Camo's new 36" build Brisbane

[Laurentius]

Re: Camo's new 36" build Brisbane

Gudday,

You have me laughing my @&& off! How in the devil, did you come up with THAT??
It make me think of the old Reece's Peanut Butter Cup, commercial of the two kids that run into each others, one eating a chocolate bar and the other peanut butter. This I need to hear?

[cobblerdave]

Re: Camo's new 36" build Brisbane

Gudday
Finally remembered what I did to stop the water from getting sucked out of the slurry by the insulation! Margarine !!! Yep ordinary old table spread a thin layer on the insulation ....you then get an instant bio degradable waterproof layer. Sorry cam I remembered this do late ....perhaps it will help someone else

Regards dave

[BOOMERS WFO]

Re: Camo's new 36" build Brisbane

Hi Dave,

As I started laying bricks in the heat and finished in the cold, the chemical reaction of the mortar was always dictating how to work.

I followed forum suggestions by mixing small quantaties of poormans mortar in a bucket with a paint stirrer on a drill. I used a large tin as measuring device ( 800+gm tin size, red kidney bean to give it a mexican feel, hee hee), this worked out to give a consistent mix and was quick. This was sufficient mortar for say 10 -12 bricks on lower courses, and probably 6 or so in higher courses as the angles increased. I did not shape the brick top or bottom.

I placed 8 to 10 half bricks in a large oversize bucket of water to soak whilst I mixed the mortar. The bricks soaked up enough water to not be too wet and not rip the moisture from the mortar, nor make the mortar too wet when placing the brick. I also lightly wet down the previous courses to enable them to be a bit wet too.

I found this enabled me to lay fire bricks quickly and efficiently. Some days I just had to accept it was too hot or too cold to be laying bricks, and just drank beer instead!!

Cheers

Craig

[cobblerdave]

Re: Camo's new 36" build Brisbane

Gudday Craig
Thanks Craig Camos going to facing heat and dry winds this wkend
Talking about dry how did you find laying firebricks did you find it sucked your mortar dry? And how did you get around it?

Regards Dave

[Camori]

Re: Camo's new 36" build Brisbane

Cheers guys, don't know how I would go without this site. I wasn't quite sure whether to sit them on the fireclay. I had seen this method on Karangi Dude's build as well aqs others so should have taken this as gospel - his build is fantastic
Anyway if there are any lips after this I'll just grind them back

Should get the floor bedded down this week end I hope

Cheers

Camo

[BOOMERS WFO]

Re: Camo's new 36" build Brisbane

Hi Camo,

I had similar issues with my floor, I was laying on a vermiculite layer. I found that the fireclay mix recommended to lay on, given the warm weather and vermiculite absorption of water, was drying too quick which made the brick laying problematic.

I ended up laying a thin layer of sand with fireclay, getting it level, laying the bricks level (as suggested by Dave) and then lightly water over top, which ran between the bricks setting the clay.

I have not had any problems so far, and after curing and three major cookoffs, floor still level.

Cheers

Craig

[cobblerdave]

Re: Camo's new 36" build Brisbane

Gudday Camo
Put down a slurry of fireclay and water.Smooth it out roughly then use a notched trowl like you use for tiling (with large notchs). you can get a cheap plastic one use one for a couple of $.
Once you have smoothed the slurry out with the trowel start laying. Next brick up to the first so they touch first then lower into position and a tap with a trowel to set it level with the first. Dont lower first then push them together the slurry packs up & makes gapes between the bricks and ruins the level.
No need to mortar them down let them float, expand and contract, ash packs in the cracks etc if you mortar you make it stiff and it will probably crack during use. Mines level 2 years on now.
Have only heard of one with ruined hearth bricks as he used mineral coal and it was to hot so dont worry about that. Its good still to know its possible to replace if the slim chance it does happen.
How did you go with the IT if you still need he angle welded on give a a PM I have a welder


Regards Dave

[Camori]

Re: Camo's new 36" build Brisbane

Mortor or Float the oven floor ?

