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Post by DuncanM on Feb 24, 2012 8:28:48 GMT
Wee bit more progress today - although not as much as I'd hoped. 9' Angle grinder arrived on Thursday so finally got chance to cut some blocks Thursday evening and took today off work to do more work. Blocks cut so first course laid down (not bedded - I decided not to as Rado thinks it'll be fine seen as the blocks are filled with concrete). Filled the first course (mixing by hand ). Filled the whole first course as the DPC is going on next (only decided on this after a few discussions on this forum - and because I didn't put one in for my footings). DPC in place. 4th course almost completed, with 40% of (left hand side) of blocks filled to top with concrete - again hand mixed It's obvious from this angle to tell which bricks have been cut. All blocks laid and rebar for vermicrete measured and cut. Vorsprung durch Cement Mixer :twisted: Who'd have thought a belle minimix 150 would have fit in a 10 year old VW polo! A £100 purchase off ebay means no more hand mixing for me It's slightly battered but working perfectly and I won't be thinking about arranging my days around hiring one out. Laying in wait for the morning to fill the remaining blocks. Was hoping to have had the form made - but need to go and purchase some more wood, cement board and rebar - this is the sticking point. I have 1 rebar mesh for the vermicrete, but need another for the slab. My car is way to small to fit the large 3m x 2.?m it comes in and Jewsons take a few days to arrange delivery so I'm doubtful if I can lay the hearth slab this weekend
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Post by DuncanM on Feb 24, 2012 8:29:25 GMT
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Post by DuncanM on Feb 24, 2012 8:29:52 GMT
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Post by DuncanM on Feb 24, 2012 8:30:53 GMT
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Post by DuncanM on Feb 24, 2012 8:31:42 GMT
I'm wondering if I could fit the large wood store at the back with a hammock in case I ever get in trouble with the OH
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Post by DuncanM on Feb 24, 2012 8:32:00 GMT
Some more progress this weekend 8) Preparing the form and support for the hearth slab, Rado's plans call for a 6 1/2" slab, but the melamine board I had (and re-used) from the footings was 9" so I thought I'll add extra insulation and extra thermal mass. Firebricks arrived on Friday Quite a few chipped etc but i'm hoping this won't be a problem. Poured the vermicrete insulation in place Friday evening (Insulation was 3 1/2", 1" thicker than Rado has said but after Scottme's comments in his thread about the underside of his hearth still getting warm I glad I stuck it in). Poured the concrete slab on Saturday, sticking the rebar in place, the dust mask was still on from mixing another barrow of concrete, man does that lime produce a LOT of dust! Slab poured and being levelled. Skimmed. Sunday: Starting on the brick work as I couldn't do much else today. Probably should have chosen an easier project for my first attempt at ever laying bricks. The ridiculously uneven bricks (although the photo doesn't really show it) proved a nightmare to work with. Seriously contemplating hiring a bricky for a day but that's a decision to be made further down the line. Was actually quite pleased with the finish of the bricks, it just depends how they look in a few days time, and the fact with only a few laid it's probably hard to notice the mistakes (that would be more visible when the wall is taller). Took up the recommendations from most of you guys in my other post about buying firebricks and if I should proceed through the winter building so I puchased a gazebo from Argos for £17 (again, thanks for the recommendation!) so that it should give the oven some protection until it's finished. I doubt there will be much progress for 2 weeks now as I'm going to be busy but fingers crossed I can lay the firebrick hearth
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Post by DuncanM on Feb 24, 2012 8:32:49 GMT
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Post by DuncanM on Feb 24, 2012 8:33:10 GMT
Latest progress after 1 day for the past 2 weeks taken off work: Hearth being laid: Walls built up and concrete for thermal mass poured back and sides. Note after this photo I decided to reduce my oven size from 5 bricks deep to 4 1/2. I need to add more concrete at the back to fill this gap in Back of wall built up. First and 2nd arches built. View of oven after 4th arch finished. There are a few mm difference between arches 2 and 3 and 3 and 4 on the left but it's tiny (light on camera picks it up unfortunately well), but it won't affect performance so I won't worry about it. It's a small price to pay for working in the evenings with no light Entrance and arches. Finally getting a scale for the size/volume of this oven, it's going to be a monster :twisted: Fingers crossed I get chance to add the last full size half-brick arch, then the full-brick smaller sized entrace arch and then I can begin my curing plan: Allow to cure un-heated for 1 week. 8th-14th nights: Start off with 1 tea light candle and increment 1 every night. 15th-21st nights: Small kindling fire gradually getting bigger and lit for longer. Fingers crossed maybe able to take her for a test-drive in 3 weeks time, albeit without the extra thermal mass and insulation that will eventually be added.
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Post by DuncanM on Feb 24, 2012 8:33:35 GMT
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Post by DuncanM on Feb 24, 2012 8:33:50 GMT
Cheers Terry, It's always nice to have others appreciate your hard work Out of interest, when curing, do people put the insulation on first and then cure - or can you cure both stages seperately (being the concrete cladding and then vermicrete insulation)
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Post by DuncanM on Feb 24, 2012 8:34:09 GMT
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Post by DuncanM on Feb 24, 2012 8:34:30 GMT
Terry,
Cheers for the response, but what I was really wondering was:
Should / Could I cure the brick arches and mortar and the concrete cladding first, before I've added the vermicrete insulation or should I only cure once I've added the insulation as well?
I was under the impression that it wouldn't matter, it just might take longer as I'd need to go through the whole process two times (once for the cladding and a second time once the insulation has been applied), but I don't think I'll be in a position to add much insulation for quite a while (e.g. until I've built my red bricks up) which won't be until Jan/Feb at the very earliest.
Cheers, Duncan
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Post by DuncanM on Feb 24, 2012 8:34:47 GMT
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Post by DuncanM on Feb 24, 2012 8:35:08 GMT
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Post by DuncanM on Feb 24, 2012 8:35:31 GMT
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