42" Idaho spud

[william]

Re: 42" Idaho spud

A good ceramics supply will have fire clay
Bill

[hodgey1]

Re: 42" Idaho spud

Looking good SharpT. Give us an update.

[RandyJ]

Re: 42" Idaho spud

I am just waiting for that to happen here. I think it snowed in may here last year.

Randy

[sharptailhunter]

Re: 42" Idaho spud

Ah, winter isn't too bad... as long as you didn't plan on doing anything outside ;-) Truth be told, we need the moisture.

Yeah, I'll reclaim the fire brick sediment from my steely HF brick saw. I should, hopefully, get enough from cutting the floor bricks and first course bricks to set the floor bricks in place and maybe even make enough mortar to start on the first chain.

[Greenman]

Re: 42" Idaho spud

You could use the 'sawdust' from cutting your firebricks as the fireclay, it is the same material.

I am pleased that I live in a place without the snow and virtually without winter as you know it.

[sharptailhunter]

Re: 42" Idaho spud

Well, spring time in Idaho can be a little fickle.

So, I decided to work on building some templates.


The weather has turned nice again and I was able to pick up what I thought was going to be all my building supplies. I got the ceramic fiber board, fiber blanket, and fire brick. Unfortunately, there was some misunderstanding on getting fire clay. Turns out the refractory dealer doesn't carry the stuff. They had some pre-mixed stuff called Sairset. I did a little quick research and it looks like it's not good for Pompeii ovens. Sadly, nobody in S.E. Idaho carries fire clay and even fewer know what it is. If any locals are reading this and have some suggestions of where to find some, I'd greatly appreciate it!

[MattC]

Re: 42" Idaho spud

Great looking Build. I too have been lurking for a while and am getting ready to get started. Thanks for posting all those pics. I have never laid a brick before so a little clueless starting out.

[sharptailhunter]

Re: 42" Idaho spud

David, both are very valid points. I've thought about drilling holes in the basin. I wondered if they would allow moisture in from below though. Although, the storage areas under it should be dry usually. As for the slope, I did slope it away ever so slightly. And, I will be doing a framed enclosure and will further seal against water where the walls of the enclosure meet the slab.

Thanks, Alex

[david s]

Re: 42" Idaho spud

After you remove your form work it would be a good idea to drill some drain holes in the bottom of that basin to help moisture escape from the porous floor insulation. It is probably too late now, but it is also helpful to slope your concrete slightly away from the basin so water is less inclined to enter it. (This is more important if you are building an igloo than if you are doing a dog kennel.

[sharptailhunter]

Re: 42" Idaho spud

Did you put any release on the form boards?

Yeah. I couldn't find any commercial stuff so I sprayed em with silicone and let it absorb into the wood and fully dry before pouring. Hope that works :-/

[stonecutter]

Re: 42" Idaho spud

Did you put any release on the form boards?

[NCMan]

Re: 42" Idaho spud

Low duty is preferred.

[sharptailhunter]

Re: 42" Idaho spud

Phew! That was a lot of work. 35 80# bags of concrete loaded into the trailer, take home, unload into wheel barrow, take to backyard. When I saw the stack of bags, sorry no photo, I thought, "There is no way I'm going to use all this." Sho 'nuff, I did. It went rather swell. The weather was beautiful today!

Here's placing the octagon form thing-a-ma-bob on top of 4" of wet concrete that constitutes the structural hearth. Checking for level.

Once I got it level, I employed the "Stay put 5000" devices, aka rocks, to help hold it in place while I filled in around it with what will be the decorative hearth/counter top/trim concrete.

Here's the what the slab looks like after all 2,800 pounds of concrete were placed where they were supposed to go.


The plan now is to keep misting the surface reguraly and leave the forms in place for a good 5-7 days. My neighbor two doors down is a refractory dealer so I'm gonna place my order for the Insublock19, fire brick, ceramic blanket, and fire clay through him. Just wanted to clarify, most people recommend using medium-duty fire brick, right??

Thanks, Alex

[sharptailhunter]

Re: 42" Idaho spud

Got to work some more on the stand. Will pour the concrete tomorrow. Here is some of the framing.



Here is the rebar installed.

I'm pouring the structural hearth and the decorative concrete at the same time so I had to make this:

The stop sign looking form is to allow a void for 4" of Insublok19 that I will build the oven proper on. It will sit level with the top of the perimeter forms and will be centered in the middle of the stand, more or less. Not sure if any of that makes sense... I'll post some pics of the concrete after the pour tomorrow. I know, how bout some time-lapse photography of the concrete curing?! Doesn't get more exciting than that! ;-)

[the_dr_masuess]

Re: 42" Idaho spud

Congrats on finally getting started! I can only echo what the others have already said. The insulation will protect it just fine and the fence is fine where it stands. The problem I experienced from the city was set back lines because of the size of my structure but if you don't have that issue or they will never know about it... then go for it.

We are definitely willing to help however we can with any of your questions.

Can't wait to see how your build progresses.