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Post by cannyfradock on Jun 21, 2014 18:20:32 GMT
Unclebhuna You've done a lovely job of cutting in the herringbone pattern cuts to the first ring of the dome. I touch my forelocks to you. I must admit that when I make those cuts, I am not too fussy as anything between a 5 and 15mm gap around the perimiter of the hearth looks spot on when peering through the arch once the oven is completed. Your precise cutting is....of course the correct procedure. (I tend to take perhaps a few too many short cuts in achieving an end result. There is no problem in bumping up the height of your finished hearth with another layer of thermolite blocks. The standard height of the finished hearth is elbow height of the fella doing the cooking, but anywhere in that ball park calculation will work. You have laid your first dome ring course as a full soldier course......many do. I always start with half "brick on edge" which suits my method of building the dome with former "fins". After 5 years of the forum and perhaps ?? 500 builds being shared with the forum, I haven't seen ONE identical wood-fired oven. Just make sure you try to keep to the basic formula(ball park) of the dimensions needed to give your oven it's maximum efficiency when in use......i.e Dome height = 50% of hearth diameter and inner arch height = 63% of dome height. Get these figures somewhere in the ballpark of the %'s shown and your oven will give you the best results for the least amount of fuel (dry hardwood). All the best with the rest of your build. Terry
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Post by unclebhuna on Jun 21, 2014 18:31:26 GMT
Thanks for the kind comments and input Terry. I've already done a mock dome shape on the ground using half bricks with a 21inch interior height and plan on the door opening being around 13 inches high so will be in the ballpark there. Now to decide on whether to use a form or an indispensable tool for the dome....
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rokdok
WFO Team Player
Posts: 130
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Post by rokdok on Jun 21, 2014 23:55:33 GMT
Looking very neat Uncle
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Post by cobblerdave on Jun 22, 2014 5:27:48 GMT
Been a while since the last update but I have made some progress. Found that the hearth was going to be too low once I put my paving in so had to raise it up using thermalite block. Wasn't too bothered as it will add a good amount of insulation to my base to accompany the insulating board I'm using. Managed to get the floor laid and soldier course over the last couple of days. All gone well apart from the cement burns on the tips of two fingers where my gloves had holes. Used a 5,1,1,1, home brew mortar despite having a tub of fire cement. My gaps are all going to be too big for the fire cement around the soldier course but will try and use some on the dome. G'day Wash you hands in neat domestic vinegar from the wife's pantry. Takes away the sting that drives you nuts but will not repair the roughened hands. Question for you. I've notice the insulation is encapsulated? in a layer of aluminium foil? is this a waterproofing method to ensure the insulation doesn't take up water? Sorry I'm new to this forum and haven't come across this before.
Regards Dave
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Post by cobblerdave on Jun 22, 2014 5:33:19 GMT
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Post by unclebhuna on Jun 22, 2014 9:59:44 GMT
I'll try the vinegar tip Dave, anything that might help is worth a try. You're right about the foil, just to protect the board from the water and I figured it can only help in reflecting heat back into the oven. It probably makes little difference in reality, but for a couple of quid it was worth a try. I've seen it used on a couple of builds in here so don't expect any problems with it.
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Post by unclebhuna on Jun 22, 2014 12:20:32 GMT
Can anyone offer me any advice on my build, I'm just having a worry about my soldier course. Have I done the wrong thing building it with a full brick? Should I tear it down now before I go any further and revert to a half brick soldier? Just a little concerned that it will be too high and affect the structural integrity of the dome, I.e. The forces not being properly directed downwards, rather pushing out on the soldier course... Any thoughts welcome! Cheers
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rokdok
WFO Team Player
Posts: 130
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Post by rokdok on Jun 22, 2014 12:32:13 GMT
Uncle - I've built mine the same as you with a full brick soldier course abutted up to the hearth bricks. Lot's of others do this and you'll have no problems with structural strength. The reason I went for a full brick soldier was that I remember buying my first tent 40 + years ago. The cheapest was a simple A ridge tent , more expensive was that had walls rather than going straight down to the ground form the ridge. This gave you more useable height towards the edge of the tent, so I thought I'd have the same principle for my oven. You really won't have any problems carrying on as you are. Yours, a really dusty RokDok.
