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Post by albacore on Sept 20, 2016 19:27:28 GMT
You've been busy! It's looking good. Is that the firebrick floor option from WFG?
Lance
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Post by oblertone on Sept 20, 2016 20:18:58 GMT
Very busy indeed; nice job !
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Post by downunderdave on Sept 20, 2016 20:31:42 GMT
Good job. You should leave it for a week to allow the cement used to cure and for the vermicrete to dry somewhat, but cover it if it looks like rain. Then you can start some drying fires and dry the thing completely, before rendering the outer shell.
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Post by lal5000 on Sept 20, 2016 21:12:46 GMT
You've been busy! It's looking good. Is that the firebrick floor option from WFG? Lance Yes. Firebrick floor option from WFG. Very happy with it although it was a bugger to put together!
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Post by lal5000 on Sept 20, 2016 21:15:19 GMT
I am going to give it another coat of vermicrete tomorrow as this one is only about 50mm at best. Then will follow your advice. Will keep it under the tarp and give it a good week for the concrete to cure - then the fires can commence! Going to use K Rend for the finishing render as have seen good reviews. Good job. You should leave it for a week to allow the cement used to cure and for the vermicrete to dry somewhat, but cover it if it looks like rain. Then you can start some drying fires and dry the thing completely, before rendering the outer shell.
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Post by lal5000 on Sept 22, 2016 14:35:12 GMT
next layer of vermicrete on. drying nicely into the sun. started the arch then stopped. time for professionals I think. gonna ask my neighbour!
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Post by downunderdave on Sept 22, 2016 20:43:13 GMT
Because the vermicrete contains around a third of its volume in water then this is a huge amount to eliminate. Most folk at this point get quite excited and want to finish the thing off. This is precisely the time where haste can lead to disaster. Less than half the water added to the vermicrete is used up in the hydration process so there's lots of free water left that you don't need. Allowing sun and wind to do much of this work before lighting any fires is prudent, so long as you have good drying conditions (sun, wind and low humidity) and rain is kept off the oven. As your vermicrete layer is pretty thick now any water sitting deeper in the layer willi be harder to remove. If possible, weather permitting, you should allow a couple of weeks to dry the thing before lighting fires and don't render over it until all the moisture has been purged. K-rend is a cement based render for the base coat which has a silicon additive to make it partly waterproof. The top coat is a 100% acrylic which makes it completely waterproof. You don't want to lock the moisture in by applying this over vermicrete that's not dry.
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Post by lal5000 on Sept 22, 2016 22:57:58 GMT
thanks for the comment above. point taken. will leave it a week for the concrete to cure. then give it a good 3 weeks of regular fires to dry the thing out before thinking about any k rend. weather at the moment is perfect. 17/18 degrees. low humidity but blustery. will keep it covered with a tarp for any forecast rain. you think a good month of curing and progressive fires will be enough. is there a definitive way to tell? maybe a damp meter reading or something?
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Post by downunderdave on Sept 23, 2016 1:12:15 GMT
thanks for the comment above. point taken. will leave it a week for the concrete to cure. then give it a good 3 weeks of regular fires to dry the thing out before thinking about any k rend. weather at the moment is perfect. 17/18 degrees. low humidity but blustery. will keep it covered with a tarp for any forecast rain. you think a good month of curing and progressive fires will be enough. is there a definitive way to tell? maybe a damp meter reading or something? I bought a cheap garden moisture meter for this purpose but have yet to try it out. I normally place my hand against the vermicrete and you can feel the moisture. When you think it's dry throw some sheet plastic over the dome during firing to see if any moisture condenses on the underside. If you see visible steam you're going at it too hard, back off.
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Post by lal5000 on Sept 23, 2016 10:55:17 GMT
I got impatient so had a go at building the arch. if it's falls down so be it... also gave a first clean with acid. will give a final proper clean before render and try not to make a mess! annoyed at the two far right bricks aren't straight buy apart from that, I'm reasonably happy. saved me paying someone else to do it. it also plays a key role of not letting me into the dome to start any premature fires!
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Post by lal5000 on Sept 23, 2016 15:30:10 GMT
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Post by albacore on Sept 23, 2016 20:39:52 GMT
Nice arch; have you got some tie-ins in the upright pillars to stop the sideways collapse?
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Post by lal5000 on Sept 23, 2016 21:14:03 GMT
Nice arch; have you got some tie-ins in the upright pillars to stop the sideways collapse? No, but I went against the advice of building it freestanding and have mortared it to the transition face and also let the columns go off for a day before completing the top. Fingers crossed it doesnt collapse.
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Post by downunderdave on Sept 24, 2016 0:26:39 GMT
Looking very nice. You should have sat the arch former on some wedges so when they are removed the former will drop. This makes its removal far easier. Careful you don't damage your brickwork getting it out.
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Post by lal5000 on Sept 24, 2016 7:05:24 GMT
that would have made it much easier to use some wedges! plan to drill some screws in and pull. failing that, will cut it out.
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