Begining dome construction

[Hendo]

Looking good! It's a great feeling to know that you're on your way, isn't it?

Cheers, Paul.

[rlf5]

Yes it is! Seems like its all downhill now!

[rlf5]

A few pics of my non-completed soldier course. Its a bit messy, but I can clean that up later.

[asudavew]

Looking good.

Why did you use a full brick after the half brick that surrounds the floor?

I'm not sure if I have seen that. But I might try it.

[rlf5]

It was actually a change of plans more than anything. I originally was going to build a perfect semi-circle, which would have required all tapered half bricks on every course. But I changed it up to a soldier course after I had already laid the floor of wall, so that I would have a higher clearance on the sides of my oven. The remainder of the courses will be tapered on all four sides.

[Les]

Rl,

What advantage is there to having more clearance on the sides? I was going the simi circle route as well. I have yet to mortar my first coarse, so if a case could be made, I can adapt as well.

Thanks,

Les...

[rlf5]

Originally Posted by Les

Rl,

What advantage is there to having more clearance on the sides? I was going the simi circle route as well. I have yet to mortar my first coarse, so if a case could be made, I can adapt as well.

Thanks,

Les...

The only advantage I see is not being limited to the center area for tall cooking pots/vessels.

[asudavew]

Originally Posted by rlf5

The only advantage I see is not being limited to the center area for tall cooking pots/vessels.

Seems like a good advantage, but the rest of the courses will have more of an angle I think......

[Les]

we're only talking about a delta of around 4 inches - I think I'll stay the coarse.

Thanks,

Les...

[rlf5]

I'm out of bricks and mortar (dayum mortar eating gaps) for until tomorrow, so all I could do today was drill the holes for my thermocouples. The center hole was already drilled, as I've been using it as a point to measure my radius. This hole goes all the way through to the oven floor. The other two holes I have are on opposing sides of the oven (you can see it in previous pics where two floor bricks are removed) and they will only extend halfway through the brick. I'll have one more thermocouple that can be inserted into the oven door to gauge the air temp, and I may also put one into the dome itself. I've also attached a pic of the thermocouples and monitor.