42" Pompeii Oven in Virginia

[mirassou]

Re: 42" Pompeii Oven in Virginia

Finished course 9 today, in addition to the outer arch...it's still standing!

[mirassou]

Re: 42" Pompeii Oven in Virginia

It's just amazing...I'm still stuck on the difference between cement and mortar LOL.

[stonecutter]

Re: 42" Pompeii Oven in Virginia

I looked up some info I have and sometimes there is portland added to the building mix of those vaults. The water content of the mix definitely has to do with the porosity of the brick....it mechanically bonds in less than 30 seconds.

Timbrel or a ribbed cross vault is in my very near future.

[mirassou]

Re: 42" Pompeii Oven in Virginia

That's it! There's certainly a "wow" factor there.

[stonecutter]

Re: 42" Pompeii Oven in Virginia

Thanks Faith! I've already lost some pounds Someone recently posted a link to a video of some folks building a brick ceiling. The mortar looked watery, but the bricks just held with no other support! I wonder what the difference is in the bucket mixture vs. heat stop made at home.

Was that video tilted "Boveda catalana"? (catalan vault) I have seen that one or many more like it. Builders don't typically use centering for cohesive arch construction. If what you saw had multiple layers, it is a timbrel vault...the one Guastavino is famous for. The first layer in a timbrel vault is built using clay tile and gypsum for mortar.

I'm pretty sure the video you saw is of cross (groin) vault construction using handmade brick....what they are using is lime mortar, and it is loose like that because the bricks suck the moisture out of the brick very fast...as you probably noticed. No refractory quality at all.

[mirassou]

Re: 42" Pompeii Oven in Virginia

Oh cool! I'll try that this afternoon!

[deejayoh]

Re: 42" Pompeii Oven in Virginia

I found if the mortar is a bit runnier, and you hold the brick for a moment after setting - it will absorb the water, dry out the mortar, and hold. I built my whole dome without using any support except the IT that way

[mirassou]

Re: 42" Pompeii Oven in Virginia

I think part of it has to do with the moisture content and how I wet the bricks. I'm attempting to make the mortar like peanut butter, and just briefly wet the bricks. They seem to set quicker and better that way. If the mortar is either too wet or too dry, or the bricks are too dry, they slide.

[Faith In Virginia]

Re: 42" Pompeii Oven in Virginia

My mortar was smooth as silk so it was made with powdered mix. Perhaps the sand acts like little ball bearings and assists with the slide factor. The stuff I used was easy to work with.

[mirassou]

Re: 42" Pompeii Oven in Virginia

Thanks Faith! I've already lost some pounds Someone recently posted a link to a video of some folks building a brick ceiling. The mortar looked watery, but the bricks just held with no other support! I wonder what the difference is in the bucket mixture vs. heat stop made at home.

[Faith In Virginia]

Re: 42" Pompeii Oven in Virginia

Looking good! won't be long till your doing some curing fires. Now you start getting into the back breaking rings. The hunching over to set the bricks will start to take it's toll.

BTW I did not use home brew, I used a refractory mortar from a bucket. The stuff was so sticky I could set a 10 lb brick to my ceiling and have no worries of it falling. Just thought the picture was impressive. (like magic)

[mirassou]

Re: 42" Pompeii Oven in Virginia

Here's the progress so far. Finished up the outer arch (it hasn't fallen yet as I gingerly removed the supports and the form). On course 9 now.

[mirassou]

Re: 42" Pompeii Oven in Virginia

OK Ms. professional oven maker I'm not proud. Some of us need all the crutches we can get! And, by the way, those chains are beautiful!

[Faith In Virginia]

Re: 42" Pompeii Oven in Virginia

Rookies....LOL... :-)

[hodgey1]

Re: 42" Pompeii Oven in Virginia

Hey Dave, Yes, I see that, and I don't like that I can't see the inside with the ball...if I use it, I'll probably inflate and deflate. It does well with a couple of bricks at a time, then I take it out and use the IT.

Thanks for your help,
Paul

Another exercise ball tip that goes along with what you mentioned about not seeing the inside. I found that once I dry set an entire ring and had the ball inflated to where I wanted, completing the ring went very quickly which enabled me to deflate and clean and touch up inside prior to the mortar being overly set. I would highly recommend its use on the last few remaining chains.