Oven number two..

[brickie in oz]

Re: Oven number two..

Oh dear, I think I've been doing it wrong all these years!

No, you are absolutely right I shall start tapping from tomorrow onwards, never too old to learn I say, thanks for the tip.

[OzOvenBuilder]

Re: Oven number two..

I never underestimate the prowess and knowledge of an amateur and I always pass on the same teachings to a pro or amateur alike.
Ive seen some awful brickwork over the years done by so called professionals and some absolutely gorgeous work done by the weekend warrior.
So I never patronise one particular group.

...Nor do I patronise thank you. As a qualified Trainer & Assessor one of the pre-requisites is to figure out how the student best learns, visually, verbally, physically and/or academically. While only giving advice on here I try to make it as generic as possible.



If you need to tap the brick you need to adjust the mortar to suit the conditions of the brick and the weather, a gentle squash and rub into place with the brick should suffice to align and get the brick laid.



Back in 1971 in my first week of my apprenticeship the head of bricklaying said that "only blacksmiths need to tap, adjust the mortar to suit", Ive carried that with me since.
There are lots of vids on youtube with lots of tappers.
In production work you should spread enough mortar to enable a perpend of mortar to be quizzed out, called the snots, the snots should then become the next perpend.
If you tap you have to throw the mortar back onto the mortar board in order to tap, you then have to bend down and scoop up more mortar to apply the next perpend, lay 1000 bricks and thats an extra 1000 movements you had to do that werent required.

I have a bricklayer mate and we help each other out on occasions, he used to be a tapper, it was the way he was taught, every time he tapped I used to say "$1" because thats what it was costing him, with every tap I was laying an extra brick to him.
He now doesnt tap.

One of my vids.
Laying to a line - YouTube

Oh dear, I think I've been doing it wrong all these years!

[david s]

Re: Oven number two..

I totally agree with you Al, but what I meant is that for an amateur where time is not really a crucial factor, it wouldn't hurt to tap your bricks to help position them, but it is interesting to learn what the professionals do.

[brickie in oz]

Re: Oven number two..

So it's really only a time thing and does not effect the quality or strength of the joint. I probably tap every third brick to get an exact level. (I am not a fast bricklayer)

Most oven builders on this forum are looking to up skill their knowledge base and to learn from those that have the skills to pass one, thats why we are all here, me included.
So while here why not up skill your bricklaying knowledge too?

[david s]

Re: Oven number two..

So it's really only a time thing and does not effect the quality or strength of the joint. I probably tap every third brick to get an exact level. (I am not a fast bricklayer)

[Johnny the oven man]

Re: Oven number two..

Good post Brickie, I got told "tapping" was for dancers.

[brickie in oz]

Re: Oven number two..

Most of the people I've come across here are not qualified and/or experienced tradesmen (Bricklaying), and any advice/comments I make would be with this in mind.

I never underestimate the prowess and knowledge of an amateur and I always pass on the same teachings to a pro or amateur alike.
Ive seen some awful brickwork over the years done by so called professionals and some absolutely gorgeous work done by the weekend warrior.
So I never patronise one particular group.

I'm sure alot of oven builders here have experienced the moisture from their mortar/clay/adhesive being sucked up before their eyes, then having to reapply over again. The few taps I do give ensure my firebricks are laid where I want them and straight too!

If you need to tap the brick you need to adjust the mortar to suit the conditions of the brick and the weather, a gentle squash and rub into place with the brick should suffice to align and get the brick laid.

Could you please let the readers know why it's bad practice to tap a brick?

Back in 1971 in my first week of my apprenticeship the head of bricklaying said that "only blacksmiths need to tap, adjust the mortar to suit", Ive carried that with me since.
There are lots of vids on youtube with lots of tappers.
In production work you should spread enough mortar to enable a perpend of mortar to be quizzed out, called the snots, the snots should then become the next perpend.
If you tap you have to throw the mortar back onto the mortar board in order to tap, you then have to bend down and scoop up more mortar to apply the next perpend, lay 1000 bricks and thats an extra 1000 movements you had to do that werent required.

I have a bricklayer mate and we help each other out on occasions, he used to be a tapper, it was the way he was taught, every time he tapped I used to say "$1" because thats what it was costing him, with every tap I was laying an extra brick to him.
He now doesnt tap.

One of my vids.
Laying to a line - YouTube

[OzOvenBuilder]

Re: Oven number two..

Tapping any brick into place is bad practice and shouldnt be needed if you make your mortar right.

It takes practice but the brick should be gently coaxed into place, zen like, once you get the hang of it you can increase the speed of laying.

Most of the people I've come across here are not qualified and/or experienced tradesmen (Bricklaying), and any advice/comments I make would be with this in mind.

I'm sure alot of oven builders here have experienced the moisture from their mortar/clay/adhesive being sucked up before their eyes, then having to reapply over again. The few taps I do give ensure my firebricks are laid where I want them and straight too!

Could you please let the readers know why it's bad practice to tap a brick?

[brickie in oz]

Re: Oven number two..

hi could anyone please help me find pizza oven floor/stone for my homemade wood pizza oven

You would be better off starting your own thread as more ppl will see it.

[brickie in oz]

Re: Oven number two..

it gives me another 10 seconds to tap the brick to exactly where I need it. I've never had any issues curing the oven after using this method.

Tapping any brick into place is bad practice and shouldnt be needed if you make your mortar right.

It takes practice but the brick should be gently coaxed into place, zen like, once you get the hang of it you can increase the speed of laying.

[jevola]

Re: Oven number two..

hi could anyone please help me find pizza oven floor/stone for my homemade wood pizza oven

[OzOvenBuilder]

Re: Oven number two..

If the temp were 100 degrees with a stiff wind, you might want to wet the brick, but short of that there is need or reason to ever soak (soak being immerse and leave for a period of time) brick.

The reason masonry specifications are written as they are is to allow for a wide latitude in how the mortar is mixed. Adjust the mortar, not the bricks.

Thankfully there are not alot of bricks that require this sort of wetting. I'd say the worst I had (only a mildly warm day of 30dg C) was a new brick which was a clinker style, it was so porous I had to have a hose running on the stack along the entire side of the house. The main reason was I could only spread enough mortar to lay one of two bricks, as it was sucking up all the moisture in the mortar before I had a chance, probably about 10-15 seconds and it was firm!
On the other hand I've used glazed bricks that have taken 24hrs to even look like starting to harden (cooler weather). Lay 12-15 courses and I'd have to leave it until at least the next day to lay any higher!

I always soak fire bricks for about 5 to 10 seconds in a bucket prior to laying, for the simple fact that it gives me another 10 seconds to tap the brick to exactly where I need it. I've never had any issues curing the oven after using this method.

[brickie in oz]

Re: Oven number two..

Going through some old pics on my computer and I came across this one, its one of the first schools ever built in Ballarat at the time of the goldrush.

Looks like my oven.

I knew I was influenced by something.

Spot the difference....

[brickie in oz]

Re: Oven number two..

Do you have any picks of your oven door build?

Here.
http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f28/...oor-15671.html

[gummz]

Re: Oven number two..

Thanks for the speedy reply Brickie,

Do you have any picks of your oven door build?

Cheers,

Gummz