laying 2nd, 3rd 4th..... courses

[jmargush]

I am planning a build for this summer and have been thinking through the build.
I have a question about cutting and laying bricks on the courses following the soldier course.

As the bricks angle in to follow the dome the top of the brick travels on a tighter radius than the bottom leaving a gap between two side by side bricks at the bottom.

Is the best action to take here, to cut the sides of the bricks at an angle so there is no or very small gap?

I attached an image from a model to illustrate what I am questioning

[jnhall]

Re: laying 2nd, 3rd 4th..... courses

I'm in the same process as you. Your illustration that you attached makes it look as if you're proposing to lay up your brick in a soldier fashion and the first course is a stretcher fashion. I too am finding that I need to cut a portion of each brick to work with the arch in both directions, so I've been cutting the brick (with a tile wet saw)using compound cuts. The premixed refractory mortar I'm using (and in some other research) said not to go over 1/4" thickness with the mortar. I've back filled some of my joints with a mixture of commercial grade mortar mix and vermiculite. I'll post photos when I format them to be compliant.

[jmargush]

Re: laying 2nd, 3rd 4th..... courses

I am not familiar with the term Stretcher can you explain what that means?

[Gulf]

Re: laying 2nd, 3rd 4th..... courses

Jm, I would lay those brick flat.
Jn, I would use the grog from the wet saw, not vemiculite to make a pointing mix.
Just sayin'
Jw .

[jmargush]

Re: laying 2nd, 3rd 4th..... courses

Not sure I follow by what you mean by flat. they have to angle up at the back edge to follow the dome shape.

[jmargush]

Re: laying 2nd, 3rd 4th..... courses

I think i know what you mean now I have the second course turned up on end not what i meant to do. I'll change it in the model

[jmargush]

Re: laying 2nd, 3rd 4th..... courses

Even with them laid down on the way I should have had them, There are still gaps which increase as you go up the dome. the third course has a gap of approx .375" and the next about .5".

How much gap can you have toward the inside of the dome?

[Volongo]

Re: laying 2nd, 3rd 4th..... courses

Even with them laid down on the way I should have had them, There are still gaps which increase as you go up the dome. the third course has a gap of approx .375" and the next about .5".

How much gap can you have toward the inside of the dome?

Solutions to your Inverted V question.

Choose one between the two methods below to fix it. Essentially, you need to taper and bevel the sides.

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f28/...tilt-2802.html

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f28/...ble-16780.html

Spreadsheet for side taper angle and bevel.

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f28/...tor-18131.html

[jmargush]

Re: laying 2nd, 3rd 4th..... courses

Thanks

That is what I was envisioning but just wanted to make sure that this is the best way to proceed.

[RandyJ]

Re: laying 2nd, 3rd 4th..... courses

You don't have to angle from front to back. Just bevel the sides to get rid of the inverted v. It just takes a little more mortar to fill everything in.

Randy

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: laying 2nd, 3rd 4th..... courses

Skip the soldiers and go horizontal from course one, which makes for a stronger dome. If you go vertical for the first three or four courses you end up with the same vertical profile as soldiers anyway.

You can taper your bricks from front to back, but if you don't, can simply fill the gaps with mortar. The bevels (all the way to the plug) are mandatory if you want clean mortar joints.

Read through Lee's compilation of builds here and you'll be golden:

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f2/n...res-15133.html

[RandyJ]

Re: laying 2nd, 3rd 4th..... courses

If you skip the taper you will go through a lot of mortar. I went through 4 50#bags of sand, 50# of fireclay more than half of my bags of lime and portland. So like 275# of mortar, but I have no worries about anything going anywhere. Plus I have about a half inch of cladding. As I went if I did not have enough to do the next brick I smeared it on the outside of the dome. It is not how everyone else does it but I wanted a little extra thermal mass for extended baking ability. Or at least that is what I am hoping for.

Randy

[Wozza]

I don't have a brick saw and will try to complete my build without getting one. I've started the 4th course and that inverted V is becoming apparent. Rather than filling them with mortar (I've just bought all I need for Home Brew) I was wondering if I could cut a brick into 20mm slices with an angle grinder and a bolster and then cut triangles to fit into those inverted Vs. A little mortar in the gap and then press the pieces in. It would look a bit like a mosaic and it won't save a lot of mortar, but it would be a good smooth finish.

[RandyJ]

I am sure others will chime in but that sounds like an enormous amount of cutting with a grinder. Are you talking about going 20mm wide by how wide your brick is?

Randy

[Wozza]

I am sure others will chime in but that sounds like an enormous amount of cutting with a grinder. Are you talking about going 20mm wide by how wide your brick is?

Randy

No, not the whole depth of the brick.

I think I could cut a 'slice' of a brick with an angle grinder by cutting around four sides and then a tap with a bolster to give me the full cross section of the brick but just approximately 20m-25mm thick. Then cut that 'slice' into a few triangular shapes to match the inverted V gap. Fill the gap with a little mortar then press the cut piece of brick into it.

I won't get the opportunity to try this until the weekend. Maybe trying to 'slice' the brick will just break it. Just thinking out loud at the moment...