Dave's Pics of Progress

[asudavew]

Re: Dave's Pics of Progress

OUTSTANDING Start!

Now that you have played with it for a few days, how is that homemade mortar working out??

It's not too bad to work with. At times it doesn't seem to want to "grab" the brick. But the consistency is nice. I know when you soak the bricks before using it, it seems to help. And the bonus is... everything stays nice and moist (with a tarp covering it) while not working on the oven. I think that will help the mortar get harder.

Keep up the great work!

Thanks Ken. I appreciate the input. I was feeling kind of down because I couldn't taper the bricks.

By the way, I found if I cut the bricks as far as I can with my tile saw(both sides), it easily breaks into 2 even pieces with a quick hit of the hammer. Although the break is a bit rough, the rough side will work fine on the outside.
I will post some pics on this........

I got my arch in place tonight, that felt good.

Cheers all!

[james]

Re: Dave's Pics of Progress

Way to go Dave. I like the tall soldiers in the first course. Let us know how that works out.

As a quick aside. I've been there, but have you noticed the number of photos taken at dusk. You are just trying to finish one more thing and evening is falling.

Jim H., who built the first Pompeii Oven a number of years ago, took most of his "how to" photos in the dark. I guess there just aren't enough hours in a day.

James

[asudavew]

Re: Dave's Pics of Progress

Way to go Dave. I like the tall soldiers in the first course. Let us know how that works out.

Thanks James!
I am sure I will post too many pics...... so you can follow along.

As a quick aside. I've been there, but have you noticed the number of photos taken at dusk. You are just trying to finish one more thing and evening is falling.
James

Good point!
I always think I can do more............. Then the dang sun goes down!
But I do have a good LED flashlight!

[asudavew]

Re: Dave's Pics of Progress

Just some pictures of the arch that I finished last night.


The first is laying out the arch on cardboard.

I shot for a 18'' wide opening. With a height of 12 inches at the center of the opening.

After cutting out the cardboard, I used it as a template to cut 2 pieces of OSB to match. I nailed them together with two 2x4s in between.

Then I started laying bricks.

[asudavew]

Re: Dave's Pics of Progress

And finally the completed arch.

[Ken524]

Re: Dave's Pics of Progress

Nice arch! Don't you hate losing the extra sunlight of summer??

[rlf5]

Re: Dave's Pics of Progress

The arch looks great! I actually need to finish/start on mine before I complete the soldier course. I just got more bricks and my Refmix should get here today. No problems with daylight over here since I have the floodlights on my patio. My problem is the mosquito magnet I become when the cooler temperatures of evening arrive. So its either quit for the day, or shower myself with deet.

[Kemo]

Re: Dave's Pics of Progress

So its either quit for the day, or shower myself with deet.

I guess you could always surround your oven with TIKI torches

I plan on covering my stand with an EZ-UP canopy and lacing the inside with rope light. This is a really good time of year in Texas. gets down into the mid to low 80's in the evenings.

[rlf5]

Re: Dave's Pics of Progress

yea but with the amount of torches needed for it to be effective I could start cooking pizza right now...

[asudavew]

Re: Dave's Pics of Progress

Yeah!
Plenty of Deet for me.

It's been wet this summer, really wet for this area.

The mosquitoes are out biting even in the daytime.

I hate those little critters.

[christo]

Re: Dave's Pics of Progress

I spent some time in the Matagorda area - those skeeters are huge in Texas!!!! Big, green and mean.

[Les]

Re: Dave's Pics of Progress

What are mosquito's?

Les...

[Acoma]

Re: Dave's Pics of Progress

Mosquitos are like the cold weather, they come when your not ready...

[asudavew]

Re: Dave's Pics of Progress

I guess you could always surround your oven with TIKI torches

I plan on covering my stand with an EZ-UP canopy and lacing the inside with rope light. This is a really good time of year in Texas. gets down into the mid to low 80's in the evenings.

Good idea Kemo.

I may have to try this myself..... Or maybe my propane lantern.

[Kemo]

Re: Dave's Pics of Progress

I spent some time in the Matagorda area - those skeeters are huge in Texas!!!! Big, green and mean.

Ive heard that those really big mosquitos eat the smaller mosquitos.

I have no way of verifying this