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36" Pompeii Dome - Thailand

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  • Yokosuka dweller
    replied
    And adding to Utah's advice you can also note that the castor wheel pivot isn't pivoting off the exact center of the castor, but a couple cms to the side. It's not a disaster but will influence the hemispherical shape as you move up in rows. If you want to get closer to the true center you can grind off the side piece of the castor frame so it won't interfere with the IT and then drill a hole through the remaining framing of the castor wheel housing just above the center pivot point. It is definitely possible to do, but you'd have to fiddle a bit to ensure the IT stick itself is still movable in new position like that. If that makes sense...
    Last edited by Yokosuka dweller; 04-03-2020, 12:03 AM. Reason: poetry

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  • UtahBeehiver
    replied
    One critical design item on the IT which you need to address. The centerline of the IT square tubing that attaches to the end "L" bracket need to align with the horizontal center of the brick. IE if the brick is 2.5" thick then the centerline of the tubing needs to intersect the brick at 1.25". This is noted in JCP31's design as well. The reason is then the face of the brick will be perdendicular to the center point of to floor. If you don't then the errors in the brick face are cumulative as each course goes up. It is ideal to have the pivot point on the other end as close to the floor as possible other wise the dome shape starts to skew, IE floor radius is 18" dome diameter will be 18" plus the distance of the pivot point off the floor, not a deal killer just some to be aware of and one of the reasons the IT needs to be adjustable. There are a number a variables that makes an adjustable IT valuable, just do it, you will be glad.

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  • danhem
    replied
    I've had a big problem buying a wet saw as advised. Bottom line is that I would need import one costing around $1,200 including shipping and customs charges. Obviously this is a non-starter. So unfortunately against the advice here I have purchased a chop saw with a vacuum attachment to capture as much of the brick dust as possible. Just waiting on a couple of masonry blades to fit the saw and a quality respirator (import only - total cost $206!!).

    So in the mean time I have been busy with my build and have dry laid the oven floor. Also started to work on the IT - I wanted to follow jcg31's IT design but with the hardware stores closed it will be difficult getting the right pieces together. My go to guy for all things technically beyond my scope on this project has managed to pick through my building sight and created an adjustable IT with a pivot from the foundation of a caster wheel. The IT is still in its development phases but on first impressions it seems that this makeshift design might just work.

    A couple of questions on the IT:

    1) It is recommended to make the IT adjustable - What are the reasons for this?

    2) My inner-oven diameter is 36" - What kind of adjustment space will be required ( +/- 18")


    Many thanks as always.

    Danny.


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  • UtahBeehiver
    replied
    This is better than a bridge saw but the depth of the cut is limited by how large the diameter of the blade is. I found that a 10" will do almost all the cuts necessary (it might require cutting from both sides), 12" is best but also more costly. Either case, wet saw is your best and safest bet. That said, if budget is really a deciding factor, I have seen some adequate builds done with a brick chisel and hammer, not the prettiest but certainly functional.

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  • danhem
    replied
    Originally posted by UtahBeehiver View Post
    TxGr bought a wet bridge saw at a store in Thailand so check his post out. A wet saw is your safest and best bet.
    Thanks, I did see TxGr's post but it was mentioned that his was had limitations, which he later confirmed as his build progressed.

    I'm able to order a Tile Saw (picture uploaded), I'm hoping that this would be a good machine for the task at hand?

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  • danhem
    replied
    Would this machine do the job? It's being marketed as a Tile Saw but Google searches seem to suggest that it will cut bricks too.

    Apologies for these trivial questions.

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  • danhem
    replied
    OK many thanks for the input guys, will continue searching for an appropriate machine, hard going as the stores are currently closed.

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  • UtahBeehiver
    replied
    TxGr bought a wet bridge saw at a store in Thailand so check his post out. A wet saw is your safest and best bet.

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  • JRPizza
    replied
    If you search through the forums you can see what others have done that did not have access to a proper brick/tile saw. I seem to remember hearing of folks soaking bricks and cutting them wet to try to reduce the amount of hazardous particulates that david s describes above, but after using my brick saw I'd be very hesitant to try to cut a brick with a chop saw. Having water feed and the slow rotational speeds of a proper tool can allow you to cut bevels etc on small pieces of brick without having to worry about losing a finger. I bought my saw with the intent to resell it after my oven was done, but have held on to it to cut the occasional brick or piece of tile around the house.

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  • david s
    replied
    It is possible, but bear in mind that dry cutting of bricks produces an enormous amount of dust. This dust is highly dangerous to inhale because the very fine particles of fired brick are really sharp and can easily damage the silia in your lungs which can result in permanent lung damage, for either you or your neighbours. A normal dust mask is not adequate, you need a decent respirator. In addition this fine dust gets into the air intake in the motor of the drop saw. It is designed to cut metal plastic or wood, not brick or refractory material. You can set up a water drip feed onto the blade to reduce the dust, but also remember that you then increase the risk of electrical shock. Water feed electrical equipment normally have a sensitive and heavy duty electrical safety cut out.

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  • danhem
    replied
    I am trying to work out the best brick cutting tool to buy and use. Seems that a Chop Saw (pic. 1) would be the most versatile option for cutting precise angles. Problem here in Thailand is that getting a 10" masonry blade to replace the wood blade the machine comes with seems to be an impossible task. I know the 10" blades are available on Amazon US/UK but that seems like a risk to take on delivery under the current COVID climate.

