From oz. First time user. Please help.

[Worb]

Re: From oz. First time user. Please help.

thanks all for your comments. My local supplier (who is a distributor with not a lot of knowledge about bricks) wants over $1 for a solid red clay brick. But they got the shifty eyes and mumbled a fair bit when I asked if they were sure these were clay and not a cement brick. Not confidence inspiring. (And, I may just be a knucklehead, but I don't have a lot of faith in someone that doesn't have eftpos in this day and age).

I spotted someone on the forum who said they got firebricks from claypave for a bit over $2. It might be cheap peace of mind to go back to the finance department (missus), ask to extend the budget and go the firebrick.

I will definitely go the homebrew fireclay mortar. It sounds too good to be true, but all the fb forum members can't be wrong.

Am considering taking a spin to brissie this friday to get the clay and bricks. I need to finish this bloody oven, It's all I think about lately!!

[Aussie Alex]

Re: From oz. First time user. Please help.

Hi there,
I am from adelaide. I have just sources all of my materials an I am ready to go. If you want any details of what I got and where then please let me know.
Alex

[Worb]

Re: From oz. First time user. Please help.

aaaand in the end I went clay. It was either go clay, or end up not going at all (issues with having the revised budget approved through the finance department. Bugger, accountants are ruining the world!). I have lit a few fires (slowly slowly catch the monkey) culminating in a decent fire last weekend. I have not put the insulation on yet, I wanted to see how bad the oven would rack before I covered it up. It's cracked quite a bit, but nothing I'm too concerned about.

Hopefully the weather holds out this weekend, I'll put the blanket on, might throw some vermicement on for good measure, and render it.

I've been rendering with a 6 sand, 1 cement, 1 good lime and had no dramas so far. Is this mix suitable for a finish render over the dome? Is it waterproof?

[brickie in oz]

Re: From oz. First time user. Please help.

It's cracked quite a bit, but nothing I'm too concerned about.

You have to keep painting on a slurry of clay into the cracks as the fire heats up, this will seal the cracks in the open fired position.

[cobblerdave]

Re: From oz. First time user. Please help.

Worb
My oven suffered for weeks of rain till i sealed it.
The render is not fully water proof so you best to paint it there are heaps of product for painting render you can get some realy nice effects. If the minister for war and finance steps in and you can only paint it heresome tips Leave the render for 3 weeks to mature properly
Scrub down with a week solution of vinegar and water to kill the lime left
Use a matt paint it will give you a soft effect where a full gloss showns up the lumps and bumps
Go well
Regards Dave

[Worb]

Re: From oz. First time user. Please help.

Thanks Cobblerdave, have been reading up on acrylic renders and they sound like the go. I will cover the oven to protect from rain, and it'll get used pretty well in the next month, that should dry it out enough then I'll paint an acrylic render on.

And I like the tip on the matt effect, as it's pretty lumpy.

[cobblerdave]

Re: From oz. First time user. Please help.

Hi
posting the reply yesterday spured me on to complete the final coats. My old paint brushes are nearly hadit so I went to buy some more. told the hardware man what I was doing and he said to buy a Fence Brush. Add this one to the best yet toil saver tools... its longer thicher bristle take the hard yakka out of painting rough surfaces holds heaps of paint and fills in all of those fine holes as you go.
Regards
Dave

[Worb]

Re: From oz. First time user. Please help.

Just spent the morning sponging on a coloured render coat. Was originaly just going to cover the base, but I had to see what the whole thing looked like. After the resounding failure of the sponge I think I'll go hunt a fence brush down for the final render coat.

Had a bit of a cookup last night with a couple of mates. The plan was to light the WFO, then cook some steaks on the BBQ. Had to try a quick pizza in the oven. After the first pizza, the BBQ was abandoned and we spent the night making pizza. Basic pizza with what was in the fridge - tomato, ham, parsley, spring onion, cheddar cheese and olives. Tell you what, a basic pizza in the WFO made by a pack of drunks beats the arse off any of the gourmet pizzas I've ever eaten before. Can't wait to see what we can do with some good ingredients and a bit of practice.

[cobblerdave]

Re: From oz. First time user. Please help.

worb
Drink, hungry drunks, and a wood fired oven well....... that sounds dangerous
Ok no one to badly burnt.... bet ya theres a few burnt arm hairs though and red ruddy faces

regards dave

[Worb]

Re: From oz. First time user. Please help.

cobblerdave, no dramas. After camp ovens, open fires and hungi's, pizza ovens are a breeze