all. You'll find that the top of the oven will require 1/4 bricks instead of 1/2s due to the tighter curve
Regards dave

[dimitrisbizakis]

Re: Clay Mortar

Gudday
That's right you don't need perfectly tapered bricks to achieve a perfectly strong and working dome. Just looks better that's all. You'll find that the top of the oven will require 1/4 bricks instead of 1/2s due to the tighter curve
Regards dave

I don't have a water saw, tapered brick's is not an option for me anyhow.
I did search for an angle grinder diamond blade and the cheapest 150mm i found was 40 euros...sooo.. chisel and hammer!
The only problem i have is the curve cut's i need to do on the floor for the dome to sit outside of it.

[Gulf]

Re: Clay Mortar

I don't have a water saw, tapered brick's is not an option for me anyhow.
I did search for an angle grinder diamond blade and the cheapest 150mm i found was 40 euros...sooo.. chisel and hammer!
The only problem i have is the curve cut's i need to do on the floor for the dome to sit outside of it.

Dimitrisbizakis,
There are a lot of succesful builds on this forum with the dome sitting on top of the floor. There are a lot of pros and cons on this subject. But, had I built my oven with only a brick-set, the dome would definately be sitting on top of the floor brick.

[dimitrisbizakis]

Re: Clay Mortar

Thank you wotavidone, one more thing.
I can find only find bags of hydrated lime(with some water in it), is the recipe the same?
How much water i have to add or this is not a big deal?

[dimitrisbizakis]

Re: Clay Mortar

Not sure I understand the question?
We have several products here in Australia.
They are quicklime (or burnt lime) which is Calcium Oxide. This is the stuff you slake with water, and make a lime putty before you use it. Not commonly available where I buy my stuff.

The one I used was hydrated lime (or slaked lime) which is Calcium Hydroxide.
This is the one commonly sold here as brickies lime, plasterers lime, etc.
However both products are dry powder when you get them.
When you say "with some water in it", do you mean it's actually wet when you get it, or do you just mean it has been reacted with water?

It's on a water proof plastic bag and it's like butter, i think this is the lime putty that you said.

[dimitrisbizakis]

Re: Clay Mortar

Wow, genuine lime putty!! I've never seen it and don't know how to use it.
Hopefully someone will tell us what to do with it.
Perhaps the manufacturer?

The funny thing is that I can't find quicklime anywhere!
The masonry building stores have only lime putty, perhaps because it's easyer to steel the costumer with that way
Anyway I think that one part of lime putty has more quicklime in it, so with 3:sand, 0,50:lime putty,1:cement and 1 fireclay I think it will be ok, as far as I know for lime, more of it it won't make any harm.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Clay Mortar

Lime putty is ready to use, just keep it wet until you use it and it will last indefinitely. All mortar measurements are by volume so use it just like dry.

[dimitrisbizakis]

Re: Clay Mortar

Lime putty is ready to use, just keep it wet until you use it and it will last indefinitely. All mortar measurements are by volume so use it just like dry.

Thank you for your help.