Central Texas Build

[pdqtom]

Howdy Folks,
After lurking for a couple of years reading every post several times and becoming a "book learned expert", I just had the base slab poured! I'll post pictures as I start the base and I'm sure I will be coming to you real experts with panicked questions. It feels good to get started but I have to take the first weekend off as I am a Scoutmaster of a large Boy Scout Troop and have our annual planning campout this weekend! I'm sure they will enjoy the pizza parties later this fall and I'm looking forward to rewarding the patrols for good deeds done. I'm already planning parties and all I have is a flat chunk of concrete so far!

Anyway, thanks for you're silent encouragement so far and all the help I know that will be so generously offered.

moT

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Central Texas Build

Welcome aboard, look forward to see your build. Do scouts in Texas cook Snipe they catch at the camp hunt too? Might be really tasty in a WFO LOL

[pdqtom]

Re: Central Texas Build

Hey Russell,

Funny story about a Scoutmaster and Snipe. The SM got tired of the older boys taking the younger ones out Snipe hunting and the next time they did he went and rescued the young guys and had them roasting Cornish game hens on sticks at the campfire. When the older boys came in from goofing off the saw this and asked what's going on the younger boys said they were cooking the snipe they caught, want some?

Gonna have to try that some day!

moT

[texman]

Re: Central Texas Build

welcome from the panhandle. Pretty dang hot for a camping trip in Texas right now. You will be conditioned for the heat of WFO. Good luck and post lots of pics.
Texman

[pdqtom]

Re: Central Texas Build

Howdy Again,
I'm finally back to it! My stand and hearth slab completed over the Labor Day weekend. Borrowed a cement mixer from a friend and spent about an hour and a half air chiseling out all the left over concrete from previous uses I guess. About 20 # of debris removed and then I got to use it. It certainly is going back to him in better condition than when I borrowed it, as it should! 64 bags of 80# Quickcrete later and a very good friend/helper, goter' done, in 103 degree day!
I met with Tom, "Tscarbrough" in FB speak, who lives in Austin as well. Very helpful and informative! I'm sure I'll be bugging him a lot. He set me up wit 200 fire brick, heatstop and lintels on Sat. and said call him anytime. I'm now looking for a closer supplier for ceramic board as shipping from CA. is steep. I took a bunch of pix and will post when I figure that out.
Once again, a big thanx to this forum! You guys gave me the confidence to get going.

moT

[pdqtom]

Re: Central Texas Build

Next step,
Too much research makes you crazy!
I'm waiting on 4 " of ceramic board that will be here on Sunday. I've done so much over thinking that my eyes are crossed. I plan to start tapering my soldiers in the morning and be ready to set the board and lay the floor on Sunday when the insulation board gets here. I'm ready to sling some mud!

I found a wonderful lady at KT Refractories in Houston for the insulation board and she made me a great deal on 3 pieces of 40"X48"X 2". That will give me 4" on isul-board under the floor. From what I've gleaned the consensus is never too much insulation.

Today, instead of making a living, I drew out on a large sheet of paper the final dimensions of the oven. I'll make a plywood template of the interior in the morning and get ready to start. I picked up a 14" wet saw on Craigslist for $375 and already have a friend to transfer it too after the build.
These 104+ days are getting old. We're supposed to have a " cold front" tonight that will cool it down to the low 90s! That actually sound like a blessing to me! As I get older, my temperature range for efficient productivity has narrowed!
I'll get my board on Sunday after my son the Aggie brings it to me from A&M and some football game and the SEC happens! Another buddy of mine paid $500 for 2 tickets to this sold out game last Dec. I'm thinking, dang, that's 200 fire brick and a bag of heatstop! Why is it that this oven building becomes such an obsession.

Oh well, my keg of Michelob is calling. I'll post pix soon! All this from a crazy Texan about to dive off the deep end with more fire brick than I can swim with!

[Les]

Re: Central Texas Build

the Aggie brings it to me from A&M and some football game and the SEC happens! Another buddy of mine paid $500 for 2 tickets to this sold out game last Dec. I'm thinking, dang, that's 200 fire brick and a bag of heatstop!

I don't know dude - now that football is back on the world seems right Looking forward to tomorrow - first home game and the tailgate is in order.

You will be pleased w/ 4 inches of insulation on the floor. When you cover the dome, do the same (at a minimum). Good luck with your build! A 14 inch saw should do anything that you can dream.

[deejayoh]

Re: Central Texas Build

I say, create an "oven building" merit badge and put those scouts to work hauling brick, concrete, and sand! Later you can create a "wood cutting" merit badge to get firewood

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Central Texas Build

14" saw will be golden for you. You should have plenty of depth capacity for your build. Tscar gave me plenty of good ideas during my build as well as others.

[pdqtom]

Re: Central Texas Build

Thanks everyone for the comments. I hope I can live up to the examples yall have set! Les, my whole extended family are football nuts. I, sadly haven't the attention span to watch someone else play a game for several hours. Although going to a home game at A&M I never turn down. Watching the fans and traditions is unbelievable! Only Angie's understand this, WHOOP!
My son is an Aggie so I claim to be since I'm paying his tuition!

I got the insulation board cut today and with some fancy cutting got two layers giving me 4" of ceramic under the floor.
I read about soldiers or no soldiers. I had originally planned to use them and now have decided to go with half brick stacked to get vertical and then start the dome. I saw a comment from Tscar about that and he is going to be my mentor since he is in the same city as me, wether he likes it or not. His comment about outward stability made sense and it gives me a chance to see how the HeatStop mortar works before making the complicated tapers and such.

I like the idea of the masonry merit badge, I like devious Scoutmasters! I've been one for almost 12 years with 48 eagles since I've been wearing the hat.These guys make me proud. Folks ask if I have any kids and I say 72, but only one is mine. All the other adults say I'm the oldest scout in the troop. These guys keep me young. If you grow up, you start getting old! My wife says I'm still 17 between the ears. Luv ya hun!

I tried uploading photos from my iPad and can't seem to be able to do so. Anyone know how? I'll try from my PC tomorrow. Right now my keg is callin!
Thanks again for this forum and the comraderie!
moT

[mrchipster]

Re: Central Texas Build

If you are building the floor inside the dome consider starting the dome with a split. That way your peel will not get caught in the joint at the floor level.

Wish I had done this.

Chip

[pdqtom]

Re: Central Texas Build

Thanks Chip,

Great tip, i called MPI and they have splits so I will pick some up today. These kinds of tips are something you envision until after the fact. I appreciate you sending this one my way!

moT

[Tscarborough]

Re: Central Texas Build

That is a good tip, I will remember that one.

[pdqtom]

Re: Central Texas Build

Here are some beginning photos. I think I figured out how to post pix from my iPad.Showing "in the beginning" how I notched the block so the lintels could also support the limestone stand cover later. The "Boss'ton", she's almost 15 and supervised us through the heat. My friend filling the cavities in the stand. Some of the steel before the hearth pour. My friend said he needed to find a buddy into origami or noodle art or something, my stuff is too much work!

[pdqtom]

Re: Central Texas Build

Here's my buddy and his wife as we finished mixing 64 bags of Quikcrete, the slab and the end of the day! Best part is.... He doesn't drink beer! I've been known to though. Great friends, they spent their entire labor day helping me. He gets my IT and floor form after the build and we start his oven.