42” Pompeii in San Felipe, MX

[Chach]

Speaking of reminders - watch out for the dreaded droop. If you aren't purposefully lifting the bricks adjacent to the arch slightly, you will end up with droop around your arch. It is a subtle cumulative effect that is hard to see coming if you aren't watching for it. Attached is a graphic I made to try to show what is happening. As you build up your dome the same mechanism that creates the increasing "inverted vee" - a tilting up of adjacent bricks, does not happen automatically at the end of a row. I was placing my level side to side and did not see the droop coming. If I had placed it from the brick adjacent to the arch to the rear of the dome I might have noticed.

Yes your first instinct is to cut the brick to match the side of the arch but your doing that without having the brick in it's correct angle and pitch is what gives that droop. I put the brick in the IT and set the brick next to the arch and scribe your cut then come back set it in the IT and see if it works if not shave a little here and there to make it fit but always use the IT it will keep that brick to it's correct angle and pitch. You do that you will have no problem. I cut my brick to match the arch and set it and I was like what the heck didn't look right until I used the IT to keep the brick at it's correct position and make the cuts.


Ricky

[oasiscdm]

Nope Gulf, dredded dropp was in that post. Shit that was so long ago. still haven't started new oven, need to complete the base and render. Then hearth base and away i go.

[modified9v]

Okay Gulf... I cleared it all out... still didn’t work right. I then logged in as a guest and it works perfect. When logged in I don’t see post numbers. Very strange. I’ll try on another device tomorrow.

[Gulf]

Yes, you should be viewing Colin's (new build in werribee) build page 26, post # 381. I think that the phrase dredded droop was a few pages before. The link that I am referring to is a simple way of preventing. the dredded droop. Though, It was also Colin's way of recovering from the droop.

....I’m finding this on almost every link some one posts.... Do I have a setting wrong or something....

You may need to do a reset of some kind and delete all of your old cookies to get back in sink with the forum.

EDIT: I believe the term is reset the cache on what ever platform that you are using.

[modified9v]

..

Check out this technique by oasiscdm (Colin).

Something must be wrong with the way I’m viewing things. When I went to the link you posted it took me to Colin’s build but no where on his build thread do I see anything about a “Dreaded Droop”. It takes me to page 26 of 34... the build starts on page 34 already past the build... starts out basically when he starts curing fires.

I’m finding this on almost every link some one posts.... Do I have a setting wrong or something....

Aside from that, were you referring to a laser on a tri-pod?.... I know I saw that somewhere...

Thank you Gulf, Mikie V.

[Gulf]

..

...... curious though, how much do you raise them? Is there a way to use the IT or is it a “Wing-It” thing?......

Check out this technique by oasiscdm (Colin).

[modified9v]

Thank you JR for the reminder... curious though, how much do you raise them? Is there a way to use the IT or is it a “Wing-It” thing? I’m already getting up there as I made some good progress today.

Update: The high winds kicked up while I was in making a sandwich and my easy-up (POS) took a big hit. I will be able to make it usable again but it won’t take much of a breeze to take it completely out. The forecast is calling for more and stronger winds over the next few days.

I only have three arch bricks left to mortar in. I always try to stay two bricks ahead on the arch verses the chain and so far it is working out pretty good. When ever I get ready to mortar I always do the arch bricks first and then move on to the chain bricks. I also keep my diamond blade close by just in case and that has paid off. Also, I was reminded by a member to always set at least one brick on the next chain as an anchor so to speak and I’ve been pretty good at making that happen and it really is nice to something “in” to work off of.

My hands are turning into ground beef. I do wear latex gloves when mixing an applying mortar, but for the hand cuts I don’t wear them. 35 years of old school mechanicing will do that to ya. Speaking of the hand cuts, I sure wish there was an easier way to nibble the corners of the bottom of the chain bricks to minimize the horizontal “V”. Everyone of them is different. I’m getting better at setting up the saw to sort out the vertical “V” and it has paid off... but still, I have to test fit and mark every one of the chain bricks. It takes forever to cut and fit a complete chain... the mortaring in goes very fast.

Anyway, thanks for the tips and warnings or just following along. I’m starting to feel like it is really going to happen.

Mikie V.

[JRPizza]

Speaking of reminders - watch out for the dreaded droop. If you aren't purposefully lifting the bricks adjacent to the arch slightly, you will end up with droop around your arch. It is a subtle cumulative effect that is hard to see coming if you aren't watching for it. Attached is a graphic I made to try to show what is happening. As you build up your dome the same mechanism that creates the increasing "inverted vee" - a tilting up of adjacent bricks, does not happen automatically at the end of a row. I was placing my level side to side and did not see the droop coming. If I had placed it from the brick adjacent to the arch to the rear of the dome I might have noticed.

[modified9v]

OK... progress through today. Had an arch tie-in brick slip on me a little. No one will see it so it stays. Other than that, it’s just very slow going.

