Covered up again... I guess we're getting a period of continuous rain now the winter is over. If the weather doesn't mess with my schedule I'll be pouring the oven base on Wednesday. At least this phase of the project is almost done... Can't wait until I can stack some wood in here.
"I am a bird"
Of course the weather is not helping me out, but why am I complaining, usually it would be freezing right now. Thank you global warming... I was thinking about this; someone I know - wouldn't call him a friend - complained that my pizza oven would be bad for the environment and global warming. I told him he was full of crap and it's actually his electric oven that's worse.. A wood fired oven essentially runs on solar power, but it's a much more direct cycle than coal which is something we dig up the entire earth for. I have nothing against coal either but I wouldn't want to run my oven on it.
So I'm busy (well waiting mostly) pouring some cornerstones with the same dark concrete mix that I've used before. I get pretty similar colors from different batches so that's under control. Also I figured out a way to vibe the concrete. I had one of those broken paint mixers, which is essentially a hexagonal rod after the mixer head snapped off. Bent it a little bit and inserted it into a 'bankstick' something we use with fishing, essentially a metal tube with a pointy thing on the other end. I hold the bankstick and insert the slightly bent rod. Drill set to high speed and it vibrates pretty much like the large concrete vibe that's too big for my moulds.
I thought I could remove the cast concrete after 24 hours but it's slightly too risky, lots of edges break off. After 48hrs this risk is much lower.
I've also figured out that there are downsides to an octagon, 1) 4 more corners than a rectangle or square 2) 4 more corners... So my nice idea of having corner stones means I'm having to make 8. I'd much rather have bought these things since it's a PITA to make every detail I want but there really aren't many specialty brick/stone places around here. It's really sad actually, a lot of old buildings here have a huge amount of detail-work but these days everything is simple and straight. While I was figuring out how to make the roof/rest of the enclosure I wanted to find small roofing tiles. I'll probably have to drive to Belgium in order to get them.. They only use a few types around here.
It's raining like crazy right now, when it has cleared I'll snap a pic.
Last edited by luctor-et-emergo; 02-25-2015 at 06:35 AM.
"I am a bird"
4 cornerstones setting. Two pieces of rebar have been added so they can be tied in with the oven slab. This is to further strengthen the 45 degree corners where the bricks don't overlap. These cornerstones will be the first actual overlap. Apart from that there's just the SS rods that reinforce these joints.
One of the test cornerstones where it would be placed. Also visible are the ugly white spots. It will look much better once they have been removed.
Last edited by luctor-et-emergo; 02-25-2015 at 07:28 AM.
"I am a bird"
So I found some time to work on the oven again.. A little bit of progress. I could have made this a lot easier for myself but I had to make it look nice.. Well I'm quite satisfied with what it's starting to look like.
The anchors that are in the cornerstones will be cast into the concrete slab. This should keep everything together nicely over the years. There are still a couple of bricks to cement into place and I want to render the inside before I'm going to pour the slab, apart from that everything is done.
I'm not yet entirely certain how these white spots work. I'm fairly certain they are from lime. It either comes from water that's drawn up or from rainwater that can still work it's way down since there's no roof or anything like it. I'll probably give the whole thing a little acid wash when it's done.
Last edited by luctor-et-emergo; 03-12-2015 at 10:52 AM.
"I am a bird"
Originally Posted by luctor-et-emergo
So I found some time to work on the oven again.. A little bit of progress. I could have made this a lot easier for myself but I had to make it look nice.. Well I'm quite satisfied with what it's starting to look like.
The anchors that are in the cornerstones will be cast into the concrete slab. This should keep everything together nicely over the years. There are still a couple of bricks to cement into place and I want to render the inside before I'm going to pour the slab, apart from that everything is done.
I'm not yet entirely certain how these white spots work. I'm fairly certain they are from lime. It either comes from water that's drawn up or from rainwater that can still work it's way down since there's no roof or anything like it. I'll probably give the whole thing a little acid wash when it's done.
Your photos are no-shows. If you are pouring a slab that you fell may be under any stress and wear, put in rebar. Rebar completely alters the nature of the concrete, as a whole. I am dead-serious about this. If this is a no-big-deal-if-it-cracks thing, then forget it. But if you do not want it to break, rebar it. Don't need a $#@!-ton of it, but perhaps every 8-12 inches.
