Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

[brickie in oz]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

I cannot say enough about the 10"brick saw from them.

Im surprised a 10" saw has the capability to cut through a brick especially at an angle?

Are you doing the cuts in two hits?

[Tapir Force]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Brickie,

I am able to cut to a depth of 3.5". I have made jigs to to assist me with cuts if a second pass is needed. That said, I have also employed another tool to help shape my bricks. I have a 48" belt sander. If a compound cut can't be made in two passes and the brick has to be snapped, the cut can be shaped smooth.

I couldn't help but notice that you used a frown icon on your post. Why so glum?

Robert

[Tapir Force]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Bricki,
I went to your blog and looked at your oven. You are a very talented mason. If what I build is anywhere near as good as your work, I will be a happy man!

[Les]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

To my dismay, the little pump on the saw was dead. I had cleaned it three or four times already and it had not given me a scintilla of problems up to that point.

You are fighting a losing battle if you keep the pump in the tray. Wire a bucket to the back of your saw and drop the pump into that. That way it will only pump clean water.

[Tapir Force]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Les,

That makes perfect sense. I will do it right now. Thanks for the tip.

Robert

[brickie in oz]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Bricki,
I went to your blog and looked at your oven. You are a very talented mason. If what I build is anywhere near as good as your work, I will be a happy man!

Thank you, all you need is 20 or 30 years of practice.... owwh, and a wild imagination..

[brickie in oz]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

I have a 48" belt sander. If a compound cut can't be made in two passes and the brick has to be snapped, the cut can be shaped smooth.

I hope you have dust extraction controlled and not breathing it in?

I couldn't help but notice that you used a frown icon on your post. Why so glum?

Just the thought of cutting twice....

[Alter ego]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

This is shaping up to being a good looking build. Do you have any photos of the setting for the oven? I would like to see what your place looks like at 7,500' above sea level in the mountains. I only live about 75' above sea level

[Tapir Force]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Alter Ego,

Seventy-five feet has its advantages. I am including a couple of pictures as per your request. I should have a lot more build photo's this week. We live on the high plains just N.E. of Pike's Peak in the State of Colorado. The mountain in the first shot is Pike's Peak (14,110 foot summit). The house is the one that my wife and I have built on the rim of the Bijou Basin near the Palmer Divide in Elbert, Colorado. Even though the weather here is supposed to be warming, we have still been getting snow and heavy frosts. Thanks for your interest. The build is a challenge. I can build a lot of things, but the art of masonry on a dome is at my limits. I am mortaring in the second tier and making the transition to my entry arch today and tomorrow.

Robert

[Alter ego]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Thanks for the photos. I just had a look back at some of your build pics posted on 6th April and realised that there is still snow on the ground in the background.

I found that building an oven was hard enough without having to work outside while it is freezing!

[C5dad]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Robert,

The build looks like it is going well - I am jealous of the surroundings and am hoping to get a transfer up to the high country some time.

The major challenge you will have up there is that the low temps will slow down your mud curing. Take your time is the best advice. Most especially, your back and shoulders will appreciate you more. Are you using an indispensable tool? I found that it helped tremendously getting the courses up.

I will continue watching the build - looks really good!

Chris

[Lburou]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Great pictures! Also great place to spend the summers!

Having lived right at the foot of that mountain for 15 years, I can say that the growing seasons are real short.....Even shorter there in pergatory (meaning Elbert)

We have tomatoes on the vine and melons in the early stages of growth here in NOrth Texas. Your pictures show an idyllic setting, I'm a little homesick, but it too shall pass.

[Tapir Force]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

I got a lot done today on my build. I am actually going backward here, because I did the work on the clay flue tiles last. The weather here today was strange at best. On one load of mortar alone, I experienced sunshine, rain, snow and then hail. Spring here is a challenge. Back to my chimney piece.

I saw a couple of others oven builders that split flue pieces to increase the mouth at the base of the chimney in the entryway and then bring it into a standard sized piece (8.25"). I liked the concept and was encouraged by the reports that the modification still produced a good draw and actually trapped more smoke. We live on a high plain at 7,300 ft. Fire is a very real concern, I plan on paying great attention to the chimney and the spark arrestor. Any comments here would be greatly appreciated.

I had four or five pieces of these flue tiles from an auction a few years ago. I had an old B&D circular saw and a good dry diamond saw blade. I figured that this was going to be easy. It wasn't. The only thing that I can compare my experience with is the time I went to shorten a table leg in a foolish attempt to stabilize it. Long story short, when the table was short enough to use without chairs, I knew I was out of my element.

I had to make a jillion cuts to get the pieces to fit together so that I had any chance to mortar the pieces together. I have no idea what I did wrong, but the more I measured and checked my angles, the smaller the piece became. I finally laid down the measuring tools and eyed it in. Instead of having a 15.75" opening I ended up a 14". The other end, which increases in size with each mistake was not off by nearly as much and the standard flue piece does fit, but not by much.

The good news was that the blade worked well and the old B&D did not seem fazed by the dust. The first picture is probably all you needed to see. The second shot is what I believe to be an editorial comment on all of the dust and noise from my barn cat.

[brickie in oz]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

On one load of mortar alone, I experienced sunshine, rain, snow and then hail.

Sounds like Melbourne's weather.... like they say here, if you dont like the weather then wait a minute.

[Les]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Fire is a very real concern, I plan on paying great attention to the chimney and the spark arrestor. Any comments here would be greatly appreciated.

I can honestly say that sparks are a minimum. Sometimes when I start with pine, I will get some "pops" that come out the entry. If you have a base surface of concrete / paver's, it seems to be safe. I've seen very little coming out the vent.

It's a little late, but when I cut my flue for a taper, I drew it out on paper to get the angle, then transferred it to the pipe. One cut and done...