pompeii oven construction began today

[paulages]

we filled every other core with rebar and concrete today, doubling up on the ends to catch the 8" blocks, and the first full sized 16" block that continues each course that requires the small ones on the ends. tomorrow we are working on framing the greenhouse, so the oven might have to wait a couple days. i guess no one is exactly sitting on the edge of their seat anyway... ha ha.

also, we drilled holes in the blocks that edge the doorway, and set bolts in the concrete, to anchor the lumber that will frame the door. the plan is to make a wooden door to the firewood storage that follows the curve on the corner of the foundation and (eventually) the hearth. i'll put a picture up later.

[ColonelCorn76]

Wait until you have to move and leave that behind. There will be tears aplenty then.

[paulages]

my whole place is full of hard-worked-on and emotionally attached projects like this...leaving this behind will just be a drop in the (tear) bucket. anyway, there's always learning from what you leave behind and building bigger and better, right?

[paulages]

by the way, here are the anchor bolts for the doorway. someone let me know if i'm posting too many photos.

[paulages]

okay. is this framework for the hearth's bottom form, built as suggested in the plans, really strong enough to support a ton of wet concrete (minus whatever load the block stand is holding)? am i just being a typical carpenter and trying to overbuild? i think i'll add a couple more joists in for good measure...



-paul

[james]

Paul,

Nice looking work, and keep the photos coming. The more the better.

I always try to shoot for a balance on overbuilding with forms and things you don't see. It's like laying a straight line with wood floor under the baseboard. You'll know how great the work is, but no one else will!

James

[paulages]

i agree, i just want to be sure that the bottom form will be structurally sound enough to hold up so much weight before the concrete sets enough to hold itself up.

-paul

[ColonelCorn76]

In a heartbeat.

I took a level to the underside of mine after it had cured & I pulled the form and it was dead level in both directions. Never moved a whisker.

[paulages]

great, thanks! now i can frame the top form in and get ready for the pour.
if only it would stop raining. damn you, pacific NW!

[paulages]

the math for the thermal layer using 90# sacks of quickcrete is easy, but i'm trying to get an estimate of how much portland cement i'll need for the 2" vermiculite mix layer. did anybody keep track?

-paul