I recently poured a 100-ton floor under my house. It is 12" thick and is laced with mesh in the middle - 2 layers @ about 4" and 8", and 3 full runs of #5 rebar (5/8") along the footings. Nothing short of a direct hit by a strategic nuke is going to budge this thing.
Once again, do this only if the long-term integrity is important to you. If it is and you want to verify what I write here, you can do a fast and easy experiment. Pour a 6" thick slab, 12"wide by 24" long. Rebar one end, leave the other end alone. Let it set for a few days, then get out your demolition tools and start breaking it up. The unreinforced section will break apart readily. You will have a complete and utter $#@! trying to break up the reinforced bit, even with crappy sak-rete, which is only about 1500-2000 psi mix. I would also be certain to use nothing less than a 4Kpsi mix, preferably 6K. That way, you will never in your great great great grandchildren's great great great great grandchildren's lives have to worry about it doing things you do not want it to do... except to be impossible to remove without leaving your nuts on the ground.
ETA: Just saw post above the one with no photos. I see you already have that bull by the balls.
Carry on sir.
freedomisobvious.blogspot.com
There is only one correct way: freedom. All other solutions are non-solutions.
It appears that artificial intelligence is at least slightly superior to natural stupidity.
Our words make us the ghosts that we are.
Convincing the world he didn't exist was the Devil's second greatest trick; the first was convincing us that God didn't exist.
Lol thanks ! I'll +rep you for the effort of writing that advice. Even though the issue has already been taken care of, I can only appreciate that you are thinking about it!Your photos are no-shows. If you are pouring a slab that you fell may be under any stress and wear, put in rebar. Rebar completely alters the nature of the concrete, as a whole. I am dead-serious about this. If this is a no-big-deal-if-it-cracks thing, then forget it. But if you do not want it to break, rebar it. Don't need a $#@!-ton of it, but perhaps every 8-12 inches.
I recently poured a 100-ton floor under my house. It is 12" thick and is laced with mesh in the middle - 2 layers @ about 4" and 8", and 3 full runs of #5 rebar (5/8") along the footings. Nothing short of a direct hit by a strategic nuke is going to budge this thing.
Once again, do this only if the long-term integrity is important to you. If it is and you want to verify what I write here, you can do a fast and easy experiment. Pour a 6" thick slab, 12"wide by 24" long. Rebar one end, leave the other end alone. Let it set for a few days, then get out your demolition tools and start breaking it up. The unreinforced section will break apart readily. You will have a complete and utter $#@! trying to break up the reinforced bit, even with crappy sak-rete, which is only about 1500-2000 psi mix. I would also be certain to use nothing less than a 4Kpsi mix, preferably 6K. That way, you will never in your great great great grandchildren's great great great great grandchildren's lives have to worry about it doing things you do not want it to do... except to be impossible to remove without leaving your nuts on the ground.
ETA: Just saw post above the one with no photos. I see you already have that bull by the balls.
Carry on sir.
P.S. The mix I'm using for the concrete is called '42.5N' here (which is 42.5N/mm^2), according to google that has a 28 day pressure rating of 5-6Kpsi. It's slightly blue-ish grey when fully hardened and it's rock hard. It should be plenty strong enough to carry the weight of the ±metric ton chimney I plan on putting on top.
Last edited by luctor-et-emergo; 03-12-2015 at 11:43 AM.
"I am a bird"
The thing about that strength rating is that it's strictly the compressive strength, not the tensile strength. The reason rebar is important is because steel has a very high tensile strength, and concrete of all kinds has a low tensile strength. Where the tensile strength matters is any time the concrete might bend in any way at all. The concrete that carries the load of that chimney, even if it's designed as a nice arch to distribute the weight in compression downwards, will still undergo some deformation of its shape, and where that happens, there will be tensile forces applied to one side of it.
Yeah exactly. I've got two layers of rebar, hence the double rebar in the cornerstones. I'm still working on the inside so it's not practical to put it in there yet. I still have to get some rebar spacers though.
I always like over-engineering things a bit. The ring foundation which supports most of the bricks is a ft thick and reinforced. It sits on a layer of densely packed clay.
The chimney won't put a lot of pressure on the middle of the slab so most of the weight actually gets carried right down. I would hate myself if I had to break down a part to reinforce it so I try to do everything as best as I can the first time. Thats also a reason why I opted for the interior block walls instead of just a floating slab. It makes the whole thing that much stronger.
"I am a bird"
I've put cement stucco on the interior compartments. Looks a lot nicer than those building blocks.
