Getting my barrel started!

[Tscarborough]

Re: Getting my barrel started!

Excellent. It does look like there are a few areas that it wouldn't hurt to tuckpoint.

[NCMan]

Re: Getting my barrel started!

Congrats on your first fire. Enjoy!!

[Rotterdam]

Re: Getting my barrel started!

A pic of first fire.

[Rotterdam]

Re: Getting my barrel started!

I'm feeling good about a career as a mason! The last two wedges squeezed into the center of the arch, with my biggest hammer. I was so confident in the strength to pulled the supports. As I predicted the plywood forms I had to burn out. But before I started the fire on a bet from my statistician wife I stood on top of the arch! Lots of good feelings of accomplishment here.

If I had the arch to do over what took me two weeks would be done in two days. Although I am proud that the arch was uniform from front to back with my last two wedged bricks being dropped in pre-mortared together.


Did most of you builders just take a grinding wheel to the inside to get rid of the excess?

Did anyone go back to fill in the few gaps on the inside ?

[Rotterdam]

Re: Getting my barrel started!

David thanks for the feedback. I'll keep that in mind when I cutting. I think ill use the bigg stuff indoors and the smaller in the oven.

[david s]

Re: Getting my barrel started!

18" is fine, but you probably want them smaller diameter than you would normally use in the fireplace. I like them about 4-5" diameter max.

The general rule is nothing thicker than your wrist. You want flame, not a slow burning log. Shorter lengths are much easier to split.

[Rotterdam]

Re: Getting my barrel started!

Forgot to mention I drew jury duty next week. Not going to have much time to work on it. For 4 cubic feet of pearlite this not guilty is purchased!

[Rotterdam]

Re: Getting my barrel started!

Still raining and the mortar won't set. What would you do if you only had four more rows and really wanted to get done? Did anyone else say kerosene heater?

Dry bricks dry!

[Rotterdam]

Re: Getting my barrel started!

Rain, rain and more rain...

I laid a row and it's not drying fast. Looks like ill need a few more days to get the barrel finished. I liked using the sheet rock for the forms if I need to take a bit off its a quick poke with the trowel and if I need to add a bit I turn a screw into it to float the brick out. Not to mention when it's time to pull them out they will cut or break easy. The two layers of plywood might become part of the second firing.

[Rotterdam]

Re: Getting my barrel started!

Thanks tscar for the advice!

Didn't make much progress today as my three year old broke his collar bone and I was transporting him from doctor to X-ray to doctor. Luckily he will heal up nicely. I did manage 4 courses and should seal up the top tomorrow....that will be the test on how bad I'm off true. Another pic from the back side.

Till tomorrow

Rotterdam

[Tscarborough]

Re: Getting my barrel started!

18" is fine, but you probably want them smaller diameter than you would normally use in the fireplace. I like them about 4-5" diameter max.

[Rotterdam]

Re: Getting my barrel started!

Picked up a tandem trailer of oak and maple logs tonight. For my indoor fireplace I generally cut them around 18''. What do you experienced burners think ? Do I want to keep it shorter or keep a variety?


Thanks

Rott

[Tscarborough]

Re: Getting my barrel started!

Just keep on bond and you are Gold.

[Rotterdam]

Re: Getting my barrel started!

Actually I found about 200 wedges that are working great. If you look at this latest pic, you'll see I'm doing 2 rows wedges and then a flat to get the curve I want. The flats are the darker row as I had to dig them out of my fence line.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Getting my barrel started!

Yeah, you are tapering them so you are not going to be going fast. And as I am sure you know, do not cut the tapers too far in advance of the working face or you will be recutting them