Guys just started laying and cutting the oven floor but can't seem to get a flat surface even on top of the CF board. In some places I have a lip of 2mm which I think will catch the peel.
Should I mortor the floor in and what type of mortor would it be. I thought maybe fireclay and water or should I just grind the lips off later.
If I leave the floor to float then I will be able to change (maybe) bricks in the future if the crack or become damaged >>

Any thoughts
Cheers

Camo

[Camori]

Re: Camo's new 36" build Brisbane

Thanks for the great advice Dave- Yes I am chaffing at the bit to get going but have been working on the "indespensibe tool" and cutting a bit of ply to protect the fire bricks on the floor Got these pieces for the "indespensibe tool" from the local hardware store for about $14 and think they will do the job. Just have to get an angle iron piece welded on the end. Works out the height of the dome will be approx 485mm instead of 450 but I think I can shorten it in a bit as I get to the top of the dome.
Anyway slowly slowly, should start to cut the floor this weekend and then if time, lay a few bricks. Should be interesting as this is the first time at bricklaying although I've layed a few slabs in my time.
Cheers
Camo

[cobblerdave]

Re: Camo's new 36" build Brisbane

Gudday Camo
you have brick fire clay etc so I recon about now you have been playing at least with your new toys and perhaps have a floor down already.
A coupla things your going to discover apart from the weight of the bricks if your cutting them dry there pretty dusty. So if you doing the angle grinder and bulster thing drop them in a bucket of water for a min or two to minimise the dust. they'll make the water fiz like soda ...amazing how something so heavy could contain so much air.
Also what i found as a mug bricklayer only having a small batch of mortar gave you plenty of time to "play" and learn. Used a 10 litre bucket and mixed 1/4 of that with a paint stirrer on an electric drill.
Its great mortar the poor mans mortar....the firclay give you a good "slip" and heaps easier to use than plain mortar. Make it fairly "wet" so you can squish those bricks into position the first time....to dry and its to hard to position and you can't move them again it breaks the bond.
Wheathers to remain dry so I recon its full steam ahead you'll have a dome in no time

Regards Dave

[cobblerdave]

Re: Camo's new 36" build Brisbane

Gudday
Before I forget cut a deep revel so the largest mass fits into the oven entrance that way you get a good seal to keep the heat in and away from any wood metal handles etc

Regards dave

[cobblerdave]

Re: Camo's new 36" build Brisbane

Gudday
You can get 50mm hebel from Salisbury but if you use the thicker stuff from bunnings clamp a couple of pieces of wood to the sides and rip it thinner with a hand saw. You can shape with a rasp cut with a chisel sand it wouldn't use power tools though .....to dusty

Regards dave

[Camori]

Re: Camo's new 36" build Brisbane

Well Harro, was in Bunning today at Cannon Hill and they had them on special (75 and 100mm) for a dollar each - they must be getting out of being their supplier. if that is too far away there is a supplier at Salibury however I think the CF board would be better as it will be much lighter
The doors are made of stained ply wrapped in an aluminium c section- I coated them with a marine grade sealer - can't remember the name - over two years ago and haven't touched then since but they'll probably need another coat soon.

[harro]

Re: Camo's new 36" build Brisbane

seems we're travelling the same roads. i picked up CF boards from same place, plan on using the leftovers for my oven doors, and been out to Dinmore twice now for firebricks. gladly done with them now with just about 0.5 leftover but my current challenge is the oven doors. Can i ask you where you got your hebel from? My bunnings only had Eco block in 800x200x200 size which isnt very convenient for insulating a small oven door.

Also, your storage doors under your WFO and BBQ, are they just plywood with alum angle edging? how are they holding up to the elements?

[Camori]

Re: Camo's new 36" build Brisbane

Thanks Laurentius, still researching the door but yes I have put them aside as I'm sure they wiill get used somewhere. Not that much left though. I was planning on doing a trial run with a small bit of CF board and hebel brick tomorrow to see how the mortar will work as I think both pieces will suck the water out of it