36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

[cobblerdave]

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

Gudday
Just seen your door in your last pic. I must say that's turned out well! You must be happy with that
Regards dave

[Bec1208]

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

Gudday
Just seen your door in your last pic. I must say that's turned out well! You must be happy with that
Regards dave

First time I've been upstaged by a door.

I am pretty pleased with it. I haven't had a chance to finish it but I think the hard parts are done. I just hope warping is not a problem. Bruce

[Bec1208]

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

I have an arch. I ended up using the brute force and massive ignorance approach. Will finish up the transition tomorrow.

[UtahBeehiver]

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

Bruce,

Your persistence and determination is inspiring to me. Keep it up and soon there will be an oven for you.

[Bec1208]

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

Bruce,

Your persistence and determination is inspiring to me. Keep it up and soon there will be an oven for you.

Thanks, I appreciate the encouragement. Feels good to see the dome take shape. Bruce

[Bec1208]

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

Bruce,
Keep it up and soon there will be an oven for you.

In the meantime (until I have a WFO), I made a Sicilian pizza using the home oven.

[cobblerdave]

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

I have an arch. I ended up using the brute force and massive ignorance approach. Will finish up the transition tomorrow.

Gudday Bruce
Well I must say that's very satisfying to see the full arch up and the dome outline is really clear. It's not been that long since the first bricks covered the CF board ......2 mths ( with a holiday in there too) so that's not that long.
Just a Quik thought on the entrance to the oven do you really need one? Im serious here, now your in the chair pretty much level with the line of the hearth. Smoke and heat for you from the top of your entrance will not be an issue.
Anyway something to think about and you can always stick a few sticks of wood in there any find out when the dome complete
Anyway enjoy seeing your oven progress (probably not as much you)
Your a champ
Regards dave

[Bec1208]

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

Gudday Bruce

Just a Quik thought on the entrance to the oven do you really need one? Im serious here, now your in the chair pretty much level with the line of the hearth. Smoke and heat for you from the top of your entrance will not be an issue.
Anyway something to think about and you can always stick a few sticks of wood in there any find out when the dome complete
Anyway enjoy seeing your oven progress (probably not as much you)
Your a champ
Regards dave

Interesting thought about entrance. Had always assumed entry and chimney were pretty much a given. Would there be any worry about live embers coming out front? Curious if there are some other opinions on this. I think I will at least fire up and try it out. Thanks, Bruce

[Bec1208]

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

Important Announcement:

We have achieved transition.

[cobblerdave]

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

Gudday
Three strong things of the natural world meet! The dome The arch .... And Bruce's determination!!!!!
Well done I'm happy for you
Regards Dave

[Bec1208]

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

Thanks Dave, you know the arch and transition had me worried from the beginning of the build. I ended up bulling my way through using shims and mortar to make up for lack of planning. It feels like a big milestone and I have been grinning all day.

I have 2 1/2 bags of refractory motar left. I would like to use it to add thermal mass to the dome. Do I use it just mixed with water or do I add sand, fireclay, or the accumulated sludge from the brick cutting?

[cobblerdave]

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

Gudday
It's pretty universal I think that arch transition . There is no easy way every one of us has to do it cold and lonely. But the thing is you have got this far with the build the effort to pull the thing apart and bury it in the backyard and hid the evidence is just to big. You just have to tough it out and finish that transition everything after this will seem easy!
As for using the left over mortar for a sparging layer ... Good idea. Add sand good. Add fireclay ...perhaps not , it's unfired and will probably lead to cracking. Keep it for entrance(?) mortar to make it sticky and workable perhaps. The sludge from the brick cutting is fired so its more like sand , an aggregate so use it if you wish.
As for the entrance V no entrance I'm still thinking of more to add to that. But think about you local breezes and wind direction season by season it could have bearing on your oven use?
Anyway off to watch "state of Origin" football ( rugby league ) tonight. bugger which team you support its players from all teams lined up state by state. Tribalism at its best!
Regards dave

[Bec1208]

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

Gudday
It's pretty universal I think that arch transition . There is no easy way every one of us has to do it cold and lonely. But the thing is you have got this far with the build the effort to pull the thing apart and bury it in the backyard and hid the evidence is just to big. You just have to tough it out and finish that transition everything after this will seem easy!

Well the transition is finished and the arch is cleared. Ran out of brick to finish the course. Should be able to pick up the bricks tomorrow afternoon. I cleaned up the dome and took the plywood out. I'll attach a few pictures.

As for using the left over mortar for a sparging layer ... Good idea. Add sand good. Add fireclay ...perhaps not , it's unfired and will probably lead to cracking. Keep it for entrance(?) mortar to make it sticky and workable perhaps. The sludge from the brick cutting is fired so its more like sand , an aggregate so use it if you wish.

Any more advice for the sparging layer?

As for the entrance V no entrance I'm still thinking of more to add to that. But think about you local breezes and wind direction season by season it could have bearing on your oven use?

I'm thinking I might go ahead and insulate the dome and cure the oven without the entrance. I suspect I will end up adding the entrance but it depends on my experience without it.

Anyway off to watch "state of Origin" football ( rugby league ) tonight. bugger which team you support its players from all teams lined up state by state. Tribalism at its best!
Regards dave

Hope your tribe won. Bruce

[cobblerdave]

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

Gudday Bruce
Sorry at the end of a long hard day .....gather some sleep and some thoughts

regards dave

[cobblerdave]

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

Gudday Bruce
Putting on a sparing layer gives you a chance to practice some rendering . I don't find it easy but doable . Basically it's loading up a steel float and with one motion pushing it Up onto the surface and keeping the pressure pushing it up along the surface at 45 degree to the starting point. Once on leave it be,start smoothing it to early and it will fall off. Smoothing comes later when the mortar starts to set. I'm sure you u tube a demo ... A pictures worth a thousand words.
Back on the entrance V no entrance. I would take a few bricks which you can stack on on either side on see how they effect your operation of the oven. Do a dry run with a peel and push around a bit of wood around with a stick and see how it works with and without. Can't hurt but it will not tell how it will ultimately work with a fire in there.
I'm waiting to see that final keystone go in ! Not as daunting now you have gone past the transition is it
By the way Queensland Won !in fact they kicked butt! That's one apiece now with the final decider in 2 weeks ....go Queensland!!!!
Regards dave