One thing... prior to starting my build I looked at so many others on this forum. Soooo many times posters would say, “Watch that you don’t line up those mortar gaps/joins”. I always thought that was a no brainer... man, you really have to think ahead and those reminders are priceless.

Mikie V.

[modified9v]

Thanks for the reply, Chach!!! I’m getting better at mortaring one or two down in the next chain. It sure makes it nice to have a solid brick to start with.

Not too much to report other than I’m i’m Working the 6th chain. Staying at least one ahead on the arch and finding that as I go up the arch the tie in has gotten easier. I’m getting better at my cuts in regards to the inverted “V’s”. Interesting that they are both horizontal and vertical. I have a quick method to jig up the the vertical but so far I’ve been just nibbling at the corners to minimize the the horizontal ones but those nibbles are getting bigger. I just don’t see how I could make those cuts with a jig as they all seem to be a little bit different.

All in all pretty satisfied with the way things are going. Tomorrow will be a long day as I’ve used up all my cut bricks... gonna be back on the wet saw again tomorrow. I did have a little setback with my easy-up shelter. Winds picked up for a minute this afternoon and bent the crap out of it. It doesn’t take long for the wind to do it’s thing around here. Also, the flies and bees are a major pain in the butt!!!

I am curious about one thing... the stuff that ends up in the bottom of the wet saw... the guts from the firebrick... if I dry that out and sift it through a screen would it be a good substitute for the fireclay? There has to be a good use for the stuff... and I’m starting to accumulate a good bit of it.

Hope to have some pictures tomorrow.

Thanks folks, Mikie V.

[Chach]

Chach & Russell... not sure I’m following this “Scribe” thing. Correct me if I’m wrong, but my plan was to custom fit both the right and left side chain brick to the tapered arch and mortar them in place along with being sure not to stack the joints with the chain below... at the same time I wanted to fit and mortar the next set of arch bricks after mocking them with the chain that intersects them... at the same time I wanted to fit and mortar the chain bricks (about 3 of them at least) in the the back of the oven... you know, the ones you can see through the opening. I want to do all cutting and then mortar that all down. That is about 7 bricks which is my typical mortar mix. Then, let them set. Finish the chain either later in the day after a round of golf and some pool time.

I’m finding that this next chain is going to require some nibbling of the bricks to minimize the vertical and horizontal “V’s” at the join... not a huge deal, but it will take some time.

Next day, rinse and repeat.

Please let me know if I’m missing something in this.

Thanks, Mikie V.

I don't see a problem with that. I would keep going though and not stop unless the bricks are moving on you. I did a few courses a day with no problems. I did always leave one or two bricks to set for the next day as it gives the next bricks something to stick to.

[modified9v]

Chach & Russell... not sure I’m following this “Scribe” thing. Correct me if I’m wrong, but my plan was to custom fit both the right and left side chain brick to the tapered arch and mortar them in place along with being sure not to stack the joints with the chain below... at the same time I wanted to fit and mortar the next set of arch bricks after mocking them with the chain that intersects them... at the same time I wanted to fit and mortar the chain bricks (about 3 of them at least) in the the back of the oven... you know, the ones you can see through the opening. I want to do all cutting and then mortar that all down. That is about 7 bricks which is my typical mortar mix. Then, let them set. Finish the chain either later in the day after a round of golf and some pool time.

I’m finding that this next chain is going to require some nibbling of the bricks to minimize the vertical and horizontal “V’s” at the join... not a huge deal, but it will take some time.

Next day, rinse and repeat.

Please let me know if I’m missing something in this.

Thanks, Mikie V.

[Chach]

I think what Russell is saying is don't end your course with the brick that touches the tappered arch set the one next to it and before you mortar it in scribe the one next to the tapered arch and fit that in then put that last brick in.

Ricky

[UtahBeehiver]

What I am saying try not to lay the course so that all you have left in space for one brick that ties into both the tapered arch and the brick course, Then you have no ability to scribe the tapered side of the course and the arch. If you leave the adjacent brick unmortared until you get you fitting done then you can adjust the course brick joint a lot easier since that arch side has already been fitted.

[modified9v]

Tip, when fitting into the tapered arch. leave a brick or two adjacent to the fitted brick unmortared. Then you can dry fit easier.by sliding towards the dome to make measurements. Then you can always straight trim the adjacent brick to fit. Also, at the end to the day, mortar in a brick on the next course at the back of the dome to set over night. It will give you an anchor to start from the following day, especially when you get highers up in the courses.

46 Course 8 Finished with Anchor Block for 9 7.17.12.JPG

I got an “invalid error” message on the link.

I follow you on the second part... mortaring in a couple before the next day. Man, that makes sense. I ran outta mortar (that I trusted) before I could do that on the last course.

Russell, the first part of your post... are you sayin’ to mock up the chain brick that intersects (major custom cut) and leave it long and work towards it?

Thank you, Mikie V.