30" Cast Scotland

[Daveholdn]

Haha cheers Mullster , aye was getting excited as I was casting, could taste the pizza
Thanks david s, I'm gonna have to remove everythingtomorrow as we are off on a last minute 6 day holiday on Friday. I currently have a tarpaulin over the top of the oven and there is condensation, should I remove this and let it dry naturally as the hot weather seems to have passed, our one day of summer up here has gone

[david s]

The voids need to be filled before the cast dries too much so it’s probably better to leave it as is until you return.

[Daveholdn]

Cheers david s I'll have time to mix a batch for voids tomorrow or do you think that would be too soon to remove form and sand? It would have been 48hours since casting tomorrow afternoon. My wife just laughed when she heard the reason why I wasn't that excited about a surprise going away for 6 days, all I could think about was leaving the oven at such an important part of her life

[Mullster]

Cheers david s I'll have time to mix a batch for voids tomorrow or do you think that would be too soon to remove form and sand? It would have been 48hours since casting tomorrow afternoon. My wife just laughed when she heard the reason why I wasn't that excited about a surprise going away for 6 days, all I could think about was leaving the oven at such an important part of her life

Her life - I love it!!!

[sergetania]

Dave, the dome looks great to me!
Personally, I like surprises... but only if I don't have to leave home!

[seannieboy71]

Your oven is looking great. You are likely in the middle of your 6 day getaway. Hopefully everything is in good shape when you return.

[Daveholdn]

So back yesterday, straight onto the oven to check she was OK the gallery form came away without too much work, 6mm spacers defo worked a treat as it dropped down with a few gentle taps. Having a little problem with the flue but it is only siliconed together so I don't see it causing to much of a problem.
Taking the sand out, Mullster was right, I was getting excited seeing an actual oven inside. Very happy as not too many voids, only a small hairline void where I think my second batch was a little less moist than the first and I didn't ease into place as much when applying. It's been filled with a small batch of homebrew, like david s explaine , sived the sand to make it a little more refined.
Next is countertop and then blanket layer. Should I hold off on the vermiculite layer or go straight into it?

Holiday was great but couldn't wait to get back to her lol

Cheers, Dave

[david s]

If you’ve only just removed the damp sand, it would be prudent to allow the casting to dry in the sun and wind for around a week before covering with the blanket.
Maybe you can sort out the flue pipe attachment in the meantime

[Daveholdn]

If you’ve only just removed the damp sand, it would be prudent to allow the casting to dry in the sun and wind for around a week before covering with the blanket.
Maybe you can sort out the flue pipe attachment in the meantime

Cheers David, I'll let it dry out and crack on with the flue pipe then, as I understand in one of your previous posts, cut 4 tabs out and bend them up so they sit on the rim of the flue cast? Do you screw these in at all to secure or is the blanket vermiculite and render layers enough to secure?

Thanks.

[david s]

I only do 3 tabs, but you could do 4. Yes, the pipe can be packed around the joint with some 5:1 vermicrete around 150mm high, which is enough to hold it in place when the render over the top of the vermicrete surrounds the pipe higher up, with some high temp silicon between the render and the pipe. This method avoids drilling and fixing into the refractory, of which both can lead to cracking. It also avoids having to purchase an expensive anchor plate.

[Mullster]

Daveholdn wow!! Your casting looks so good. Really smooth inside (mine looks like the face of a pensioner in comparison) and I like the triangle shape on the front too! Go steady now - I don’t want to hear anything about cracks from drying too quick!

[Daveholdn]

Cheers Mullster , just trying not to jump steps and get ahead of myself.
In regards to the flue pipe, mines has come and has quite a large ridge as shown in the pic. It fits perfect and the ridge would defo stop it falling through or tipping, can ask would this negate the need for tabs or do these do another job for the flue?

Cheers again, almost time for blanket and vermiculite layers.

[david s]

I could be wrong, but I think that end is designed to be at the top to take either a weather cowl or an extension pipe to go taller.

[Daveholdn]

I could be wrong, but I think that end is designed to be at the top to take either a weather cowl or an extension pipe to go taller.

Hi david s, cheers for replying, I've attached another pic, so the cowel goes on the opposite end as I've tried both ways and doesn't fit into the end with the ridge. I've also attached a pic of it in the flue gallery. Would this do the trick or would you still recommend the tabs?
Cheers mate.

[david s]

No, fit it that way, you’re good to go. Just make sure the pipe is not a really tight fit, so there’s a little room to allow it’s expansion within the casting.

This is the way I do it, but there are plenty of other solutions no doubt.