Tweet
Re: dusty dome is done!
Dusty,
Good question about the electric heater. I figuring that only the work done on the keystone needs a week of curing, which would be New Years Day. Presumably, the keystone didn't really have much of a mortar joint anyway, so even if you weakened it a bit by getting it warm too early, the keystone is not going to fail, and fall to the floor.
The previous rows were done prior to that, so need that many fewer days before you can light a fire or use a heater. Most of the work has already had a week to cure, so for the most part, you're pretty safe with the electric heater.
I waited six days and then used electric heat. It only got to 120ish degrees in there, which is not a hell of a lot hotter than the occasional Sicilian and Southern Italian summer days. Somehow, their oven work survived the temperature extremes, so I figure that mine was pretty safe.
A couple of days with the heater made absolutely no difference in the mortar joints that I could see. My soldier and first three courses still showed moisture lines on the cladding, even after the first four or five curing fires. I covered the dome with insulation before I ever saw them disappear. Here's a pic from prior to curing: http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/atta...gress-fb29.jpg
I was worried about freezing temps and wet mortar and so used the heater. If that is not a concern for you, the heater is probably a waste of time, though it may help minimize the thermal shock to the mortar joints by running it for an hour or two prior to doing your curing fires. I can't imagine that going from 40 degrees to 300 degrees in a matter of minutes does anything good for the mortar joints. 120 to 300 just might be a bit easier on them.
If you get a few days of clear skies after the 1st, it might be worthwhile to get out there and get curing. Otherwise, you're probably very safe in waiting till Spring.
at least that's my take on it.....
George
Dusty,
Good question about the electric heater. I figuring that only the work done on the keystone needs a week of curing, which would be New Years Day. Presumably, the keystone didn't really have much of a mortar joint anyway, so even if you weakened it a bit by getting it warm too early, the keystone is not going to fail, and fall to the floor.
The previous rows were done prior to that, so need that many fewer days before you can light a fire or use a heater. Most of the work has already had a week to cure, so for the most part, you're pretty safe with the electric heater.
I waited six days and then used electric heat. It only got to 120ish degrees in there, which is not a hell of a lot hotter than the occasional Sicilian and Southern Italian summer days. Somehow, their oven work survived the temperature extremes, so I figure that mine was pretty safe.
A couple of days with the heater made absolutely no difference in the mortar joints that I could see. My soldier and first three courses still showed moisture lines on the cladding, even after the first four or five curing fires. I covered the dome with insulation before I ever saw them disappear. Here's a pic from prior to curing: http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/atta...gress-fb29.jpg
I was worried about freezing temps and wet mortar and so used the heater. If that is not a concern for you, the heater is probably a waste of time, though it may help minimize the thermal shock to the mortar joints by running it for an hour or two prior to doing your curing fires. I can't imagine that going from 40 degrees to 300 degrees in a matter of minutes does anything good for the mortar joints. 120 to 300 just might be a bit easier on them.
If you get a few days of clear skies after the 1st, it might be worthwhile to get out there and get curing. Otherwise, you're probably very safe in waiting till Spring.
at least that's my take on it.....
George
Comment