Block Stand Question - Pompeii 42"

[UtahBeehiver]

Since you so good at tapering your bricks, why not do the arch as well, nice even mortar joints.

[Yeager]

Was chewing on that, but my HF Saw doesn't fit the bricks 4.5" tall through well. It says its a 10" saw, but behaves more like a 9.5" saw! Also, I wouldn't have a fancy spreadsheet to follow instructions on either - would likely have to figure out the angle myself! Having complained all of that, I'll try it out tomorrow.

I could also buy the pre beveled brick, but I not sure which one to get (No 1, No 2, or No 3 arch from link below). I think it would be Arch No 1. My simple sketchup shows it going from 2 1/2" down to 2 1/16".

Btw, did anyone end up buying the estimated 224 bricks for a 42" Oven and realize they were going to be way short? I think I am going to need another 50 or so to finish (maybe more). My neighbors tell me that they know when I am home because they hear the saw constantly going lately! I don't feel too bad because they'll be the first to come over for pizza when its done.

[thomasmn]

Was chewing on that, but my HF Saw doesn't fit the bricks 4.5" tall through well. It says its a 10" saw, but behaves more like a 9.5" saw! Also, I wouldn't have a fancy spreadsheet to follow instructions on either - would likely have to figure out the angle myself! Having complained all of that, I'll try it out tomorrow.

I could also buy the pre beveled brick, but I not sure which one to get (No 1, No 2, or No 3 arch from link below). I think it would be Arch No 1. My simple sketchup shows it going from 2 1/2" down to 2 1/16".

Btw, did anyone end up buying the estimated 224 bricks for a 42" Oven and realize they were going to be way short? I think I am going to need another 50 or so to finish (maybe more). My neighbors tell me that they know when I am home because they hear the saw constantly going lately! I don't feel too bad because they'll be the first to come over for pizza when its done.

I've gotten 210 so far from SSFBS and I'm sure I'll have to go back for more. I've done all the cuts up until now inside, but decided that tonight was the night to take the saw outside. I finally got my cutting down and was able to do my 3rd course entirely in less than 3 hours including building a small jig to do all the cuts with.. I started with the bare hearth Friday morning and this is where I've gotten so far. My IT is a piece of cherry attached to a 3" lazy susan from Rockler and it seems to be working just fine for now. I have had to clean up one brick on the inside so far..

[Yeager]

Great job Thomas! Very clean brickwork. I live right down the road from you in Burnsville! Is that Insulated Brick on the bottom? The one item to keep an eye on is ensure that courses always overlap underlying joints. I had to occasionally cut a small piece to get things back in the middle. I now have my saw right next to my oven and it takes about 2 hours a course to cut and install. Each course gets a little easier and then creates their own challenge! You quickly start to learn on what you can get away with and what is worth the time to make right as I am sure you know!

I see you are waiting on building your arch also - have you picked a design yet?

-Yeager

[thomasmn]

Great job Thomas! Very clean brickwork. I live right down the road from you in Burnsville! Is that Insulated Brick on the bottom? The one item to keep an eye on is ensure that courses always overlap underlying joints. I had to occasionally cut a small piece to get things back in the middle. I now have my saw right next to my oven and it takes about 2 hours a course to cut and install. Each course gets a little easier and then creates their own challenge! You quickly start to learn on what you can get away with and what is worth the time to make right as I am sure you know!

I see you are waiting on building your arch also - have you picked a design yet?

-Yeager

I've tried to keep the joints a way from each other even if it is just ever so slightly, but not entirely in the middle as I'm sure I'd have to go through a lot more bricks. I have been pretty impressed with how well the bricks stay together when using the dome calc google sheet. The brick is all Smithfields from SSFBS, but the ones laying next to the insulation are just there to keep interested parties finger's out of the insulation.. already had a few people poke at it a few times! I have to say though, with the new design on the HF saw it seems like we have it a whole lot easier in cutting dome bricks. I made a wooden jig for the side angle and with the tilt the saw is able to do it takes really no time to cut all the brick once you wrap your head around the concept!

I do have a design for my vent already and I have to get started on the form for it today. My stand is entirely based on Dino's design and the oven itself is very close to RandyJ's design with a few slight modifications.

Given our close proximity we should plan a meetup.. with RandyJ and gastagg as well!

[RandyJ]

That would be fun to get together sometime. I would love to see your oven when it is done. Or at least close to done.

Randy

[Yeager]

Would love to meet you guys - feel like we've known each other for a while now!

[gastagg]

We talked last year about getting together, but I think our builds went late into the fall. Need to get Mr. Chipster in on it too. I haven't heard from him in a while.

[RandyJ]

Yes that would be a lot of fun to all get together. I also have not heard from Chip in several months. I talked to him on the phone a few months ago to ask a few questions I had. But we would have to get him in on it too. You are right George our builds went to late in to the fall last year to have time after that to do a get together. I need to do the last few things on mine to finish it up.

Randy

[Yeager]

Hey Guys,
I am getting ready to mortar my arch, but have a question. Right now, I barely have spacing for 1/8" gap with the "Arch No 1" bricks I bought without cutting any bricks. I am worried about getting a consistent thin 1/8" mortar joint and wondering if I should plan on cutting some of the arch bricks down? Should I just shoot for 1/4" mortar joint or is a 1/8" sufficient? I know very little about the physics of mortar joints (i.e is a 1/4" joint stronger thana 1/8"?), so this may be a silly question. Am I ok with putting in a few one day and the rest another or should they all be done at once?(I have a form) I get between 15 minutes and a couple hours a day to work on it, so hard to judge things sometimes!

Thanks,
Yeager

[Yeager]

Hey gang, hope you had a great Mother's Day weekend. Any thoughts on my question above?

[RandyJ]

Hey Yeager I would think that you should be just fine with the 1\8" mortar line. I had very few joints that small. But that was just my construction style. I didn't worry about having thick joints. I know that if you use heat stop or simular mortar you have to keep to that or less or it will crack. I hope that helps or gets someone else to comment.

Randy

[Yeager]

Kinda funny story... So I kept on having to lower my HF blade height because I thought it was popping up. Take a look at the blade size below - I think I likely needed a new blade a few rows prior! The picture on the right is the old blade inside of the new blade. Ironically - It still cut through the Brick fairly good. I have to head away for a few days for work, but looking forward to trying out some cuts on the new blade. I am guessing it will feel like butter!

[RandyJ]

I had the exact same thing on my build. I ran my bad as far down as you too. It is pretty amazing how much you can cut with one blade, but then it is all gone and it seam like where did it go. Here is mine. I love the rigid segmented blades. They work great and last a long time. Keep up the good work. I can't wait to see it when you are done.

Randy

[Yeager]

Looking great! Looking forward to see how waiting to do the arch and the adjoining rows at the same time works.

Hi Gastagg,
You got me thinking about this statement after looking at some other build threads. Are you thinking I may hit "droopiness" if I havent been building it all together? You have my spider senses tingling that I may have done something wrong!

thanks,
Yeager