Rustic Primitive Materials

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Annie,

Go to the HCMuddox web site and it show the distributors, not sure where in the Pacific Northwest you are located but Muddox has distributors in both Washington and Oregon. Hope this helps. At least you have a know qualtity of clay by using this product. I have a ceramic/pottery background and some clays have a really low fluidity temperature, ie earthenware versa stoneware vs porcelain. Just a thought.

[Laurentius]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Those are reasons to keep an eye on you. By the end of this project you're going to be full of helpful information for the newbies. Hang in there and keep on keeping on. Got your back.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Way to go. What clay are you using. Is this why there was talk about a test fire? Fire clay (HC Muddox's mason fire clay) is rather inexpensive I think I paid $10 a bag and used 1.5 bags on my build. Should be able to find at any mason/brick supplier. Good luck.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Type S mortar may or may not have lime in it, use Type S lime if possible.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Tscar is the expert on lime. I defer to him, there has been lengthy discussions on S and N limes. Not in my pay grade.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

IMHO, the home brew is that the WFOs use is tried and tested. I believe you do not have to do a "test" if you use the common 3:1:1:1 ratio that was talked about earlier in you thread. What you will find as a variable is how much water you will need to make the homebrew the right consistency (like peanut butter). Soaking the bricks in water before you slathter on the mortar is a good suggestion. Good luck, will be watching your progress.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Mortar 2 pcs of brick together and throw that into the fire.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Way to go girl. Just like the old time masons.

[cobblerdave]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Gudday Annie
The "home brew " mix has
Sand... The aggregate, the matrix ,all the other parts fill the spaces inbetween the grains
Portland cement ....the "glue " that sets first and holds the show together till the temps of your oven destroys it
Hydrated lime.....the higher temp "glue" that takes over from the Portland getting stronger in the heat
The clay..... Makes the mortar stick better to the brick, let's you squish the brick down if its to high. Slid the brick a bit when not perfect without it the mortar will come away from the brick. It's the part that allows " masonry inpaired" folk like myself to build a 1/2 reasonable oven.
By the way wash that beach sand to remove the salt it weakens mortar and concrete

Regards Dave

[Tscarborough]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Some types of bentonite swell when wet, they are used to line ponds and in the oilfield for that reason (That is not the only reason they are used in drilling mud though). Volcanic bentonite (K-bentonite) doesn't as much, so it should fine fine as far as I know.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Depends. If it is volcanic in origin, yes, if not probably not for the same reasons you used it in the oilfield.

[Gulf]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Tscarborough,
I am familuar with the term bentonite. It is what we called "jell" in the oil patch some years ago. Over here in SE Mississppi, we have varied colors of clay. One of which is a light colored blue. Most are red to a pink color. The blue clay that we have is not very close to the dark color of bentonite. I was just wondering if what Annie M. is referring to is close to what we have.
Before I started my build, this type clay was going to be my "go to" for a earthen/cob type oven. Do you think that it would have been acceptable?

[Tscarborough]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Blue clay is usually bentonite. Are you in a volcanic area?

[Laurentius]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Hi Annie,

I'm here with you until the bitter end! I want to be here when you pull that first loaf of bread out of your oven and yell, "Hot dog, I did it", only to become obsessed in the pursuit of the perfect loaf. I have my reasons, I want others to suffer as I have suffered! No, really , I think that you will use your oven more that most and be very happy with it by building it right. As for the clay mix some and give it a test run.

[Laurentius]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

No, the floor pattern is a matter of choice, like everything else concerning your build. The herringbone pattern is popular because your peel doesn't nick the edge of the brick when sliding in your pizza and it looks classy. Dome on or off firebrick hearth, the same. Some think that they might have to replace a brick or two in the future and the effort will be easier. My mom, used to say: "Six in one hand, half a dozen in the other, still adds up to be twelve".