Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

[Tapir Force]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Here are the pictures my wife took of part of the second tier of bricks that rest on the soldiers and the beginnings of my entryway and chimney with my transition work. Not lovely, but I feel good about my cuts and the mortar work.

I have had some wonderful comments and encouragement from a number of the people here on the forum. It is remarkable on just how small the world has become and how people from all walks of life can get together and offer advice criticism and praise in such a meaningful way. It is just proof that when we have common purpose, the people of the world can get along. I really do appreciate all of the posts.

That said, my hands are coming apart from the lime in the cement, the weather is not cooperating and my back is serving as a daily reminder that I am not as young as I once was. Enjoy the pics, and as always, if you find that I am doing some really bonehead moves, please alert me.

[Tapir Force]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Thanks for your reply Les. I too drew out my cuts; first on CAD, next on paper and then the tile. But, as is sometimes the case with me, the neatness of my desk does not translate into reality. I just have my moments where I can do nothing but screw up. I actually try to build that fact into to my time tables.

Yes, I did make sure to have all of the concrete in front of the WFO just in case. Thanks!

Robert

[brickie in oz]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

if you find that I am doing some really bonehead moves, please alert me.

The pics are a tad on the small side, internet standard for pics is 800x600 pixels, that way they will fill a small monitor screen without having the need to scroll to see the entire pic.

[Tapir Force]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Thanks Brickie,
I will up the sizes from here on.

Robert

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Hey Tapir,
I am just south of Denver near Highlands Ranch (not really Littleton at all). Looks like you have a great start! Nice to see another Colorado oven!

Drake

[Tapir Force]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

I finished the entryway arch today, but by the time I finished, the sun was down so I will have to do the pictures tomorrow. I had cold weather and was less than happy with my mortar mix. The mixture does not stick to the firebricks very well as so many have stated before me. I played around a bit with the lime content and a new bag of brick clay. Nothing seemed to help. I had to redo the front arch a couple of times because the work was pretty fragile. Tomorrow morning will be the tale of the tape. I hope that it dries solid. My cuts are good and snug so maybe I will be okay. If all goes well. I should be able to add my flue that I cut yesterday pretty soon. I also got a start on the third tier and recalculated my bevels and angles.

Robert

[Paul in Rockwall TX]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

regarding the mortar not sticking to the bricks - are the bricks damp? they shouldn't be dry, but they shouldn't be wet either. If you soak them for a while, then let them air dry, the mortar should grab pretty well. the residual moisture in the soaked brick helps the mortar joints cure at a good pace with out drying out.

I had a batch of cut bricks that I forgot to soak, and I couldn't figure out at first why the mortar wasn't sticking. I then realized that I had forgotten that step.

If the bricks are damp and it's still not sticking, then you have an issue.

[Tapir Force]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Paul,

I was soaking my bricks as you were suggesting. The tip is a good one as the bricks are certainly dry and absorb all of the moisture from the mortar. The last batch that I made up was the trick. I used a slightly higher ratio of Portland and brick clay in the last batch. Everything is good and tight this morning. Even the splatter was more difficult to remove. The next test is how the opening survives the installation of the clay flue tiles. I plan on being very careful. Thanks for the interest

The pictures are of my build this morning. My wife took them on her iphone so the lighting is not the greatest.

[Tapir Force]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Brickie, I did try to get a larger image up. I will keep working on this problem. Sorry.

Robert

[Lburou]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Robert

Soak the bricks before cutting too, it will save your saw blade

[brickie in oz]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Brickie, I did try to get a larger image up. I will keep working on this problem. Sorry.

Robert

No need to apologize Id just like to see the build a bit better.

[C5dad]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Robert,

I found that if I soaked my hands in cider vinegar at the end of the day, that helped my skin from feeling like corpse tissue! I am hoping you are using nitrile gloves - latex will not hold up well to the lime.
CW

[Tapir Force]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Monday morning here in Colorado. I got nothing done on the oven for the last few days because of the weather. There was a day when I would have gone to all of the extra trouble of building a temporary shelter and bringing in a heater so that I could continue on the project. At sixty, inclement weather sends me into the shop, next to my heater doing the little projects that my wife has wanted done for ages.

C5dad.

Thanks for the tip on my hands. I have benefited in my days off in terms of the skin on my hands. I have decided that when I do start back up, I have some chemical handling gloves that will help.

The sun is out and if the temperature makes it to 50F, I will run another tier. That said, my wife just stuck a letter in my face that reminds me that I am required to show up for jury duty today. Pizza by Christmas at this rate!

[azpizzanut]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

Hello TF & All,

RE: Dry Hands

Home Depot sells a five-pak of vinyl coated cloth gloves for cheap. If they get wet just put on another pair and hang the wet ones to dry. If you aren't using hand lotion then you should. Apply it often throughout the day and at bed time. Your hands will heal quickly. Almost any kind will work, just use it often. An option is to lightly coat wet hands with petroleum jelly. It will seal in natural skin moisture.

It seems odd but constantly wet hands soon become dry and cracked. The natural moisture and oils get drawn out. If you replace the oils and moisture often through the day your hands will always be in good shape. Look at the ingredients on a container of hand lotion. Most will list "water" as the first or second ingredient. Also, apply lotion after washing your hands. I built my first oven without using the HD gloves and my hands were rough as sandpaper. On the second oven I used the gloves and lotion and never even had a split or crack from handling wet mortar.

In regard to nitrile gloves, Harbor Freight sells bulk, double thick, nitrile gloves that hold up pretty good when handling brick and mortar.

Cheers,

[Tapir Force]

Re: Tapir Force Steps up to the plate!

I love where I live. It is always cooler than the city. There is an abundance of wildlife. The views are fantastic! I hesitate to complain about the weather when so many are suffering around the United States with flooding and tornados, but I am unable to work in this lovely Spring weather here on the High Plains of Eastern Colorado. I have only placed a single tier of bricks since the middle of last week. I do not which I want more, pizza or blue skies.

Robert