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Post by unclebhuna on Jun 22, 2014 13:39:27 GMT
Thanks RokDok. I guess I am just getting nervous before I start the dome building proper as no turning back once that starts. I too thought of having the extra space inside by having the walls higher. The entrance will be the same height as it would have been anyway so my thoughts are that the internal temperature shouldn't be affected unduly.
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Post by cobblerdave on Jun 22, 2014 20:01:02 GMT
Can anyone offer me any advice on my build, I'm just having a worry about my soldier course. Have I done the wrong thing building it with a full brick? Should I tear it down now before I go any further and revert to a half brick soldier? Just a little concerned that it will be too high and affect the structural integrity of the dome, I.e. The forces not being properly directed downwards, rather pushing out on the soldier course... Any thoughts welcome! Cheers G'day Mines built the same, so I can tell you it will survive 4 years at least. I would spare the outside with a 25 mm layer of homebrew to lock it in. The reality is that these are quite small structures and that soilder course is quite low. Regards dave
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Post by unclebhuna on Jun 22, 2014 21:15:29 GMT
Cheers Dave. It will get a good coat of homebrew and then a k-rend exterior over the blanket so I feel happier now.
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Post by cannyfradock on Jun 23, 2014 14:48:22 GMT
Can anyone offer me any advice on my build, I'm just having a worry about my soldier course. Have I done the wrong thing building it with a full brick? Should I tear it down now before I go any further and revert to a half brick soldier? Just a little concerned that it will be too high and affect the structural integrity of the dome, I.e. The forces not being properly directed downwards, rather pushing out on the soldier course... Any thoughts welcome! Cheers Bhuna It's always nice for a few members throw you some feedback (cheers guys). Here's my thoughts.....you may need some support for the base of a full soldier brick laid ON TOP OF THE HEARTH. Rokdok has laid a full soldier course but he says that he laid his hearth up to the full soldier course. I lay a half brick on edge to give stability to the first ring course. ....(big pause)....after much thought on this I can't see that any of these differing methods will affect the stability of the dome. The dome when complete will have direct downward pressure on the first course of bricks. ....(another big pause)....I'm not sure if the pendulum... 20 to and 20 past pressure which is created when building any arched or domed construction will have an effect on a full soldier laid on top of the hearth. Sorry UncleBhuna but I'm a bit stumped on this one. I would say that once the dome is complete it would be structurally sound. Terry p.s....if you have the time then the best way forward is to use the IT.....or central pivitol jig. This will also minimise any outward pressure.
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Post by unclebhuna on Jun 23, 2014 16:58:49 GMT
Thanks to all for your input. I've decided to plow on as is, but will probably pour some concrete around the whole of the oven once complete and then put granite paving slabs around for decoration. I expect this will give the soldiers some extra support around the whole of the oven. I have fashioned an IT and laid my first two courses today and am happy with the results. There has been signs of the mortar just cracking a little as it dries so I have been keeping it moist and covered and will keep an eye on it this evening. Its been a warm and sunny day so expect the mortar is drying quickly because of this. Fortunately the oven will be in shadow shortly so the worst of the heat is over. Any other suggestions to prevent this going forward would be welcome. Would I be right in thinking a few small cracks around the outer joints would not be a disaster? A few pics of todays progress...
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rokdok
WFO Team Player
Posts: 130
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Post by rokdok on Jun 23, 2014 20:11:07 GMT
Uncle, that looks the dog's. I see the point that Terry made. I didn't see that you'd laid the soldier on top of the hearth but no matter it'll hold. There are many ways to skin a cat. And there are lots of different kinds of cat. Lovely work, enjoy RD
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Post by unclebhuna on Jun 23, 2014 20:32:34 GMT
Cheers Rokdok. There may be a bit of confusion here as to where the soldier course is. I have laid it on top of the insulating board but not on top of the hearth bricks. Whilst the hearth bricks are laid on a 50/50 mix of sand and clay, the soldier course is fixed to the board using the home brew mix. My theory being that it will have support both vertically, through the strength of the mortar, and horizontally as the mortar sticks to the board. Does that clarify things, and does it make a difference to the strength of the structure?
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