The efflorescence seems to be getting worse from time to time. I think it's mostly caused by water (from rain) that is trapped inside the cavities in those building blocks. I did notice that there were some puddles of water sitting in there. The water evaporating from the bricks, leaving the white marks. Anyways, I hope this is the case. It should stop when there's concrete on top. Otherwise I'll have to figure out some other solution. I'm not really worried about it though.
I finally figured out I'll use EPS to pour the concrete on. I'll support it with the gazillion pavement stones I have sitting around. This is easy to remove after the concrete has set and it allows me to put a little chamfer (that I'll fill right before pouring with a bit of normal cement mix) in there that connects to the stucco. Probably useless but I like the idea.
It's funny that when I look back at my initial plans, a lot of things have changed. I'm ok with that. A lot of things have kept me from working on this project but I think it's going to look pretty stunning when it's done.
Last edited by luctor-et-emergo; 03-22-2015 at 11:33 AM.
"I am a bird"
Ready for pouring now... I'll make some pics later.
"I am a bird"
My Romanian friend has one he built in his backyard here in Reno.....We all him Doc Brown from Back to the future.
"Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it; no constitution, no law, no court can even do much to help it."
James Madison
"It does not take a majority to prevail ... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." - Samuel Adams
Μολὼν λάβε
Dum Spiro, Pugno
Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior ito
I still have to go a bit further into the future before it's finished I think... Spring rains aren't helping me out. I just inquired at a local brick supplier about the price of radial bricks, to make a round chimney. Round chimneys are the local architectural standard for nice buildings.
250y old
New
Things like that, also gives me the opportunity to cast a few more things out of dark concrete. These things look pretty stunning in my opinion, luckily mine doesn't have to be that high.
"I am a bird"
Amen.That way, you will never in your great great great grandchildren's great great great great grandchildren's lives have to worry about it doing things you do not want it to do... except to be impossible to remove without leaving your nuts on the ground.
"I am a bird"
Picked up the concrete mixer this afternoon. I plan on pouring the slab tomorrow. I'm getting slightly irritated because everything takes too long. I don't like rushing things but when things seem to last forever it starts working on my nerves. I made sure I have some extra free time in the spring though, got to get this oven done before summer!
Weather forecast:
(buienradar.nl)Morgen vallen er verspreid over het land maartse buien met hagel, natte sneeuw, onweer en windstoten tot 75 km/uur. Tussen de buien door schijnt de zon af en toe. Het wordt ongeveer 7 graden in het noorden tot 9 graden in het zuiden. De west- tot noordwestenwind is vrij krachtig tot krachtig boven land en langs de kust en op het IJsselmeer krachtig tot hard.
Good thing it's in Dutch because it's not a nice forecast. Talk about hailstones, snow, lightning-storms and powerful wind-shear. It's going to be fun ! Wish me luck.
"I am a bird"
This is starting to look like a monologue! Well anyways, I can see that it's not too exciting at the moment.
Put two layers of rebar down with a couple spacers in between. I could walk on it so I didn't feel the need to support it from below.
The concrete is poured though. The moulds did not collapse. Nothing bad happened. A little more concrete than I thought I would need went in but I guess that went into the pores of the interior blocks. Vibrated it.
Took us 3 1/2 hours to make the concrete. A friend of mine helped me lift tubs of onto the oven. It would have seriously sucked if I had to have done that alone. Anyways, it's pretty flat, level and smooth. The whole thing is starting to look like an oven now.
Pics tomorrow, it's pitch black now, 1am. We finished pouring at 10pm. Luckily I have nice neighbors that do not complain about the noise.
PS: The weather was nice, I must have pleased the weather gods. Windy but no snow, rain or thunderstorms.
Last edited by luctor-et-emergo; 04-01-2015 at 05:02 PM.
"I am a bird"
Well I'll chime in just to break up the posts even though I have nothing intelligent to contribute........
Well I'll chime in just to break up the posts even though I have nothing intelligent to contribute........
Today I decided to get banned and spam activism on this forum...
SUPPORT RANDPAULDIGITAL GRASSROOTS PROJECTS TODAY!
http://i.imgur.com/SORJlQ5.png
For more info. or to help spread the word, go to the promotion thread here.
Thanks guys!
