New build in Sunny Canberra

[timechanter]

Thanks david s .

I'm using proprietary castable on top of the floor tiles with 5% SS needles (should I make it only 2%? They are rather pointy) . I have made the dome today (picture attached) which took longer than I expected to get the shape right. Its currently 31C here and the wind is blow strong , making it a challenge to put wet news paper down (it keeps blowing away).

Big question is is 31C to hot (espeically with strong hot winds) to attempt the castable?

[david s]

Are you planning to cast your dome on top of the floor or around it. You can do it either way, but if cast on top of the floor bricks makes replacement of floor bricks at the perimeter very difficult.
The brew for the sand cast is 10 parts sand, 0.25 parts powdered clay, 1 part water.
Are you using a proprietary castable refractory or making your own? SS needle addition is a min of 2% by weight of dry castable. Handle the mix with respect, they're not called needles for nothing.

[timechanter]

Floor down and level. Notched trowel and 50/50 sand/fireclay worked a treat.

I'm building the sand form for casting today, temps are looking a little high for the afternoon (31C) concerned about my ability to cast in that temp.

Any suggestion here david s ?

[timechanter]

Tracked down the fire clay and the floor cut and ready for the weekend.

[timechanter]

Well I've cut up the Board and marked out the floor tiles (300x300x50mm) . It appears I was a little eager and ended up with 6 tiles and 1 sheet of 600x1000x50mm CF board left over. Chances are Ill have a few bags of castable left as well. Maybe I should build a very small oven for my dad, or maybe I should take up pottery and build a small kiln.

I'm looking good for the dome this long weekend.

[timechanter]

Stand is complete, and form-work removed. Got a 10kg delivery of SS needles, my week is looking up.

[timechanter]

I hope it will be looking better in a couple of weeks. I've just ordered my SS needles reinforcement and will head out to the pottery place this weekend to grab powdered clay for the sand form. Other than that, just some ply wood templates to knock up.

[Steady]

Looking good timechanter

[timechanter]

Well after a long winter skiing, a wet spring, and away for most of summer I'm finally back to the task at hand. The cool weather in past couple of days let me get the base suspended slab poured.

[Steady]

Thanks timechanter - I trust you are now mostly mended?

[timechanter]

They are composite Modwood boards on a steel frame. Its a little shy of 55m2 and was my first deck build. I laid the foundations and then broke a rib mountain biking in Thredbo, soooo Oven is a little behind.

[Steady]

The deck boards look nice - are they natural or a manufactured product?

[david s]

Nice work. It looks cold down there.

[timechanter]

I've been delayed doing that last 5% of the deck, and in-fact have borrowed a bunch of blocks for a new set of stairs at the end of the deck. Hopefully this weekend I'll finish the blocking and a good start on the heath framing.

[Steady]

Looking forward to following your build timechanter