    The best option offered by the sales staff here can be seen in pic. 2 (apologies, not sure of the correct terminology of this saw). The blade is 10" and will slice through the brick without any problems...so I'm assured. Seems here that this machine would not facilitate angled cuts as required on the bricks. Is the where the 'Jig' comes into play?

    I have come across a 'Jig' thread on here but can not for the life of me find it now. I am trying to make the cutting process as easy and as accurate as possible.

    Any thoughts on which way to proceed on the machine purchase?

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  • Yokosuka dweller
    replied
    Yes, it is a strange reality at the moment, a wake up call that our destructive ways on this planet are hitting limits...Although Japan has been floating much in its own world, seemingly they 'flatten the infection curve' here. But probably it was an effort to keep the olympics on track by testing very few people. Now that that's solidly off track anyway, can expect to see infection number rise also here. So, wherever we are, it is no doubt the right time to just hunker down, stay put, and get the various garden projects advanced.

    I guess you are in Thailand? They've also closed borders now. If you're there then it's probably not an issue at this moment, but travel is difficult. I lived in Thailand for several years myself (1998-2001 and 2006-2010, and 2013-2015). I liked many aspects of it, got tired of the incessant heat, pollution (Bkk), and the increasing (but understandable?) fatigue among the locals to the 'farang'. Still many great memories some of which better to be shared over beers. Anyway, I am side tracking your thread here, so sorry about that. Good luck with the rest of the hearth pour. I will check back in here again later to see you progressing with the build.

    Enjoy!

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  • danhem
    replied
    Originally posted by Yokosuka dweller View Post
    Hej, Nice you found pre-made concrete plates. Makes the job of pouring hearth stand a lot easier. I guess you are now prepping for another additional layer of concrete on top of the plates? You can consider to use your angle grinder to grind some grooves into the existing plates and then remove the dust (nothing sticks to dust). Then 'paint' the plates either with a bonding agent or a mix of portland and water (consistency of paint). Pre-wet the plates and then brush the 'paint on' and then you must be quick to pour the new concrete on top before the 'paint' dries. This is to increase the bond between existing and new concrete. I did this on my own hearth stand, because I poured it over several weeks. And even with the bonding agent, there is one corner where the bond didn't work. So just a heads up.

    Other point, may not be relevant but consider: your concrete form looks fine, but it looks like you are using very few screws. I cannot really see how deep the additional pour will be, but if its more than 1-2cm the new pour of concrete weight will push the form our a bit at the top, so your concrete will not be totally plumb. Perhaps not a big deal,but you can fix this by wrapping a solid cargo/belt strap around the form's circumference to avoid it from moving due to concrete pressure.

    edit: I can see you're pouring up against the retaining wall of your garden. Good idea, but then the 'belt' idea won't work probably. In any case, you may then have to reinforce the sides of the form somehow to avoid it from bulging. Maybe put some stakes into the ground that can ensure the form stays put while the concrete sets.

    Cheers,
    Het thanks for your message, I'll be sure to follow your suggestions on preping the slabs before pouring the next layer of concrete. The side forms are firmly screwed in, but you are right about the front - I'll prop some wood up against to prevent the bulge.

    PS - We were supposed to be in Japan right now on holiday but had to cancel due to travel restrictions for the Corona virus. We will try again next March. At leat I'm able to press on with my oven.

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  • danhem
    replied
    Originally posted by UtahBeehiver View Post
    Most of the documentation is in the form of the photo album but I do have some offline info. It just depends on what you want. Shoot me a question and I will try and answer, there are a lot of builders on this site who have great advice as well. I am not a big fan of the YouTube videos out there, some info is good and other info is downright bad. So now is the time to be thinking about an indispensable tool, AKA IT, it is well worth the time and effort to build one, make sure ii is adjustable.
    Many thanks, I was at the hardware store yesterday to pick up some IT supplies but the damn thing is closed until 12th April due to the CoronaVirus measures. This will put me back a few weeks now as I was also there to buy a chop saw for the brick cutting, Will see what I get get online.

    As far a questions go...there will likely be many as time passes on. I was just curious to see if you had documented your oven plans with dimensions etc.

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  • Yokosuka dweller
    replied
    Hej, Nice you found pre-made concrete plates. Makes the job of pouring hearth stand a lot easier. I guess you are now prepping for another additional layer of concrete on top of the plates? You can consider to use your angle grinder to grind some grooves into the existing plates and then remove the dust (nothing sticks to dust). Then 'paint' the plates either with a bonding agent or a mix of portland and water (consistency of paint). Pre-wet the plates and then brush the 'paint on' and then you must be quick to pour the new concrete on top before the 'paint' dries. This is to increase the bond between existing and new concrete. I did this on my own hearth stand, because I poured it over several weeks. And even with the bonding agent, there is one corner where the bond didn't work. So just a heads up.

    Other point, may not be relevant but consider: your concrete form looks fine, but it looks like you are using very few screws. I cannot really see how deep the additional pour will be, but if its more than 1-2cm the new pour of concrete weight will push the form our a bit at the top, so your concrete will not be totally plumb. Perhaps not a big deal,but you can fix this by wrapping a solid cargo/belt strap around the form's circumference to avoid it from moving due to concrete pressure.

    edit: I can see you're pouring up against the retaining wall of your garden. Good idea, but then the 'belt' idea won't work probably. In any case, you may then have to reinforce the sides of the form somehow to avoid it from bulging. Maybe put some stakes into the ground that can ensure the form stays put while the concrete sets.

    Cheers,
    Last edited by Yokosuka dweller; 03-25-2020, 01:55 PM.

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