I'm getting closer to my Dome!

[Aegis]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

Make some home brew as normal and make it into a slop with more water than normal, slurry.
Warm as in 200C, not raging hot.
You may have to do it a few times to seal the crack.


The less mortar the better so a sliver of brick would help.

Thanks a ton for the translation and help. One other question: Should I try to finish curing the oven before repairing or wait until after repair(s)
Al, Thanks again!

John
btw I love your third oven!

[brickie in oz]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

Please explain a mortar slurry and number of degrees you consider warm. 35c 75c 300c ???

Make some home brew as normal and make it into a slop with more water than normal, slurry.
Warm as in 200C, not raging hot.
You may have to do it a few times to seal the crack.

I could slip a piece of firebrick in the gaps with that slurry, would that help or make matters worse?????

The less mortar the better so a sliver of brick would help.

[Aegis]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

Id be inclined to fix it while its warm and expanded.
Can you mix a mortar slurry and use a plastic bag with the tip cut off (cake decorator style) to squeeze some slurry into the cracks?

Al, thanks for advice on fixing it.
Unfortunatley I don't speak masonry/oven very well. Probably the reason I have such a huge crack!
Please explain a mortar slurry and number of degrees you consider warm. 35c 75c 300c ???
I could slip a piece of firebrick in the gaps with that slurry, would that help or make matters worse?????
Again thanks for the help
John

[brickie in oz]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

Id be inclined to fix it while its warm and expanded.
Can you mix a mortar slurry and use a plastic bag with the tip cut off (cake decorator style) to squeeze some slurry into the cracks?

[Aegis]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

First should I start a new thread for crack repair?

I did note the first line up the soldier was an in-line mortar joint, but the next two were not even close. I didn't take pics of the inside because of the black soot on the bricks. You couldn't see much except the large gap in the soldiers. I looked at pics during the build and the soldiers were all butted together inside. I did not angle cut them, hence the large mortar joint. Pic number 1 at the bottom you can see a piece of mortar that came from a joint above. I had to pry that out. The only place you can see through is the soldier although you can see the soot on the other crack. Hey when I crack em, I crack em good! Any hints on repair tactics? Mortar to use, firing hot and repair, cold repair, what to stuff in the gap if anything? I was thinking a thin piece of firebrick slipped in with some cement/mortar/patch stuff. In other words HELP!
Thanks in advance
John

[Aegis]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

Well I got the temp of the oven up to 450 degrees yesterday and WOW what a crack! It is of course in the back solider row so you can see it plane as day. Speaking of day, did I mention you can see daylight through it! I firmly believe some pieces of firebrick/mortar debris got between the floor and the soldier course and when the floor expanded it pushed the soldiers out and voila a crack! It does continue up but gets extremely small as you follow it up the staggered mortar joints. It is kinda of ironic that one of the places I staggered the joints gave out and the places where some joints line up are ok for now. I hope I didn't speak too fast with that last remark.
So needless to say I would highly recommend building your soldiers on the hearth bricks, instead of inside the soldiers. Or at least keep construction debris out of the gap between the hearth and soldiers!
I still have everything open on the outside and will attempt to "fix" the crack. I am only looking at closing it up so you can't see through it. Anyone with suggestions as to what to use to fill it with? heatstop 50, furnace cement, homebrew? I will post pics as soon as I can, but for now the oven is covered in tarps with severe weather being the lastest bane I need to deal with.
I did put the keystone in the oven in late June and the solider course was started in early May so it has been quite awhile "curing" Slow and low fires for the first five days and before that twin halogen work lights on for 48 hours which brought temps up to 120 degrees! I do not believe this is steam induced. But then I believe in the tooth fairy Hope she comes and fixes the crack! btw I have read many posts about cracks and people talk about structural damage but never say what that entails. Is this considered structural damage? What constitutes structural damage?
Thanks in Advance
John

[Aegis]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

awesome oven mate, im trying to catch up to your stage

At the rate I work you are sure to pass me soon!
Thanks
John

[woodfried]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

awesome oven mate, im trying to catch up to your stage

[Aegis]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

Started curing the oven again after the monsoons! Well it is harder than I imagined to keep a fire going at a lower temp. It just wants to burn faster and hotter than I want! Well the good news is I have finally been able to enjoy these "problems" Can't wait till the curing process is over and it's Pizza Time! I still need to tweak the door for a better fit, but overall it seems to work ok but it is on the heavy side, Oh well it will do for now. I still have insulation to put on, walls to build roof trusses to make and a cow to milk. Forgot we don't have no cows

[Aegis]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

Here is my door which is a bit on the heavy side from using Ipe wood. That is the down side, the up side is I think I could have used it without a steel plate on the oven side. Ipe has a fire rating of "D" equal to concrete, or so I've been told. Between the wood and steel is sandwiched foamglas, which is extremely light and an excellent insulator! I am waiting for a wrought iron handle that I ordered, and need to paint the steel. Does anyone have a suggetion for binding the side of the foamglas. A fireproof rope or something?
I just hope this door isn't too heavy in practical use!

[Aegis]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

YAHOO! First Curing Fire! No cracks, no splits, just a warm fire using some cardboard and fruit containers. It has been a month since I set my keystone in and over two week since I did my vent and flue transition. So I hope all goes well for the rest of the curing fires.
Too bad it will rain the next several days.
I'll wait till the rain stops and start on the curing path again! I'll probably start from scratch again, but to see the first fire was an awesome feeling!
Flue drafted extremely well, better than I expected, although it wasn't windy at all. So time will tell on that front.

Many thanks to all the people I stole ideas and plans from, without you all helping I would never have gotten this far! THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is a pic!

John

[Aegis]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

I am working on a door as I have a little break from home owner duties and work! Hate when work gets in the way of pleasurable work!
I will tend to take it slow for two reasons: 1) I have read about the cracks others have encountered
2) more importantly - I haven't a clue on how to fix them!
Thanks
John

[Evets]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

There's nothing more satisfying than starting that first fire in a new oven. Congratulations!
If your dome has been closed for a month, and you've had the lights on for a while, chances are it's already drying nicely. I'd still go with small fires to start for the first couple days and build them larger over the course of a week. It would be good if you have built a door already. The more heat you can keep in overnight the better. By the end of a week you should be able to go full blast, I should think. That's the way I did it and have had no problems.

[Aegis]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

Well I have put in a halogen double work light in the oven and have them on high for the preliminary curing. I hope this is actually doing something other than running up my electric bill! LOL The temp in the oven has been up to 138 degrees F for two days. It isn't enough to make steam (212F) but maybe some evaporation is being expedited? I will start my first curing fire tomorrow as it has been almost a month since I closed up the dome with the keystone. Anyone with words of wisdom? I am ALL EARS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks
John

[brickie in oz]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

I am so bad, I didn't even ask the question correctly! LOL

Thanks

John

I do tend to skip through posts, especially really big ones and have on occasion missed information that is already written..