new build

[cec]

Fair point

[cec]

....you can see that I've used 1 and a half bricks to form the outer arch. I have used 3 half bricks either side of the vent ......which created the vent for the chimney and the full bricks (at the front) holds everything place.

If in doubt.......keep asking.

Terry[/quote]
Sorry another question .

Terry in your pic of the entrance you hav 3 half bricks one side then gap ,then 3 more half bricks the other side ( the back sort of arch ) .

Is it just mortar holding them , the front of the arch has. Full bicks then 2 halfs the arch holds its self at the front , but not at the back as there's a gap

Do you know what I mean

[cec]

Oh forgot to add my arch / porch has to be strong enough to hold a clay chimney , that's why I'm a little unsure

[cannyfradock]

Cec

By the look of the photo it seems if I haven't done as I intended. I wanted to take a better pic of the exact detail but can't get to the oven for a week. It might be a case of do as I say......not as I do.

To explain.....The principle in leaving a gap in the arch for a vent is to start building your arch with full bricks from either side. If you want your vent directly against the inner arch then for the last 2 bricks ...and the keystone....use half bricks on the front face to complete the arch.......this way everything is keyed in. Likewise, if you want a 4" arch.....then a gap....then another arch (so as you have a platform either side of the vent, then you may have to alternate the full and half bricks with an entrance 1 and a half bricks long.......or if you are going 2 bricks deep with your entrance it's 2 full arches with half bricks used on whichever side of the vent you wish to have them.

Tried to explain that the best I could.........It sounds clear as mud to me!!!......I hope you get the gist of my explanation.

Terry

[cec]

Sorry not quite following
You have full bricks at the front then it looks like half bricks at the back where the hole is ,
What holds the 3 one side and 3 the other side up

I think it's gona be a suck it and see job

Oh Iv had a gas burner in it tonight to try and dry it out , it's been on now for 1 1/2 hours and it's still damp .

In hind sight I think the bricks was way to wet , and Iv had it covered up and I think it's been sweating under the cover aswell .
Forecast is ok for tomorrow so I will get porch done and chimney up . Pics to follow

[cannyfradock]

cec

By questioning the method I used in the picture it seems to me that you now have an understanding of how it SHOULD be. I can't remember exactly what I did there...and I don't follow a plan, but as you mentioned the 3 bricks that start from the "spring point"....next to the internal arch should be full bricks, with half bricks forming the front of the arch.

Sorry cec but I can't remember why I did it this way?......and without being able to see it, I don't know why I didn't reverse the bond. In any case i would've tied that back arch into the front arch......

As I mentioned...I believe you are getting your head around how it SHOULD be done. If you are using an arch former to support your bricks, you can dry lay them with a couple of wooden wedges to play about with the options in forming your vent.

Terry

[cec]

I have some stainless steel ties so I'm going to try and tie it in ,
Cheers terry you do try and help us wannabe builders , I will get there in the end .

[cec]

right i mad a start on the porch and chimney today ( not raining for once ).
after alot of head scratching and a few fags and a beer i came up with this idea.
i put the side walls up and then cut some bricks so i could fit the chimney in and also to have a key stone.

i left 1" and the back ( the bit that touches the dome ) for a key stone .

next was to fit the key stone , i used a bit of fire brick as i thought that bit would be 1 of the hottest parts . i tapped it down with a rubber mallet so it was real tight.


next was to put the front bricks in , i put these front to back and not length ways ( just fitted better ).

arch done .

oh i held the chimney up and draw round it to get the shape of the hole ,


next was the floor in the porch , i used some thermolites cut into 2 1/2" slices.

for the floor i used some old roof tiles

i fitted the chimney ( dint do a pic for that ) , put loads of homebrew a round the hole and pushed the pipe in then pointed up on the inside and out so it was nice and strong.

i had a bit of time left and it still wasnt raining so i thought i would make some vermiculite up just to try ( couldnt stop myself i was on a roll ).
any how i ended up doing the whole lot ;D

oh my friend helped aswell ( hes in the porch ).


terry and co was right about this stuff , its a right mare to put on ,
so i had a eurika moment ........... when i was mixing it up i put some powdered clay in , that made it sticky so it help me a lot . i might of done wrong but we will see .

just needs 1 more coat of vermiculite then render with water-proofer in .
then its gona be pizza city. ;D ;D

[cannyfradock]

cec....I'm loving your build. I'm not the best in the world for explaining technique's .......You have laid your external arch bricks "on flat".....normally they are laid...on edge...i.e 4 1/2" ...not 3". Your arch has a nice curviture so the arch will not fail. I have seen vault oven builds using brick on flat method....and they work perfectly. Many old picture's of the internal structure of WF Ovens show that many vaults have also used the technique of laying bricks "on flat" to complete an arch structure.......maybe you have revived an old tradition!!!

Your build is looking really good and I'm happy that the vermecrete didn't get the better of your patience.

....can't be far away from those pizza's now.

Terry

[faz]

Good work mate - I see you had essential refreshments on hand too, which probably makes the work flow a bit easier

[cec]

ha I never thought to lay em on there edge , I didn't even try ,
I couldnt of done this with out your help , so a big thank you to all .
Faz I do like to have my friend Carl berg helping me out ;D

[cannyfradock]

well worth a second look......great build cec.

Terry

[cec]

When I put the final render on , do I use sharp sand ?
What are the ratios ?
Do I use lime ?
I'm going to put waterproofer in

[cannyfradock]

The only sand we use in our area is what "I call" sharp sand. It is dredged washed sand from the estuary. The only other sand I know is "pit sand" which is very fine. Because pit sand is so fine I use it at a ratio of 5/6 to 1. Sharp sand (or my definition of) is 4:1.

.....The method I would use.....

1st coat.....8:1:1 sand, lime and cement. As daft as it may sound put waterproofer/plasticiser in your first coat.

2nd coat.....4:1 sand and cement and plasticiser. If you have chicken wire at hand, lay this on top of your first coat when the render is still wet. Paint your 2nd coat with masonry paint.

An alternative would be to buy K-rend. (you can buy this from Jewsons. Using the forum cash account you will get 40% discount off their list price)...this stuff is waterproof and comes in loads of different colours.

As always my opinion is only what I may do......and invite other methods from forum members.

Terry

[cec]

Cheers terry ,
Why put waterproofer in the 1st coat and not the 2nd ? ,
Do I chicken wire on top of the vermiculite befor I put the 1st coat on ? ,

Oh it's called sharp sand here or plasters sand , it comes from a local quarry ( about a mile away ) ,

I'm not going to use k-rend as I've read bad stuff about it , bad as in a pig to use , so I'm goin to stick with the old ways .

I've had a small fire tonight in it worked a treat , ( pics. Soon ) , I'm over the moon with it .

Ps all the rest of my family are band untill I see fit , WHY YOU ASK ............







They have given me nothing but grief , say its not going to work , it will never cook right , I'm a dreamer ect .
So I've banded em . Lol

Oh if you ever in my neck of the woods you are more than willing to come for a pizza and beer or cider