36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

The beauty of an oven is in it's performance, not it's appearance.

When I started my goals were to keep under budget, have a short build time, and have one of the tightest builds. The budget went first, the build time next, and at this point functional appears aspirational.

[Tscarborough]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

They are surprisingly forgiving in functional use.

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

I got the shop vac out and cleaned out the dust and debris. I decided to take the plywood out since I was going to need to retape it. I must say it cleaned up nicely and looks pretty good to me.

[cobblerdave]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
Good to here you happy with your work
How is the "home brew mortar" working for you. You have a special perspective being a totally novice bricklayer who has used 2 types of mortar! I would like to here you thoughts as I have only used the homebrew and not the refractory.
Regards dave

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
Good to here you happy with your work
How is the "home brew mortar" working for you. You have a special perspective being a totally novice bricklayer who has used 2 types of mortar! I would like to here you thoughts as I have only used the homebrew and not the refractory.
Regards dave

I definitely find the home brew easier to work with. It seems to be more forgiving and remains workable for a longer time. Still, I probably won't become minimally proficient until I am mortaring in the final brick. Bruce

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Worked on the oven today. In the middle of everything, a cloud burst started and my wife and I were drenched while scurrying to get the tarp on. The rain only lasted 15 minutes or so and I was able to finish the 5th course (above the hearth). Will need to work on the arch and transition. Any guidance would be appreciated. Bruce

[cobblerdave]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
I've only built over a form but I recon its all the same. You need the bricks to connect as neatly as you can. But it's the hardiest part of the oven to see as you would have to slide in the oven on your back to view it so perfection isn't critical.
I'd start by fitting you arch form and dry fitting your arch bricks that modeling clay sounds like a great tool!
Then fit up the course to see how they marry to arch. I did mine by eye so I know that can be done it might take a few experimental cuts but do able.

Arch transition out off the archives.
My thoughts are don't over think it, work on getting one angle first then add the other to the cut and it will come out right
If someone comes in with some more better method that would be good. I would learn something as well
Regards dave

[cobblerdave]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
Well no ones come in with anything so here's how I would go about it.
Cut bricks for the angle of that course . Set them down in position ( that modeling clays a simple idea but should work a treat!) when the final space needs a cut brick take some measurement . Top and bottom inside and out. Transfer the measurement to a brick and connect the points with a drawn line on the brick. Probably end up with a cut on a number of planes. So keep it simple make the first cut vertical dont worry only to take out the bulk of the brick. Turn the brick over and you only have a slither of brick to cut off and you can now tilt it on the cut edge easier than having to cut section off from the middle of the bricks on a number of planes.
With the arch not mortared in it leaves you in the position of being able to cut the arch bricks to better marry into the dome bricks. I know what you are thinking you don't want to take out to much material off the arch least it weakens it right. My thoughts too... But you can always take a bit of the edge to makes things fit easy and I'm thinking that might become most important at the top of the arch as the dome curves in.
Anyway hope somthing in here helps
As always regards
Dave

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
Well no ones come in with anything so here's how I would go about it.
Cut bricks for the angle of that course . Set them down in position ( that modeling clays a simple idea but should work a treat!) when the final space needs a cut brick take some measurement . Top and bottom inside and out. Transfer the measurement to a brick and connect the points with a drawn line on the brick. Probably end up with a cut on a number of planes. So keep it simple make the first cut vertical dont worry only to take out the bulk of the brick. Turn the brick over and you only have a slither of brick to cut off and you can now tilt it on the cut edge easier than having to cut section off from the middle of the bricks on a number of planes.
With the arch not mortared in it leaves you in the position of being able to cut the arch bricks to better marry into the dome bricks. I know what you are thinking you don't want to take out to much material off the arch least it weakens it right. My thoughts too... But you can always take a bit of the edge to makes things fit easy and I'm thinking that might become most important at the top of the arch as the dome curves in.
Anyway hope somthing in here helps
As always regards
Dave

I was able to get started on arch and transition. Slow going so far. I ordered 50 more firebricks today, I have enough on hand for one more course and finishing the arch. Setting the bricks is getting harder because dome is higher and I have to stand. I can manage this for short intervals by locking my knees and leaning on the stand. Bruce

[Wayne73]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

G'day Bruce,
Maybe Ive missed something but you'll need to put together a template to build your arch.
This is what most people do.




and it sounds like you might need an aprentice to get to the higher parts of the dome for you, dare I say it ....maybe the wife

[kbartman]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

and it sounds like you might need an aprentice to get to the higher parts of the dome for you, dare I say it ....maybe the wife

Bruce,

I hope your apprentice will have prettier toes. Wayne's Pizza maybe a little salty.

[Wayne73]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Haha hehe oh my.....prettier toes..I doubt it!

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

G'day Bruce,
Maybe Ive missed something but you'll need to put together a template to build your arch.
This is what most people do.




and it sounds like you might need an aprentice to get to the higher parts of the dome for you, dare I say it ....maybe the wife

Wayne, thanks for the suggestions. I made some forms but had trouble getting them to line up with the actual door. I ended up using the door with wedges underneath and some aluminum flashing over the top. I hope to be able to keep working on my own. I brought the standing issue up to give me a cop out for the erratic mortar work. Bruce

[cobblerdave]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
I recon you know best what you can do my main concern is the wheather. Your summers are about the same as ours the temps are not the worse thing its that humidity that saps you. You take it easy !
Once you get about that arch transition you might consider changing your methods to compensate for the height. You could start to build on a form.
One easy way is to use one of those blow up exercise balls. Put it in the oven blow it up and build to that. I would not be concerned with possible gapes in the mortar , my own dome was built on a form has heaps of gapes and no dome cracks but hairline cracks near the entrance were my mortaring was the best.
At the end a inch of mortar over the dome to lock it in.
Don't ever forget your building a dome which owes it strength to gravity more than the mortar.
Regards dave

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
I recon you know best what you can do my main concern is the wheather. Your summers are about the same as ours the temps are not the worse thing its that humidity that saps you. You take it easy !

Regards dave

Dave, thanks for your concern. Since I can't work very long at a time, I take frequent breaks and cool off. Reminds me of an interview I listened to of a North
Florida bank executive who was retiring after over 50 years (he started as a teller). He was asked what the greatest innovation he had seen in banking over his career (the interviewer clearly expected an answer related to computers). He answered "air conditioning" saying you wouldn't believe how the fans blew all the paper around previously. Bruce