the weather, ARGH!

[splatgirl]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

yes, not much complaining from Boy about the chopping wood business other than not having enough time to do it. I gave it a go a few times but the only way I can really get a good swing is if I am standing on something to raise me up. My slightly rearranged shoulder anatomy courtesy of crashing motorcycles doesn't help.

In college my friends called me a guygirl. Maybe my momma didn't raise me right (ok wait, I'm certain she didn't, but that's another subject), but I've never understood the whole man-hobbies vs. women-hobbies thing, or how power tools, whacking on stuff, fire and fast bikes aren't every bit as interesting as baking a cake or sewing pillows for the sofa.

[Archena]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

...

In college my friends called me a guygirl. Maybe my momma didn't raise me right (ok wait, I'm certain she didn't, but that's another subject), but I've never understood the whole man-hobbies vs. women-hobbies thing, or how power tools, whacking on stuff, fire and fast bikes aren't every bit as interesting as baking a cake or sewing pillows for the sofa.

Sigh, okay, here's the deal (your mom should have long since filled you in on this) - there is no real difference. Thing is, the guys like to think there's a difference so they can claim 'man territory'. It makes 'em feel better so we let them - to a degree. Of course, it's also fun to play with their minds so we periodically tease them about fire, cars, sports, weapons and anything else they've laid claim to as a 'man thing'.

It's also a convenient way to dump the stuff we don't want on the guys...

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

For men, sharp things are almost as seductive as burning things.

arch....
you for got things that explode, electronics, pets that will bite you, tools,,,,,,,,

[Archena]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

True. It wasn't meant as an exhaustive list or I would have included things controlled with joysticks, anything ridiculously oversized, anything that can be described as 'high speed'...

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

boys and our toys.........

[paulyboy]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

Sigh......but....but....
I like cooking and sewing and stuff, I'm in touch with my feminine side....honest
Paul

[JAG]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

Guys and Gals,

I just noticed your posts and I just poured my counter top last Wednesday. It turned out better than expected as I experienced a weak spot in my framing, but a few clamps and a lot of panic I got the frame secured and all turned out ok. The total pour was almost 12 cu. ft. (it wraps around the whole oven). I now know why the pros suggest having at least one helper.

The counter is tinted blue with white, black , and blue glass chips embedded in the surface. On the face of the counter I will be applying small square indigo blue mosiac tiles in the 4" strip I built into the form.

I did my initial surface grind yesterday and will be doing some polishing this weekend.

John

[Neil2]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

What are you going to use to finish it ?

After polishing down to 3000 (three thousand) grit, I used a product called "ENRICH'N'SEAL" by Aqua Mix. This stuff is great. It is a "wetting" agent so it brings out the natural colours in the aggregate - you don't end up with a dull grey concrete look. It is also "food safe" and will with stand high temperature. You can put you 1000 degree pots directly on it.

It is a sealer not a coating so you have to achieve your desired degree of finish first with polishing.

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

hey john

countertop looks great.. looking forward to see the finished pics,

cheers
mark

[splatgirl]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

yes. awesome work. That is quite the behemoth of a counter you've got there. I am interested to know how that color does over time. I don't have much experience with additive colorants, and especially not in an outdoor setting and I'm wondering if it will fade? Love how you did that relief for the tile to sit in.

[JAG]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

Thanks Mark, hopefully weather won't hamper the finish to much. Today is already shot, torrential rains and wind forcast for today

Neil2, That coating sounds very interesting, something I will definately check out. I haven't done much shopping in the way of protective coatings, but I will definately start by looking at enrich and seal. I love deep colors that come out with that type of coating "glossy" coating

Splat, You are correct, it is a behemoth. Since I don't have much room for work space on my patio area my plan was to use some of the counter space as a holding/finish prep area. We'll see how that goes, as I can envision it working, but I can also see in my mind a serious log jam happening at the oven opening.

John

[nissanneill]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

John,
great job so far. Don't worry about the log jam at the oven, my outdoor kitchen pizza preparation area is adjacent to the oven (see my avatar) and I end up with a queue waiting to get their 'creation' into the oven.
I used to get the first pizza through but now everyone knows what to do and i am not at the front of the queue any longer. When there are 5 pizzas on the hearth, the others have to wait like waiting for a carpark at the local shopping centre. However, it all works out and clears itself in due course.

Neill

[JAG]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

Thanks Neill for the insight. I figure when the dust settles and everyone has had a chance to eat their wood fired food/pizza they will forget about any logistics issues.

John

[nissanneill]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

They will sort it out so don't worry.
When they are ready for their second or third pizzas, (as I only make my balls around 125g which only makes a 10" pizza base), they will have all down pat.
It is amazing how orderly they become.
I only have one pizza as that is all I can eat, but I do make up extras when everyone else has finished as there are usually spare bases remaining.

Neill

[splatgirl]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

So we are back in the friendly weather here in MN, enjoying a freakishly warm and lovely March and getting rolling again on finishing out my enclosure. You may recall my 40 degree countertop pour from last Fall...the one that I never got to fully finish because of the weather? Yikes. I finally got back to it yesterday...the the longest I have ever let anything go before getting hitting it with the polishing pads.
I've said before that IME any countertop-size job can be finished beautifully with hand pads alone, but the four month cure time on this project meant they did just about nothing. I had to bust out the power tools, and thus the racket of having to run the compressor for my pneumatic wet grinder detracted from the music of the birds in Spring, but I did manage to get it whipped into shape. Photos soon...I have to give it a few days as I had a few boo boo spots that needed to be filled, but in the mean time I'm hoping to finish up the last bits of siding and trim.
Happy Spring, y'all! Looking forward to a full couple of seasons' worth of WFO cookery that don't start with snowblowing a path across the patio. We did end up firing five or six times in the dead of winter and while the pizza was every bit as good, the pizz-eskimo-iolo experience left a bit to be desired.