all done at least i think!!!!

[rsavarese]

i just got done finishing the outside and while taking out the sand that i used as my base to lay the fire bricks for the dome and noticed that in some spots the mortar did not fill in the spaces between the bricks....maybe the sand sucked it in? anyway should i take the time and the right person to go into the empty dome to fill in these spaces with mortar or will it be ok to fire up just the way it is? thanks to all for any information!

[gdest]

Re: all done at least i think!!!!

I am faced with the same problem and I haven't even finished yet! Just finishing up on my 6th chain.
I haven't decided yet what I will do. To be honest aside from the appearance I really don't think that going through the trouble of filling in these gaps would add much to the structural integerty. If you think about it, the gaps (at least I am assuming on yours) are in the vertical seams and not the horizontal seams since these should be just about brick to brick.
That is my 2 cents worth.

Gary

[rsavarese]

Re: all done at least i think!!!!

yes that's correct, the gaps are only in the vertical. I guess i'm more worried about the heat mass. If heat has a way to find it's way around the brick then having the heat blanket, additional fire clay on the outerpart of the dome......it won't matter, the outside will still get pretty hot. It's just a pain, the opening i have, following the dimensions of the forno bravo instructions is only 19". I'm certainly wider than that. Don't know if i want my 12 year old crawling inside. rethinking i should have used the styrofoam forms instead, maybe i could have addressed it while building. thanks for your 2 cents, makes me feel like i didn't do such a terrible job.