36" Pompeii in DC

[rsandler]

Re: 36" Pompeii in DC

Here's the promised pictures. I'm pretty happy with how this has turned out

One question I have: How long before I can remove the various parts of the structure? I know I should leave the tray on for a week or more, so that the slab doesn't have to hold up its own weight until it's good and hard. But can I take the buttresses off tomorrow, once the concrete is hardened and isn't going to run off anywhere? When can the side forms come off?

[Gulf]

Re: 36" Pompeii in DC

IMO: If they are in your way, I think that it is OK to remove the kickers after a day. The "side forms" a week, as the corners can still be easily chipped. All vertical supports (underneath the open span) should be left in place for 28 days.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: 36" Pompeii in DC

Now some of the funnest, trying, difficult, fullfilling stuff starts. Good luck, you have some good mentors following your build (Gulf and Tex).

[Gulf]

Re: 36" Pompeii in DC

Now some of the funnest, trying, difficult, fullfilling stuff starts. Good luck, you have some good mentors following your build (Gulf and Tex).

That response was by another "mentor": He, who used umpteen dozen diamond blades to cut the the tightest joints from the hardest masonry material known to man kind .

May the "force" be with you .

[rsandler]

Re: 36" Pompeii in DC

Well, I took off the outer forms today. Lots of voids around the edges, unfortunately. My half-hearted attempts at hitting the forms with a rubber mallet were to no avail. Just couldn't get my heart into wailing away on what seemed like a flimsy wood construction holding up 3/4 ton of concrete . During the last week I read a thread somewhere on here recommending using an orbital sander with no sandpaper on it--wish I'd read that before pouring my slab! Ah well, it'll get covered up by whatever decoration I'm using on the stand anyway

No other progress. Due to unexpected financial hiccups (my wife's job, which was supposed to start weeks ago, hasn't), I've had to put off buying the insulation and firebricks I would need to start on my floor.

I've been doing a little noodling around on Sketchup, trying to work out my entry arch (I'm rather fond of Amac's pentagonal arch brick design), but otherwise nothing more to report. Hopefully things will straighten out in the next week or two and I can get back to work on the oven. It's a shame to waste all this lovely fall weather we've been getting in DC!

-Ryan

[texman]

Re: 36" Pompeii in DC

The voids aren't a problem and once you finish the appearance veneer, no one will ever know. (except the forum and we are sworn to secrecy) Bummer on the wait though. It will give you some time to plan and design and study the many builds out there. Check out Lburou's link for the best if you haven't already. Lots of great ideas and builds. All looks good so far, keep up the good work. Getting that arch placement correct is very important. Give that some thought as well as the design. Thanks Russel for calling me a "mentor" I thought i was just here for entertainment value.
Tracy

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: 36" Pompeii in DC

Ryan,

Hang in there, your hearth is fine, your veneer will cover all. Understand the moola issue.

[rsandler]

Re: 36" Pompeii in DC

Well, I figured out a way to at least get started while we wait for my wife's job situation to get settled. Turns out we had enough reward points on the credit card to get $500 cash back--handy! It won't get me a full oven, but it'll keep me busy in the interim. I may run out of bricks before the financial situation improves, but I'm equally likely to run out of nice weather before I run out of bricks!

Found someone on craigslist selling the ubiquitous HF 10" tile saw new in box for $180, with a blade included, called it a deal and drove ~45 minutes to pick it up on Monday. Then Tuesday morning swung by a local brick yard and picked up 80 firebricks for $1.67 each (enough for the floor, the arch and maybe a course or two), plus a bag of fireclay. Discovered that my little hatchback can easily handle 700+ pounds of weight as long as it's spread out -- also handy!

And then I'm planning on getting a carton of Thermo-12 Gold block insulation from Distribution International. At $101 for 27 square feet, plus $35 to get it shipped to a local warehouse, it's a pretty good deal. There's also a boiler repair shop nearby which sells cartons of Insblok 19 for $167 (24 sqft), but why pay more than I have to?

Pictures attached, of my bricks, saw, and my amazing (not) homemade saw stand, and of my oven floor laid out on the garage floor.

Exciting times!

-Ryan

[Gulf]

Re: 36" Pompeii in DC

I like your style where it comes to buying just what you "need" at the time to keep you busy . I 've had some weeks/months like that my self during my build. One of which was "marrying a daughter off". I hope her or her mom doesn't read this .
Just some advice: From the pic, it looks like you have plenty of blade left. Keep it wet, Don't force your cuts, and that blade will probably finish your build.

[rsandler]

Re: 36" Pompeii in DC

Gulf: It is in fact a brand new blade. Guy I bought it off of apparently got the saw and blade for some project, but then realized he wasn't going to be able to do the project. With any luck things will work out better for me!

Still need to get an extension cord before I can start cutting bricks (and there's a nasty thunderstorm booming around my house, so just as well to be inside). In the meantime I'm working out my arch on Sketchup. I'm not certain if tapering the arch bricks is worth the effort, but I've figured out how to do it if I wanted to. Not sure what to do about the keystone area though--I'm sure the homebrew mortar will do good things but a 1 inch joint is probably overdoing it...

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: 36" Pompeii in DC

rs,

I noticed on your floor layout, you could use some of the larger cutoff on some of the smaller segments, ie 4 and 24, save you a few bucks.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: 36" Pompeii in DC

RS,

Which taper are you thinking is not worth the effort, the dome taper or the front of the arch taper? IMHO, you have the HF saw, which has the capacity to cut both, give it a go. The dome taper will make life easier as you start laying your courses. But in the end it is up to you. Good luck.

[rsandler]

Re: 36" Pompeii in DC

Russell: Neither, actually. Both of those tapers seem well worth it. I'm thinking of whether to taper the sides of the arch bricks (the sides where they touch, if that makes sense), which means cutting through the 4.5" dimension. I think GianniF tapered his arch bricks that way, while Amac did the same pentagonal design but didn't taper?

-Ryan

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: 36" Pompeii in DC

Ryan,

The inner arch will not be as visible as the outer arch and/or decorative arch, but you will be faced with the same question on those arches as well. Matter of choice. Here are a few pics of tapering arch for dome as well as front which I patterned after GF's build. Maybe this will help in decision making.

[rsandler]

Re: 36" Pompeii in DC

Started cutting my floor and arch bricks this evening. The HF saw is working great, for the most part, but for some reason the tray keeps getting stuck, such that I have to really push to get it unstuck and move it forward--even before the brick reaches the blade. Anyone know what might be causing it, or how I could fix it?