Soldier row on top of floor??

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Soldier row on top of floor??

If you read through any of the number of threads here addressing each of your questions, you will find six builders doing it one way and half a dozen the other way. Tscarborough gave a great explanation of ideal mortar composition at different thicknesses. I think the consensus here is that there really is no right or wrong way, only different. This is what makes every oven so exciting to watch as it's built and completed: each one is unique and they all cook food wonderfully.

[dmun]

Re: Soldier row on top of floor??

Since the oven will be assaulted with repeated heating & cooling extremes, I want to build as sturturally sound as possible.

That being the case, I don't know why you would want a soldier course at all. I think the full brick height one is particularly unsound structurally. I know it's traditional, but I can't think of any reason not to start your chains at ground level.

[Neil2]

Re: Soldier row on top of floor??

"I don't see an easy way to bevel the soldiers to close the gap."

Don't bother. Fill the larger gaps with mortar mixed 1:1 with silica sand or mortar sand.

[BarryKeith]

Re: Soldier row on top of floor??

If I build on top of the floor, would I use the fire clay and sand mixture on the bottom and homemade mortar brew between? Also, I see a lot of people using half bricks that are cut at all different angles. I want to just use half bricks without the extra cutting. Am I just being lazy or is it necessary?

[Neil2]

Re: Soldier row on top of floor??

"I want to just use half bricks without the extra cutting."

You can do this for the first several chains and fill the resulting gaps. As you move up the dome you will find that you will have "all gap and no brick" and will have to do some cutting. Start in on it and it will become clear what you have to do.

[BarryKeith]

Re: Soldier row on top of floor??

I'm really not worried about cutting, I just know that if I start being exact I will get too anal and I want to have fun.

[dmun]

Re: Soldier row on top of floor??

I want to have fun.

I think you'll find that a certain amount of trimming of the inside face of the brick is fun in a puzzle kind of way. Up after the third or forth chain you'll see what you need to do a decent (not perfect) cosmetic fit.

[egalecki]

Re: Soldier row on top of floor??

I built mine without beveling- just half bricks until I got towards the top. Then I changed to 1/3 bricks (halves were just too big at that point).

You don't have to do all the beveling and cutting if you don't want to. I had great fun building mine, and it works just fine.

The place you need to worry about is in the waterproofing later- I've had trouble with my igloo enclosure because of waterlogging and then extreme (for here, anyway!) cold. However you choose to enclose the oven, insulate well with good materials and then get it watertight!!!!