39" Stargate Pompeii

[Gulf]

I can't give any advice. Haven't done it yet. Like you, I have Neil's build, a few others on the forum, and youtube. It may be an optical illusion or me misreading the post, but: It looks like your landing form is set a full brick lower than your oven floor .
I'm looking forward to you progress. The polished concrete landing is one of my next hurdles.
PS: I got a real appreceation for your chimney this week when I priced some copper locally to make a door for my oven. There may not be any copper in my ovens future .

[Amac]

No Gulf not an illusion - it will be a brick lower. Do you think that will be a problem? That copper piece was quite cheap - (20Euro if I remember) it was a scrap piece from an old copper domestic water cylinder. Same people (Hammond Lane) will buy or sell all kinds of scrap metal.

[Gulf]

Originally Posted by Amac

No Gulf not an illusion - it will be a brick lower. Do you think that will be a problem? That copper piece was quite cheap - (20Euro if I remember) it was a scrap piece from an old copper domestic water cylinder. Same people (Hammond Lane) will buy or sell all kinds of scrap metal.

Might want to get some experinced opinions on this but, this is my unexperinced one: One that I can relate too from experience. If I wanted to keep water out of my house (without a roof or over hang over the landing) I would create a step down just as you have. If I did not have a roof over this area (and wanted to make access for a wheel chair into my house) I would build a ramp for access and also to allow for drainage. If I wanted too allow for ergonomic (easier) placement of food containers (dutch ovens, pizzas, etc. and allow for some drainge) I would incorporate at least a slight slope to the lower level of the landing. That is, if I did not have a roof over it .

[Amac]

I suppose I'll opt for the exscuse that I am using the step down to keep rain out. The truth is that although there is some idea like that at the back of my mind, it's a lot of height to make up and I figure since this concrete is something of an experimental effort - I can always raise it later on if it doesn't turn out right or develops cracks.
BTW it was a comment of yours that led me to research Buddy Rhodes and Fu-Tung Cheng, nether of whom I had heard of. There is a local guy here who does kitchens and some include counter tops which are described as quartz (made by Silestone) - but they are more expensive than granite so it is the DIY direction for me again.

[Gulf]

Looking forward to seeing how the white portland, crushed glass, and stone turn out. I like the idea of the double sided test piece for comparison. There are a lot of great ideas out there. Every thing from crushed beer bottles to costume jewelry. The regular cement that Neil2 used looks great. There are just about "too many" options for me . It sounds like your sidegrinder is going to get another workout .

[UtahBeehiver]

Amac,

Did you ever figure out how to embed glass in a face up counter pour. I am wanting to a polished concrete heath pour over my existing hearth but need some input on using glass in a face up pour.

[SCChris]

Originally Posted by lucky7_93021

could you... if you have the time... build the dome with no mortar/gaps?

I think you could do it 2 ways, generally speaking. If you chose to use a 10 or 14 inch wet saw, you’re going to have gaps unless you cut the bottoms to fit the last course. These little “V” shapes will increase as you climb. This is what most of us brick taylors have done and Les to the extreme.

Another as far as I can tell, untried method, would necessitate using a wire saw. If this tool were available then the brick course joints would be smooth round arched portions of a cone rather than faceted bricks fitting the lower course. Now assuming that all of this is economic, and unless you were pumping out brick WFOs I don’t expect that it would be there is still the matter of avoiding a brick shifting due when bumped by firewood. The mortar does add some unity of structure as well as plug the gaps. I suppose that the stacked brick dome could be clad for strength, I’d want it to be.

Lucky7, It’s sure fun to think about how it might be done.

Chris

[Amac]

Originally Posted by UtahBeehiver

Amac,

Did you ever figure out how to embed glass in a face up counter pour. I am wanting to a polished concrete heath pour over my existing hearth but need some input on using glass in a face up pour.

On the face up part I did - it is easy enough. You sprinkle it on the surface after pouring and levelling. Then you trowel it in until it is covered in the cement. There are some good youtube videos but it's still kinda difficult to get an even spread.
It will then be just below the surface - to be exposed by the grinding 50 or 100 grit - the only problem is the edges that can be seen. What I am thinking about is mixing the glass in separately on the edges and pushing the edge pour in by hand. I am just about to start so I will post later on how I got on.

I looked at your progress russel - looks great I like that big keystone - seems like there is no stopping you when you have the bit between your teeth

[UtahBeehiver]

Thanks Amac,

Will be watching your thread on the counter pour.

[Amac]

Well - I got the main counter at the fromt poured over the last few hours - it was dark as I was finishing but once started I had to finish. The first pic is the counter after pouring and with the glass seeded on the surface. My method here leaves a bit yo be desired - just like seeding grass and just like grass uou get bunching here and there. The second one is after trowelling in the glass.

I meant to add some black stones but forgot in my rush to finish so its just blue and green
later edit:
Went back out and added in those stones and some crushed budweiser bottle - god knows what it'll turn out like - all this done by lamplight