new build in werribee

[Greenman]

Re: new build in werribee

Might be that Santa needs a special friend.

[david s]

Re: new build in werribee

Why is Santa always smiling?
Because he knows where all the naughty girls live.

[brickie in oz]

Re: new build in werribee

.

Happiness is a full woodshed.

Dunno 'bout that, Santa always has a full sack and he is always happy....

[Greenman]

Re: new build in werribee

Hey Colin

Acquisition of firewood is all about being an accomplished scrounger. People lopping trees, windfalls of dead trees on country roads, clearing for road widening, building sites (provided the timber has not been CCA treated and a keen pair of eyes all help with the effort. I am a bit lucky in that I live rural and there has been plenty of old seasoned timber within easy striking distance of home.

A ute and a chainsaw help the effort.

Happiness is a full woodshed.

[oasiscdm]

Re: new build in werribee

Looking good Colin,
I agree with david s on letting the shiralite dry a bit before big fires.
My bottom layers of perlite are fine but the top was still damp when I did first big clearing fire and thats where I have some cracks and around around flue gallery.
Maybe too late but I would place some aluminium foil to stop shiralite sticking to flue area and act as a expansion / crack joint.

Thanks for the info on Ben's refactory mortar I was wondering what it consisted off.

Hi Anthony

Thanks for the heads up.

Hoping that won't happen around my vent and landing as it is completely separated from the dome... But will go easy on the curing. Build up tonight, tomorrow and Sunday.

[TropicalCoasting]

Re: new build in werribee

Find a fencer and get rid of his old posts could be one way of getting free redgum.

[chubbybones]

Re: new build in werribee

Hey Colin,
You should check out ebay and gumtree for free firewood.You may be surprised by the offerings.
I was able to pick up a cubic metre of quality redgum hardwood for free via ebay.
Just something to think about.

[david s]

Re: new build in werribee

I weighed the wood that my oven consumed once and it only took 4Kg of wood to get the thing to clear completely. There are all sorts of factors though, total oven mass, dryness of wood, quality of wood, dryness of oven and presumably air humidity. I also presume the fuel consumption would be in line with chamber volume (although a bigger oven should be more efficient) eg A 5 litre V8 will not use 5 times the fuel of a one litre engine. My oven is only 21" internal diam so it's volume is way less than a 42" In fact it is only 50% of the diameter, but 12.5% of the volume of a 42"I think you'd do better than having to burn 40 kg in a 42" but I'd guess about a bit more than half that.

[oasiscdm]

Re: new build in werribee

I know I'm getting ahead of myself here but once the oven is fully cured how much wood is required to get to clearing temps for 1m internal?

I understand that all ovens are different am just looking for a guide.

[david s]

Re: new build in werribee

ok - will do

a year hmmmmm shit where did the time go. Actually only started the dome 1 April I don't count the stand but guess you are right.

I'm guilty too. I just fired my kiln up tonight for the second time. I took it to 700 C on Tuesday with the kiln furniture only and to 1020 C today with a few wares. It goes like a champ, used almost a full 9Kg bottle and took 14 hrs.(must take biscuit firings slow.)

I started this kiln over two years ago, got a little lost in priorities. Will post some pics on my "pizza oven becomes a kiln" thread. Still have to give it a hard outer shell, that might take another year.

[Liteceeper]

Re: new build in werribee

Looking good Colin,
I agree with david s on letting the shiralite dry a bit before big fires.
My bottom layers of perlite are fine but the top was still damp when I did first big clearing fire and thats where I have some cracks and around around flue gallery.
Maybe too late but I would place some aluminium foil to stop shiralite sticking to flue area and act as a expansion / crack joint.

Thanks for the info on Ben's refactory mortar I was wondering what it consisted off.

[oasiscdm]

Re: new build in werribee

ok - will do

a year hmmmmm shit where did the time go. Actually only started the dome 1 April I don't count the stand but guess you are right.

[david s]

Re: new build in werribee

I don't know what kind of cement is in Shiralite, but if it's Portland you should let the stuff cure before adding any heat as you only finished the layer yesterday.k If it uses calcium aluminate cement then it only requires 24 hrs. Either way all that water is still there and it's easier to allow the sun and wind do some of the work in removing it rather than internal heat. Don't rush it now, you've been at it for over year. If the water in the Shiralite turns suddenly to steam it will expand and you'll get cracks in it.

[oasiscdm]

Re: new build in werribee

Hi Colin,

Out of interest how much water did you have to add to the Shiralite to get a good workable mix?

Half bucket of each. Although I i'm not completely sure as I mixed half a bag a time in a wheel barrow but a bloody lot of water. If it was too runny 3 handfuls of shiralite stiffened it up.

I pretty much used a flat square finishing trowel as a hawk and small brickies trowel to apply, sped it up subsantially. Ended up being able to apply a whole bag in less than 15 minutes.

Only problem I kept running out of the stuff. I used 125mw [medium weight]. It is really solid stuff. Curing has begun.

[david s]

Re: new build in werribee

Hi Colin,

Out of interest how much water did you have to add to the Shiralite to get a good workable mix?