32 Inch Cape Build

[CapePizza]

Question about filling spaces. Let's say when I finish laying a row of bricks I notice a small gap between 2 bricks. Like maybe around 1/16th inch gap. Is it helpful to wipe some mortar in that space?
I'm questioning it knowing the mortar is not penetrating the gap all that much and sooner or later the heat is going to compromise the mortar and it will most likely fall out anyway. I'm thinking maybe just leave those gaps, as is. Any thought's would be appreciated. Thank you!

[Baza]

Wow - you have such a clean build - great cuts, tight joints and great workmanship!
You're moving well - I like the 3 brick approach - provides solid anchors throughout the course! I should have thought of that.
I did 1 anchor, then added one on either side going along the course.

Just finished row 11 today - really steep! I wound up cutting very bespoke bricks for each one - and appreciated the effort.
There were gaps like yours, John, but I think Mongo nails it - not a structural issue - just an aesthetic one - and you have that in spades here!

Keep true to what you want in your build!
Awesome work!
Barry

[Neil.B]

Not long now, well done

[mongota]

Looks terrific. Keep it going. So close!

[CapePizza]

Posting some progress photos.
Removed the arch form. Made it over the arch with dome bricks.
Moving on to row 8. Noticed some bricks in row 7 were slightly out of level when placing a level across them in various spots. Thought for the start of row 8 I'd first install 3 bricks approximately 120 degrees spacing, making sure they were level and using them as a benchmark when installing the remainder of the row's bricks.

Thank you all for your previous comments of support and encouragement. I do appreciate it!

[CapePizza]

Thank you Russel and Mongo for the follow ups. I can see shaving a bit off the corners to let the bricks sit a bit lower to tighten the gap. I guess it's just how "particular" I want to be. But was mainly asking to see how others addressed this issue, if in fact it is an issue at all. I understand, in the end, it has nothing to do with how the oven will cook.
But thanks again for your thoughts.

[UtahBeehiver]

Right near the end second and last courses I went with 1/3 and 1/4 bricks as well as slightly feathered off the corners to reduce the cord angle, just a trial and error.

[mongota]

Question about brick configuration higher up in the dome rows. I'm getting to row eight. The circumference of the brick rows is getting smaller. So now when the next row is placed, there is a noticeable space created where the 2 bottom corners of brick is sitting on the row under it (see attached photo). I suppose this could just get filled in with mortar. But shy of shaping every brick to get a tighter fit , basically removing the corners that are causing the brick to sit up that create that space, or maybe using less wide bricks..... any words of wisdom about this. Just accept that some mortar will show? Thanks in advance for your insights/suggestions.

You have maybe 1/8" gap there? I'd accept that for this course and let some mortar show.

We all go through it...when do we go smaller?. From half-bricks to third-bricks, to slightly smaller than third-bricks, to...?? lol I think my final course prior to the plug might have been custom cut quarter-bricks? Close to it. I did shape the bottoms of those bricks in my final course to 'fill in' those triangles.

Eventually FOR YOU, that gap will be too big. Or too many of your vertical mortar joints will naturally line up or stack on top of one another, and you'll want to go to a smaller brick to better maintain an offset joint pattern. Even though I was cognizant of offsetting my mortar joints, I still have some that line up. Sometimes I saw it happening, stopped, and cut a smaller brick for an infill. Other times I saw it, and just kept mortaring, understanding that I'd re-achieve offset after two more bricks. So even though I TRIED to do well, my dome by a purist's standards is not perfect looking. But it's been cooking perfectly fine for several years now, lol.

There's also the issue of brick waste. You can leave a lot of brick dust and offcuts on the ground going for a 'perfect' dome. And again, nothing wrong with that if that is indeed what you want.

You'll know when you need to shave those bricks, or when to altogether go to a small brick. Because honestly, only YOU know how you want your dome to look. In your mind, you might be there now! In so many ways it's simply about what you want, what your eye will accept, and simply how pretty your want your dome to be. Cooking-wise, your dome will still cook if you have an occasional fat mortar joint instead of all 1/8" mortar joints.

