Sarah's Progress Photos

[sarah h]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

And row 11 ...

[sarah h]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Thanks Jim, I'll have a look - a cast lintel might be just the thing! How is Kastite to work with - is it soupy or can you mould it free-form?

As for the weather, it's turning fast so I will need to come up with more protection. So far, a light, some foam panels and a tarp have done the trick but an insulated tarp sounds good. I don't think I can get walls for the canopy I've got but I plan to scout out my options tomorrow.

Sarah

[CanuckJim]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Sarah,

You might want to have a look at the pics I posted in the Gallery of an Artigiano installation. Because the supplied vent is steel and squared, I went with a straight cast lintel (material was Kastite). To this and above it I will be attaching an external decorative arch. That will happen probably this week, so I'll try to post some pics post haste. Like you, I'm running ahead of the weather for the veneer stone enclosure, and it looks like I'll be surrounding the enclosure area with an insulated tarp and bringing in a heater of some sort. You have a canopy much like the one I use at a local farmers' market in good weather (a Crappy Tire special). Consider tarp walls for it. This will keep you relatively safe from frozen mortar, at least for a while.

Jim

[sarah h]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Now using the ball, here's row 10 ...

[sarah h]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Sometimes those forced breaks, however unwelcome, are what's needed to keep you from trying to push too fast, too far - it was probably a good thing to quit when I did yesterday and re-connect with the world away from ovens for a bit - well, somewhat - a party with lots of neighbours in attendance so lots of questions about our progress and news that one neighbour just down the street is having an oven built in the spring - seems I've spearheaded a neighbourhood trend!


I've watched the frost melt on a nearby roof this morning and seen long strings of geese head south as I wait for it to warm up a bit so I can get to work - just came back in from fishing bricks out of the pool and am now typing to warm my fingers back up. Another half hour or so, then it's time to finish 'er up - three and a half more rows to go!

[Frances]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Its looking really good, Sarah!

unavoidable commitment - would that be like in "Oh no, not dinner at a five-star restaurant and a weekend in a luxury skiing resort, not just now, I have to finish my oven!" I know I'm like that, especially if we're having good oven-building weather.

Yep, Dave's right, lighting a fire is so COOOOL, makes up for no longer having a dome to build and then some. Look forward to that moment!

[asudavew]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Congrats.....

Sad/happy moment upon completion!

But playing with fire is an awful lot of fun too!

[sarah h]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Half of 10 done ...

The ball works, sort of - not quite the right size, but still supports the bricks at the right spot anyway. And now, just when I can see things starting to move faster ... time to quit for the day due to an unavoidable commitment - darn !!

Tomorrow,
Tomorrow,
There's always
Tomorrow,
Completion's one day away!

(maybe ... as long as the saw doesn't quit ... or I don't run out of mortar )

Sarah

[sarah h]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

She's closing in!

Row 9 is done - here are a few pix. I was able to get some different perspectives since we moved the tent thing that was over it - as the rows got higher it got harder to work under there.

I'm going to try putting a ball inside the dome for the next rows but I'm not sure if the diameter will provide the right arc (fingers crossed!).

Back to work!

Sarah

[gjbingham]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Sarah,
Great work. You're almost there. Suddenly it will be done and you won't know what to do with yourself.

I had ice in my saw pan's water and brick soaking tank too. Hard to stick your hands into that, huh?
George

[sarah h]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Well, it's slow going, but here are the latest photos.

Wish I could say that's fire inside a finished dome in the first one but it's just bedtime preparations for my dome at the end of row 7 !

Next two - row 8 complete .

Last one - inside the dome ... where it's very evident that the level of care in cleaning has slipped considerably as this process wears on - I've got some major cleaning to do! And it doesn't want to come off either .

One more row, then I install the ball - I have huge optimism that it will lessen the time to complete the last rows ... or the smaller diameter will ... or my wish to BE DONE will ... but, bit by bit, I'm getting there!

I'm now going to pour a glass of wine and contemplate whether we continue tonight or in the morning. I'll let you know ...

[Gentcpa]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Way to go Sarah.

I'm working on my 13th course but I didn't do a soldier course, I did two regular courses instead plus I am tapering which adds courses. I will also go through 200 bricks on a 36" oven.

Obsession, I hear you and them on that part. I all of a sudden have way more interest in olive oil and tomatoes than I should. My wife though is now seeing something that is looking like an oven and is already planning on when I am going to have trial runs before we invite everyone over for my youngest boys B-Day party at the end of November.

[jwnorris]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

<snip> My family considers me obsessed with my oven - they're probably right !

As soon as the pizza and other dishes start coming out of the oven, they will understand our obsession.

J W

[Frances]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Oh yes, family complaining about oven obsession, I know that feeling!

Courses, well I finished at row 12 (I think), but since then I've been seeing all ovens with 13, 14 or more rows. This means that either my oven is a lot smaller than everybody else's or that my the bricks are bigger...

Sounds as if you'll be finished soon though, even with slower days. Keep up the good work!

[sarah h]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Row 8 is now just about four bricks shy of being done. A bit frustrating, since I had hoped to actually finish the dome today but I just plain ran out of steam yesterday and didn't do anything. I worked all afternoon today but things just seemed to crawl - arrrghhh !!! That being said though, I estimate I've just got 4 more progressively smaller rows to go ! Is that the case for everyone - does it always add up to 12 courses? Seems that's what I keep reading about in everyone's posts ...

No pix - I covered everything early, even though it's actually a warmer night than we've had in a while, just in case of any Halloween mischief. I live on a corner, in a neighbourhood with tons of kids, and the oven is over toward the street-side fence line, but I'm likely just being over-protective and paranoid. My family considers me obsessed with my oven - they're probably right !