took the plunge!

[Millstone Man]

Re: took the plunge!

Wow thats a good day! Congrats on a day and job well done.

[countryboy]

Re: took the plunge!

Looks good. Well done. If it hasn't fallen by now, it won't.

Be sure to keep wet rags on it for 6-24 hours after laying. Helps the mortar set stronger if it stays well hydrated for the first day or so. (I kept a bucket and huge sponge that I'd occasionally use to trow water on the rags to keep them moist.)

CB

[KraemerBAC]

Re: took the plunge!

Lou,

I don't see any bricklaying suckiness...It all looks good to me. Keep on keepin on it is worth it in the end

Peter

[Lousdepot]

Re: took the plunge!

Well all set except for keystone! ran out of mortar at the end of today. I had a helper for last two days and i believe i rushed too much. I wish i could have taken my time but too late now. I opted for a mold made out of sand and it backfired. i didn't really stick to it and when i got to top and had to make all those crazy cuts!! man my mind is fried. it will be ugly inside, i just hope she cooks and i will be happy. i had heat stop flying all over the place for past 2 days, i think i have gone through 5 bags!!! Anyway if any future builders are reading this. DON'T DO WHAT I DID!! build an indispensable tool and go slow!!!

check out pic from front and you will see an oblong egg shape!!! oh well

[Millstone Man]

Re: took the plunge!

Looks great and it's gotta cook. You can have a topping out party to celebrate setting the keystone.

[KraemerBAC]

Re: took the plunge!

I agree...it will cook just fine and you will be the only one that notices the flaws...Congrats


Peter

[countryboy]

Re: took the plunge!

Hey, if they complain about the shape of your oven, just gently remove the pizza from their death grip and ask them to leave...

Looks good and will be fine... Besides, well shaped vermicrete or an enclosure should cover that up and it will be significantly less noticeable when looking at the inside.

Congrats.

Now, GO SLOW on the air drying and curing!!! Don't get the impatients!

CB

[mklingles]

Re: took the plunge!

As someone working slowing with a tool and extra cuts on the bricks - I'm jelous that your dome is finished! My first plan was to go fast, but my neroses took over.

[Lousdepot]

Re: took the plunge!

Well keystone went in first thing this morning, then we pulled the sand out. I felt like a kid on christmas morning. Except i got coal in my stocking...Damn it was ugly inside!! anyway we are spending the day cleaning the inside and it should look "OK" when finished. I'll yell you it's strong as hell. and my worries of it caving in are gone. I ended up with a 21.5" dome height and with my 12.5" opening it's leaving me with a ratio that is a little under. Is that going to be a problem? is there something i can do to vent/flue to help? here are photos of the good, bad, and Ugly. And no that is not me inside dome, i am way too fat to get in there

[Lousdepot]

Re: took the plunge!

Finished outer arch/flue/vent, etc... look at pics and let me know if you all see something out of whack??? i value all advice/comments good or bad....I'll tell you, i lit a couple paper fires and it seemed to vent the smoke real well. It sure is hard not to light a raging fire in there!!! patience damn it... pics!

[Lousdepot]

Re: took the plunge!

a few more!

[Tscarborough]

Re: took the plunge!

It is an appliance, what matters is that it doesn't collapse, and that one won't. Looks good on the entry arch, etc.

I was thinking about my next oven, which will be cast over a sand dome. I puzzled out that I would lay a sonotube down first the size of the entry, then sand over it. That way, after it was complete, I could just collapse the sonotube, drag it out and the sand removal would be that much easier.

[Millstone Man]

Re: took the plunge!

Very nice looking arch and vent structure. I can only hope mine comes out close as good as yours.

[Lousdepot]

Re: took the plunge!

thanks guys. I was shocked at how much better i was at doing the outer arch and flue. maybe it was the practice. This experience has made me want to build another one. Anyone know if i should complete my curing fires before i wrap this with the blanket and finish it off??

[countryboy]

Re: took the plunge!

Looks good! The arch is nice and that is the only part that will be really visible to the 'untrained' eye...

Good job.