Up up and away (dome)

[hubert_s]

Re: Up up and away (dome)

Beehiver good call I fixed it. Rod in center of brick .

Hubert our lap top doesn't have open office? They
Want 10$ month for it???

I have OpenOffice on my Mac and it was free. There is also LibreOffice.

IT looks a lot better now.

[Bubb]

Re: Up up and away (dome)

I have OpenOffice on my Mac and it was free. There is also LibreOffice.

IT looks a lot better now.

I'm in no way computer smart? I've wasted
Last hour trying to bring up? Could I ask
A favor for a screen shot of what I need?
My arm is 3 1/2" off floor 42" dome? I'm
Sorry bout that? Just can't get it to open?

[hubert_s]

Re: Up up and away (dome)

Bubb, how tall is your first course? Can't tell from the picture.

Do you think you could modify your IT to be a bit lower? The 3 1/2" will get added to the height of the dome.

[hubert_s]

Re: Up up and away (dome)

Bubb,

I have to go watch Germany play, so I went ahead and made a spreadsheet for you assuming 4 1/2" for the first course. I hope it is what you are looking for. Double-check that the inputs are correct (orange fields on left).

[Bubb]

Re: Up up and away (dome)


Checking the arch as to make sure I don't
Get into trouble, but looks good? Going to go
Inside and read up on those jigs. Over all
Happy so far... I'm anxious to get dome up
Above door opening.

[Bubb]

Re: Up up and away (dome)

Bubb,

I have to go watch Germany play, so I went ahead and made a spreadsheet for you assuming 4 1/2" for the first course. I hope it is what you are looking for. Double-check that the inputs are correct (orange fields on left).

Gotta it!!! Made my jig and it's working like a champ!
Pertty sure I got a handle on making the (pies) smaller
As I go up in rows. The dimensions on far right are my
Go to measurements. Finished the arch just before dark.
Thanks for all the help and tips along the way. She is
Coming along nicely.

[Bubb]

Re: Up up and away (dome)


Coming along. Been at it a few hours every day

[Bubb]

Re: Up up and away (dome)

Bubb,

I have to go watch Germany play, so I went ahead and made a spreadsheet for you assuming 4 1/2" for the first course. I hope it is what you are looking for. Double-check that the inputs are correct (orange fields on left).

I've been using the numbers off this and going along nice.
But for the upper courses they seem big? I've been trying
To find pics of the outside of a 42" to reference? But it has
All remaning courses 4" on the outside? Wouldn't that also
Need to get smaller at the top last few courses?

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Up up and away (dome)

Here's a pic of the last few course of my 42" my brick width at this point was 3.5" because that is what I had left (my main bricks were abt 5.75" wide). The outside width did not change a lot until the last one or two courses but the inside does with the increase bevel and taper.

[hubert_s]

Re: Up up and away (dome)

I've been using the numbers off this and going along nice.
But for the upper courses they seem big? I've been trying
To find pics of the outside of a 42" to reference? But it has
All remaning courses 4" on the outside? Wouldn't that also
Need to get smaller at the top last few courses?

Bubb, looks really good so far!

You can make the bricks smaller if you want or keep them the same on the outside. If you do the latter, you will have to pay more attention to keeping your joints staggered.

If you reduce the brick size, you also have to reduce bevel and taper angles. I tried to make the bottom width of each new course's bricks the same width as the top of the bricks on the previous course. This way, the mortar joints are always in the middle. At some point, I went back to larger bricks and made the bricks 50% wider to have mortar joints align at 1/4 and 3/4 of the brick width. I think this method uses a few more bricks versus keeping them all the same width, but you don't have to cut smaller or larger bricks to keep the joints staggered.

Looking at your picture, I would suggest reducing the bevel angle. It looks like some of the bricks are touching on the outside and have a larger gap on the inside. If you reduce the bevel angle, you can avoid this and have tighter joints on the inside. It does not really matter if there is a 1/4" or even larger gap at the outside, nobody will see it.

[Bubb]

Re: Up up and away (dome)

Hubet you read my mind. I couldn't figure what was causing that. So on my jig reduce
the angle stop? Some cuts are pretty close and
Some have a small gap which I fill like a mad beaver.
One or two more courses and I think I'm going to fill with sand.

[hubert_s]

Re: Up up and away (dome)

Bubb, I don't know what your jig looks like. You need to reduce the angle that is labeled "Side angle" in the spreadsheet. It varies from 4.4 to 3.9 degrees in the spreadsheet I posted. Reduce that so that you get a 1/4" gap or so at the outside. If you decide to cut smaller wedges as you go up the dome, you will have to reduce that angle more and more to keep the gap and reduce the other angle as well compared to the spreadsheet.

Do you plan on making a form out of sand for the top courses? I used home brew mortar and found a form unnecessary. I set the last course by hand without IT and had no problem with the bricks sliding. Give it a try, might save you a lot of trouble with the sand form and the cleanup afterwards.

[Bubb]

Re: Up up and away (dome)

I will back off the side angle to 3• I'm at 4• now.
As for the angled cut not sure how to tackle the
10, 14,25 degree cuts? I hit the bottom of the saw now?
I have a harbor freight 10" but lifted up the whole
Way and the jig takes up room too? How are you using the
Jig and cutting that step a angle and getting the brick
Under and threw the saw?

[Bubb]

Re: Up up and away (dome)


My jig.

The last angle 25• won't fit! Blade hits jig?
Are you guys modifying the jig for last angles?

[hubert_s]

Re: Up up and away (dome)

The last angle 25? won't fit! Blade hits jig?
Are you guys modifying the jig for last angles?

Bubb, the saw head on my saw tilts, so I did not use a jig like yours. I would try to move the jig's pivot point to the left side of the blade and cut the base right there. Or even easier, unscrew the hinge from the top of the jig, slide the base plate to the left and fasten the hinge where the slot in your top plate is. You may have to cut the right side of the top plate a little or use a thicker base plate to prevent the right side of the jig/brick from hitting the sled.

Hope this makes sense. If it doesn't, let me know and I'll try to make a sketch.