Tapering bricks with a chisel.

[Squirt Reynolds]

Hi,

I thought I would explain how I am doing my tapering, and perhaps ( if this is not posted in the right place, just move or delete)

By cutting each standard fire brick at a 11 to 13 degree angle down the center, you end up with two pieces that taper in either a clockwise or counter clockwise 'swirl', so to speak.

Since I see many images on straight cut half bricks making up a dome, I figured, with this small taper, at least the bricks might stay in place when/if the mortar were to fail. Hopefully, that won't happen, but I just don't know.

Meantime, you also do not want the mortar joints to line up, so on each chain, I 'swirl' the opposite direction!

Now, I KNOW this is not perfect like some of those cool perfectly tapered bricks, or like those cool guys who make each brick taper with a diamond saw, but the joy of making it fit together a little nicer, with no dust, no noise but the plink of a chisel, really makes the building process kind of timeless for me.

I am attaching a photo. ( perhaps...)

Well, that's all for now... Thanks for all the suggestions and interesting pictures I have seen on this forum!!

Hey Lars, you still sniffing around these Days? couple questions from a newbie if you have a min pls and thanks