For me, I didn't want to get in to the finicky-ness of shaving this corner and that. I wanted a pretty dome, and I wanted to do decent work. But sometimes shaving each brick individually can lead to inconsistencies around the course as you build out the course.

As I wrote above, the only course of 'custom' shaped bricks I did was for my final course prior to the plug. I used a template to transition from the multi-faceted last course to an octagonal-shaped plug. See the photos below.

In MY OPINION, with the gap you show in your photo, by tightening it up you're going for 'style' points versus 'structural' or 'significant improvement in performance' points. Nothing wrong with embracing style. I did where I could.

You goal is to build a dome that will cook, as well as one you are proud of. Nothing wrong with pride!

Best, Mongo

[CapePizza]

Question about brick configuration higher up in the dome rows. I'm getting to row eight. The circumference of the brick rows is getting smaller. So now when the next row is placed, there is a noticeable space created where the 2 bottom corners of brick is sitting on the row under it (see attached photo). I suppose this could just get filled in with mortar. But shy of shaping every brick to get a tighter fit , basically removing the corners that are causing the brick to sit up that create that space, or maybe using less wide bricks..... any words of wisdom about this. Just accept that some mortar will show? Thanks in advance for your insights/suggestions.

[Baza]

Holy cow!
That is AMAZING Craftsmanship! your tie in to the arch is flawless! you've done amazing work here!
No droop on the tie in - clean cuts and tight joints - wow!

I'm with Mongo and Utah with the anchor brick - actually, with every small batch of mortar I used the last bit to add to the anchor in the course above so that by the time the course I was actually working on was closed - I had about 6 bricks in place and stiff for the next one up. Each small batch of mortar I mixed lays about 5 - 6 bricks - so laid 4-5 on the course I'm on and 1 above. Just a suggestion. I used 1x2's and when I ran out of enough length - I screwed the extra length on from the ones that were now too short - a bit of a step - but hey

Use Mongo's idea if you can!

But can't suggest much to YOU! wow - amazing work
Keep it up!

[Ope-dog]

@CapePizza... your build is amazing! Some great craftmanship there and the inner arch tie-in looks like it will go perfectly! Great job!!!

[mongota]

Looking real nice.

If you have a table saw, I ripped a bunch of thin sticks. Maybe 3/16ths square, maybe 1/4" or so. Thin enough to flex for a little bit of bend. But they friction stick nicely to the floor and brick just enough to keep the just mortared brick in place.

And I agree, setting an anchor brick helps for getting the next course started as well. You can see mine for the next course in the foreground of the attached photo.

Keep on doing what you're doing, you're killing it. Your oven looks terrific.

[Neil.B]

Looking great, well done.
Do you tap the bricks down as this will help suction.
You could try cutting grooves top and bottom.

[CapePizza]

A little slower going today as at the 6th row the increasing slant is causing the bricks to slide a bit. Putting some sticks in there to hold the bricks in place till they start to set up. Need to find a better configuration of "stick" so it holds on both the floor and holds the brick. I remember reading a pearl of wisdom from one of Russel's (UtahBH) posts about at the end completion of one row and before you knock off for the day, mortar in the 1st brick of the next row. This kind of adds a bit more "anchor" when starting the next row and the slant is increasing. So did that. Otherwise, moving along, some progress pics attached.
If it doesn't rain tomorrow will tackle the right and left 6th row dome brick to arch transition.
One other thing regarding the "raw hands' issue. I had a box of 9mm nitrile gloves (from HF) in my shop which worked great for handling the brick and doing the mortaring. They're thin enough so you're not wearing these thick material gloves and it's really like wearing nothing on the hands.... so you don't miss the tactile handling of the bricks.

[Baza]

Hmmm - I tend to go straight to the beer part at the end of it all .... no wonder my hands are like a brillo pad!
mongota Thanks for getting the order right!

Great build - John - love how you mention humiliation - that moment when the brick you thought you cut just perfect is ... well, not - and you keep going only to note that it was on course 3 and you're on course 8 and it will forever stare at you ... laughing

yeah ... that