It's time to go Vertical

[Ken524]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Tried fixing the oblong part by the arch and that took some extra mortar, but I think it's getting better.

Interesting that I had the exact same problem. The arch must cause some sort of optical or mechanical illusion that is throwing us off course there? Hmmm.

You are only a few courses away from a keystone! The last few courses will go fast. Keep up the great work.

[gjbingham]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

George, RT,

Take a hint from somebody who has ruined many torpedo levels, angle finders, etc., etc., with mortar: these things really are waterproof. Just swish them around in a bucket of clean water from time to time to get the mortar off before it sets. Doh, wouldn't like to say how long it took for me to learn that.

Jim

Thanks Jim! A little late for my angle finder. Working into the late fall as I did, my hands would often be so cold that the end-of-day that cleanup was rarely as good as it should have been. The tool is totally encrusted with mortar. Looking at it still gives me fond memories though. It's kind of a personal trophy now.

[RCLake]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

RC,
Just wait until you get mortar all over the angle finder and you can't see the angle at all. You try to wipe it off, but it just smears, and you still can't see the angle. Then your back starts screaming...... Geeze, I miss that!

stop torturing me

[RCLake]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

RC, how many bricks to complete 9? I would suggest finishing th e mortaring inside, cleaning up, then going to 10. Looks like all is going at a nice pace for you.

Robert, Row 8 took 23 half bricks and row 9 used 19.

[gjbingham]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Almost there RC!

[RCLake]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

I took the tarp off and decided to try my new tool. The slope after 9 rows is 65 degrees. Jim's chart row 10 has a 62 slope and a 8.5 bevel. If his chart's slope is before (i.e. after row 9) I'm close. If not so what!

[gjbingham]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Sounds very close to me too. As you close in at the top, you get more worried about just making the bricks stick, and less worried about the angle. After all those rows you've already completed, you get pretty comfortable with the size of the space needed between each row and just kind of eyeball it (at least I did).

[asudavew]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Tried fixing the oblong part by the arch and that took some extra mortar, but I think it's getting better.

yeah.. I had the same problem. I didn't address it early enough and it ended up getting worse as I went along. ( I thought it would correct itself ... ) My keystone was one weird shape, nothing like some of the beautiful ones around here. But so far, my dome is still standing!

Keep up the good work!

Dave

[Acoma]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

I hear you on that oblong shape. I saw it happening when I was completing my transition with 7. I added some mortar on the low area, and will use slightly additional mortar in that area to get my dome more round.

[gjbingham]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Robert,
How about laying in thin bricks, just in the area where the dome's circle is out of round, in order to bet you back to a more perfect shape?

The arch transition and the resulting shape of the subsequent brick courses that I'd seen on many ovens is the reason I chose to go with the angle iron over the dome entrance. It looked easier and I wasn't confident that I could make all those obscure cuts that Ken and Les were doing. (I was correct about that part).

[Acoma]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

George, I may do that. What I will do during the next course is to focus on it last so that I can see the others shaping up properly. This will give me a guide as to how much (adjustment brick) will be needed, thinned, fitted to make it work. You know me, get to it right so that it will be behind me.

[gjbingham]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Back in my building days, that's how I think I would've handled it, but again, that's why I decided not to try.

RObert, you'll have a great result, even if its a couple of millimeters off here or there.

RC - you done yet??? Sorry to get off topic.
G.

[RCLake]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Finished row 10 yesterday, it feels like I'm working upside down. I started using Jim's guide and precut a handful of bricks, worked good initially but then I needed to make adjustments. So I went back to brick by brick and eyeballing it. Can't help myself. Made a little progress on the oblong as you can see in the last picture. The top circle is 14" with the arch area about 15", so I don't think it is to bad. Ran out of bricks though.

[Acoma]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

HA! You ran out of bricks Now you need to wait 30 days as punishment. I will go at my normal pace and we will happily finish together

[Ken524]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

So I went back to brick by brick and eyeballing it. Can't help myself. Made a little progress on the oblong as you can see in the last picture. (

That was exactly my experience. Looks nearly identical in shape and size to my 10th. 3 more rows to go and you get to figure out how you will do the keystone!