Acoma 42" Tuscan

[beaglestorm]

Re: Acoma 42" Tuscan

This is my first post after lurking around here for a few weeks. With daylight saving time starting, I now have time after work to begin planning and building my oven. I just want to say thanks for all the endless encouragement, support and most importantly patience everyone here seems to have. On to my question?

Is your vent and arches made of the same Firebrick as the dome?

I think it looks nice if they are the same material, but the material list in the plans says to use regular clay brick. Would that recommendation be to save money or to prevent the arch/entry from heating up too much during operation? I would think that there is a better chance of cracking if you use dissimilar materials. So I guess my question really is, can I just use firebrick to build the entire structure?

Thanks,

Michael
El Paso, TX

[Acoma]

Re: Acoma 42" Tuscan

RC, 8" round by 36" height. I do like to watch my mortar cure Let's me feel, I repeat, feel the bonding of brick and mortar Like husband and wife Anyways, I have completely cleaned my site of junk, and have decided to remove my tent tomorrow morning, with photo for the family (FB).

And now...............3.12.08 is B-DAY for my precious Sophia, whom turns 2! I feel so proud having these 2 girls! My older daughter and I will use the tent as a spring greenhouse for our garden this year. She will be the leader of prep, and I will be the laborer.

I don't know if any of you share this thought, but I miss the thoughts and advice of UNO. He was so cool and has disappeared. I wish he could see my accomplishments as well as all of you (my extended family).

[thebadger]

Re: Acoma 42" Tuscan

Acoma,

Your girls are precious. I have 3 "monkey boys" 6, 4 eom and 15 months. My wife is a saint putting up with my obsession and letting me work on the oven...

Your oven is looking GREAT - Can't wait to see the finishe product.

Dick

[RCLake]

Re: Acoma 42" Tuscan

I'm so glad, enjoy your children during their youth, , you will be surprised when they are in there 20s - it happens so fast.

[Acoma]

Re: Acoma 42" Tuscan

Michael, I used the firebricks for everything. I bought 300, and used all of them. I had 12 that were unusable, but the rest worked great. For me, I was able to buy 2nd's from a wholeseller at a great cost, for you in Texas, you may want to connect with your fellow Texans, RC, Dave, etc to get the lowdown on brick suppliers with best value. I would be concerned about cracking if Mortar and bricks are not high heat tolerant, this is why I went with the Refmix mortar as well. It cost me plenty, but my sanity equals out. What size are you thinking? Start planning your sources for supplies (base wall, hearth, bricks, etc). We will easily walk you through it all should you ever become concerned.

[Acoma]

Re: Acoma 42" Tuscan

3-1: Finished the dome
3-4: Finished the arch
3-6: Finished the chimney
3-11: Finished the chimney base

All above with mortar. My question is that since my dome, arch, and chimney will all have been completed for over a week, with only the chimney base being the exception. Is it a bad idea to start curing Sunday at 200 degrees for the day if the chimney cap area has only cured for 5 days with that temp? Monday being the 6th day with a cure temp all day of 300, etc...
What do you think? I want to know if the oven temps during curing at this low temp creates warming of the arch and chimney bricks? If not, then I would think its ok to start Sunday? Am I wrong?

[Xabia Jim]

Re: Acoma 42" Tuscan

Acoma

I don't think you can ever wait too long to begin curing and should always err by waiting if you can stand it.

Concrete cures, it does not dry. Always try and keep new masonry in a damp state. An electrician I used here said that concrete blocks continue to harden for years (he broke two chisels in one day on our house).

So there is an asymtotic curve for curing cement/concrete and every day you wait allows it to cure more.

We oven builders are always in such a hurry to eat!

It will be pizza time soon enough.

[CanuckJim]

Re: Acoma 42" Tuscan

XJ,

A side note to your well founded advice. Concrete and stone sealers, such as the excellent one from Benjamin Moore, specify that it cannot be used until the concrete/mortar has cured for 26 days. There's a reason for that, and you've covered it well.

CJ

[Acoma]

Re: Acoma 42" Tuscan

I will wait the 7 days, and will start Tuesday. Now I see what everyone means by waiting, staring, and saying "it won't hurt".

[gjbingham]

Re: Acoma 42" Tuscan

Twiddling your thumbs helps. Enjoy your week off - go chop some wood!

[RCLake]

Re: Acoma 42" Tuscan

Tuesday will be here soon enough, split that wood

[beaglestorm]

Re: Acoma 42" Tuscan

Thanks for the extra details. I had planned on 250 bricks, but will up it to 300. I did not take damaged ones or waste into my calculations.

I wish I could find seconds! Here in El Paso, bricks are $3.50 each. (And that is my contractor price) I am planning a weekend vacation to either Albuquerque (4 hours) or Tucson (4 1/2 hours) to trailer some home. They are only $1.10 and $1.46 respectively. Austin (8 hours) was also at $1.46 but that is just too far even though I love visiting Austin. (By plane)

As for the Refmix and the FB Board / blankets... I have not been able to find any of those materials significantly cheaper so I will probably end up buying from FB... just to help keep the board running strong another year.

I am planning my oven in the 42" range. I have some big fossilized cantera stone blocks I am trying to incorporate into the design. They were recovered from an old school we are tearing down.

I?ll start a new thread when I finally start. I am 50/50 right now on the awesome traditional brick arch and oven similar to yours and Jim?s or a very modern looking stucco and metal creation.

-Michael

[Acoma]

Re: Acoma 42" Tuscan

Come into any of our threads any time for advice, etc. As for your own thread, it will be great documentation of your great work to be.

[asudavew]

Re: Acoma 42" Tuscan

I wish I could find seconds! Here in El Paso, bricks are $3.50 each. (And that is my contractor price) I am planning a weekend vacation to either Albuquerque (4 hours) or Tucson (4 1/2 hours) to trailer some home. They are only $1.10 and $1.46 respectively. Austin (8 hours) was also at $1.46 but that is just too far even though I love visiting Austin. (By plane)


-Michael

Hey Michael,

I'm in San Angelo. I found bricks at ACME for $1.11 each. Do you have an ACME nearby?
I think I am only 6 hours away... but not sure you would save money by driving to San Angelo. Dang gas prices.
But you might want to do some more checking....if you haven't already checked everywhere.

Dave

[asudavew]

Re: Acoma 42" Tuscan

Come into any of our threads any time for advice, etc. As for your own thread, it will be great documentation of your great work to be.

Great Oven Robert.
I enjoyed watching your progress.

Take your time on the curing process.

Enjoy it like a good after-dinner glass of wine or fine cigar.

Stand back and admire it for a few days!

Dave