PizzaJNKY pompeii build

[PizzaJNKY]

Today's progress report. I followed George's advice on using less water with the mortar. It worked great. I would only mix enough mortar for one brick at a time, and only used a little water each time. Today I finished the 8th, 9th, and half of the 10th rank. No problems with bricks falling anymore. I would use a thin strip of cut plywood to hold each brick in place, just in case, but no problems.

For the 10th course, I have been tapering the bricks, basically cutting them at 45 degree angles on one side also, which is working really good. I wished I had took the time to do this from the beginning, but since I have never really been a do-it-your-selfer, I was in a hurry to show progress. I guess I needed to convince myself I could do it.

At this pace, I just might be able to put in the keystone by Wednesday, then on to the chimney portion of the project. Now its time to go celebrate today's accomplishments cinco de mayo style, with and ice cold Tecate!

[PizzaJNKY]

Yee-Haw! I just finished closing the dome (3:48 pm Pacific Standard time) and words can not describe how good it feels!

I owe Bingham a huge thank-you, because with out his advice on this forum, I would still be curled up in the fetal postion wondering what the heck I got myself into.

Tomorrow I will start on the chimney part of the oven. Time to start studying the posted photographs again.

Now that the oven is closed, when I can I start curing fires?

My plan is to first burn the round cardboard that kept the hearth floor clean. I think that once the curing fires are done, I will set the insulation blanket over the dome, then chicken wire followed by perlite mixed with portand cement, or I am I supposed to use mortar in the mix instead of portand?

[Dutchoven]

JNKY
I would recommend using Type N mortar instead of just portland. Type N has an equal part of hydrated lime in the mix which makes it stickier and will work better on the more vertical parts of the dome.
Congratulations on completing your dome!
Dutch

[PizzaJNKY]

Thanks Dutch! Just confirm skip the portland, and only use Type N mortar with Perlite.

[gjbingham]

Congrats JNKY. Glad I could help. I was just passing along information I learned from my readings here. A good lesson for everyone building. All the questions have be posted before, Read, read, read!

Did you get pics of your keystone and final dome?

Re: curing. A week wait minimum before the first fire. A month couldn't hurt. Research the most recent curing regimine, which changed about 4 months ago. While you're sitting around waiting, get inside your oven and fill any voids in the joints, remove excess mortar, and take a pic for us.

[PizzaJNKY]

Oh no, a week before I can lite the first curing fire....but......but I was hoping on eating my first pompeii pizza yesterday. I'll be real honest, its gonna be really really really really hard for me to wait that long, but I'll try.

In addition to patching up the inside, I know I'll be busy with the chimney, still trying to figure it out. How am I going to level up a nice base for the anchor plate when the arch it sits on is an arch? Hmmmmm, sounds like its time for some more of my new best friend-mortar.

Ps-I actually did take some photos of the finish, but I was in such a rush I forgot about the classic photo of the keystone, ouch, how did I forget that one? I'll post them as soon as I get this picasa web thing figured out.

[gjbingham]

Check out Ken's Old Kentucky Dome thread for a great illustration on the vent and anchor plate installation.

[PizzaJNKY]

Trust me, i've got printed photos of his oven all over my house. I think my oven wants to be an old kentucky dome when it grows up!

[Frances]

Originally Posted by PizzaJNKY

Oh no, a week before I can lite the first curing fire....but......but I was hoping on eating my first pompeii pizza yesterday. I'll be real honest, its gonna be really really really really hard for me to wait that long, but I'll try.

HAHA, we all had to wait, now you do too! Hard isn't it?

[Dutchoven]

Yes, I think you will find the job easier with type N. No change in the formula
Good luck and keep up the good work!
Dutch

Originally Posted by PizzaJNKY

Thanks Dutch! Just confirm skip the portland, and only use Type N mortar with Perlite.