Got back an email from the brick producer, they only sell through 'reputable suppliers'. I thought businesses liked to make money but no.. We don't want to sell you $#@!. Then why have a form on your website that allows individuals (specifically not businesses) to tick a box that says "price inquiry". All they sent me was their catalog, which I had already downloaded from their website. Anyways.. I hope this doesn't turn into me having to ask my contractor friend to ask his supplier to order some of those bricks. I'm quite sure that would take exactly, 7 years or so. Anyways, then these suppliers have the audacity to say the building sector isn't making money/growing.. Well if you don't want to sell people stuff and stick to stupid rigid 'rules' which you imply on yourself then don't be amazed if you go bankrupt. So yeah, here I thought I could just buy some curved bricks -- I was wrong. $%&^%^$^#%@$#
"I am a bird"
Regulations, perhaps?
"When a portion of wealth is transferred from the person who owns it—without his consent and without compensation, and whether by force or by fraud—to anyone who does not own it, then I say that property is violated; that an act of plunder is committed." - Bastiat : The Law
"nothing evil grows in alcohol" ~ @presence
"I mean can you imagine what it would be like if firemen acted like police officers? They would only go into a burning house only if there's a 100% chance they won't get any burns. I mean, you've got to fully protect thy self first." ~ juleswin
Yea probably. Business need different permits/licenses to produce, sell to resellers and to sell directly to customers. Each of these adds another layer of paperwork, taxes and regulations. In some cases you need to establish completely new legal person to be able to sell your product directly to your customer and sometimes it is nearly impossible to make profit if you sell your product directly.
Today I decided to get banned and spam activism on this forum...
SUPPORT RANDPAULDIGITAL GRASSROOTS PROJECTS TODAY!
http://i.imgur.com/SORJlQ5.png
For more info. or to help spread the word, go to the promotion thread here.
Awww man, that sucks, Luc.
I don't think they need any licensing but it probably has something to do with administration. Different tax rules etc. do apply. I'll still get them though, I want them.
"I am a bird"
I don't sell radius millwork to the general public.
All curved work I do is strictly wholesale, it's slightly less profit up front but it saves me dealing with contractors and trim carpenters.
I can understand that dealing with individuals sucks compared to wholesale and I probably wouldn't do sales to individuals myself if I were running such a business. However, I do find it odd that when I clicked contact details, it made me choose if I was an individual, contractor, architect or planner. I picked individual and it gave me a form where I could select the products I was interested in as well as the option to tick a box that said "price inquiry". So I was under the assumption that they DO sell to individuals. Anyways, I'll figure out who they do sell to and order some there.
The concrete is starting to sound harder when I tap on it, I'll wait a few days before I remove the supports. In total about 550L of concrete went in, 145gal/19.5cft or about 1.6 tonnes. There's now about 8 tons of concrete in this project.. Sitting on very dense sea-clay, a layer formed 10k years ago. Starting to actually look like something now!
Comments are welcome.
PS. my buddy made some pics from the pouring itself but I don't have those yet.
Last edited by luctor-et-emergo; 04-03-2015 at 07:11 AM.
"I am a bird"
The photo is broken (can't see it) - is this the same one you showed in chat?I can understand that dealing with individuals sucks compared to wholesale and I probably wouldn't do sales to individuals myself if I were running such a business. However, I do find it odd that when I clicked contact details, it made me choose if I was an individual, contractor, architect or planner. I picked individual and it gave me a form where I could select the products I was interested in as well as the option to tick a box that said "price inquiry". So I was under the assumption that they DO sell to individuals. Anyways, I'll figure out who they do sell to and order some there.
The concrete is starting to sound harder when I tap on it, I'll wait a few days before I remove the supports. In total about 550L of concrete went in, 145gal/19.5cft or about 1.6 tonnes. There's now about 8 tons of concrete in this project.. Sitting on very dense sea-clay, a layer formed 10k years ago. Starting to actually look like something now!
Comments are welcome.
PS. my buddy made some pics from the pouring itself but I don't have those yet.
ditto, while I do and have repaired Pizza ovens... I don't think this one will ever need service...
"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." - Albert Einstein
"for I have sworn upon the altar of god eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. - Thomas Jefferson.
Weird, it works for me, anyone else having this problem ? And yes it's the same pic.
"I am a bird"
I hope so because crawling inside certainly takes a special person!ditto, while I do and have repaired Pizza ovens... I don't think this one will ever need service...
"I am a bird"
I can't see it?
That better?
"I am a bird"
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Connect With Us