40" corner build in central TX

[GarnerAC]

Re: 40" corner build in central TX

Superb looking front arch. Gotta love Stone and Brick together.

[ogorir]

Re: 40" corner build in central TX

It's been a while... I just recently got back on finishing the oven. Since winter has broken, I've been busy using the oven

I got the hearth extension poured and decorative arch done this weekend. trying to get the first couple courses of chimney casing done so I can start the stucco/perlcrete.

I had a hell of a time trying to stick perlcrete to the blanket, so I'm going to build up a few inches of stucco, then backfill with perlcrete, at least until I get halfway up the dome. It should be easier up there.

[ogorir]

Re: 40" corner build in central TX

I just stopped at darden while I was out at the welding supply, 11.25/ bag for the same Lehigh white cement. 16.80 for white Portland. I bought 2 bags of cement, one Portland, and I got a freebie bag of white cement that fell off the pallet and broke open. I'm looking forward to next week

[ogorir]

Re: 40" corner build in central TX

I was referring to the plant in lacy-lakeview. It's possible it doesn't exist anymore, though, because I got that info from my co-worker who grew up there. It still just surprises me that it's that difficult to find.

I'm going to check around on the cement, but it's $18 at the box stores, which is crazy. I know darden stocks it, but I haven't priced it there yet.

[Tscarborough]

Re: 40" corner build in central TX

The lime plant in Clifton is bulk only, so if you need a truckload they can help you out. Their bag plant is in New Braunfels. $18.00 a bag is steep for white around here.

[ogorir]

Re: 40" corner build in central TX

maybe we can both get something done with this weekends warmup in CEN-TEX!

I wish! If I'm on my A game through Sunday, I'll be able to get the dome blanketed, insulated, and stuccoed next week.
Unfortunately, that means in the attic: finishing the radiant barrier, building a new platform around the attic stairs, sealing penetrations, re-doing the upstairs furnace chimney that's currently venting into the attic, blowing in 13" of cellulose; in the garage: replacing the blend door assy and actuators on my neighbors grand cherokee, replacing the ball joints, drivers side CV, and power steering pump on my wife's car.

We'll see.

I did get 5 bags of marble dust, so I'm good to go for the stucco. I just need to shell out $18 for a 70 lb(!) bag of white cement. That is made in Waco(!). Kind of like how I can't find hydrated lime in Waco, yet there's a lime plant 5 miles north of town. I swear that finding materials has been the hardest thing about the project by a wide margin.

I've been lazy about posting pics, I'll get on that when I'm not trying to run in 5 directions at the same time.

[GarnerAC]

Re: 40" corner build in central TX

hopefully it will warm up again towards the end of next week and I can insulate and stucco the dome.

I dont know how I missed your build thread but WELL DONE! Im with you on the COLD, maybe we can both get something done with this weekends warmup in CEN-TEX!

[ogorir]

Re: 40" corner build in central TX

My lead in town panned out for once. My co-workers neighbor does pools, but they sub out all the gunnite to an outfit in dallas. He happens to have 2 pallets of marble dust left over. I'm getting at least 4 bags, maybe more, for 2 handles of Jim Beam. My co-worker is possibly the most skilled haggler I've ever met, I might wind up with more.

hopefully it will warm up again towards the end of next week and I can insulate and stucco the dome.

[ogorir]

Re: 40" corner build in central TX

Should I do both coats with marble, or just the brown coat? I'm going to need 3.5cu ft if I need to do both. Do you stock it at MPI? I have one guy I can check with here for marble, but it's a long shot.

[Tscarborough]

Re: 40" corner build in central TX

No, granite will not, as far as I know. Check with pool supply places or drive to Austin.

[ogorir]

Re: 40" corner build in central TX

Sweet, I should be able to get some locally. Will granite work as well? there are a few granite countertop installers in town.

[Tscarborough]

Re: 40" corner build in central TX

Add marble dust, ie replace 2/3 of the sand with it.

[ogorir]

Re: 40" corner build in central TX

Well, T-day was a success. I didn't get the outside course of the arch done in time to cure, so it still looks funny, but it cooked the bird.

I cured the oven in a somewhat unorthodox way. I started a fire in the dome (no outer arch) on 11/18. I started with newspaper, then cardboard, then sticks, etc. for about an hour, which brought the dome to just under boiling inside. I let it rest for an hour while I was at yoga, then lit it up again when I got back, slowly building the temp from 6:30 til just after midnight. I don't remember the inside temps, but I almost got the dome boiled out, as the top reached 92C at it's peak and I had some steam from a few of the heat cracks. There were a few cracks that first fire, but not a whole lot. the only continuous crack ran concentrically between course 6 and 7.

over the next 2 days I built the chimney support and the outer arch. I actually laid the outer arch bricks once, but I knocked the chimney support brick loose cleaning up joints, then promptly managed to push the keystone out replacing it, so I pulled the whole outer course off.

I waited until this Wednesday to fire again to give the chimney support bricks time to cure. I set a section of chimney on top of the supports and fired from 5:30 to 1am, getting up to 300c or so under sustained flame. Thursday morning at 8am I was at 45c (it was cold for Texas at -1 overnight). I started a fire from the previous night's coals and fired from then to 2:30, stoking every 1/2hr or so. under a good fire I was seeing 400c, but most of the time it was between 250 and 300c. I did get the upper 2/3s of the dome above boiling on the outside at one point or another in the day.

I neglected to buy a decent uncoated roaster for the turkey, so I ended up using 3 disposable pans nested, which extended the cook time a bit. I always cut the turkey up first, so the backbone was removed and the breasts splayed and the legs were in a separate pan. the legs were done in 1:20 or so and the breast took just a hair over 2 hours to 160(barely. no one likes an overcooked turkey). I had them covered the first hour, but I'd probably only cover the first 30 minutes next time. The skin took way longer to brown than I was expecting.

So... Hopefully I can get the outer arch finished this week, maybe insulate too if I'm lucky. I'm thinking of using some kind of water barrier between the cal-sil blanket and the perlcrete, even if it's just building paper(that will likely combust, I know). Every time I've done perlcrete so far I wind up with a puddle under it where uncombined water has run out. I really don't want that in the cal-sil if I can avoid it.

also, what's the best stucco recipe for water-resistance? I know I'll need to treat the surface afterward, but there has to be some way to make the stucco more water-tight.

[stonecutter]

Re: 40" corner build in central TX

You're good either way

[ogorir]

Re: 40" corner build in central TX

Oh, I looked up IBC 2009 because that's what the city has adopted. I should probably check NFC 2009 as well, which they also use.