Perlcrete over foil dome insulation finished

[Marcel]

#82

(M) Tarik and I are neck to neck though we're not racing. I have also finished my perlcrete layer. I'm having some problems with the images on PhotoBucket but I think you'll be able to see 3 out of 4.

(M) The first image is the left side of the dome with layers from the bottom as follows: Firebrick, Refractory Mortar (only sporadic), Aluminm Foil, Chicken Wire, and Perlcrete in the proportions of 6 parts perlite to 1 part Portland cement:



================================================== ======

(M) The second image is essentially the same but of the right side:



================================================== ======

(M) The third and last image is of the back. Due to the thickness of the perlcrete application there, so close to the end of the hearth, I needed to cut back on some Chicken Wire and easily chisel out some recently applied Perlcrete. I needed more room for the narrow metal stud channel that will support the cement boards. The image shows the metal channel before the perlcrete was chiseled away.



================================================== ====

(M) I took a shot from the top but it was only partly viewable on PhotoBucket so I'll show it when I've uploaded new images.

(M) OK, I think you will see it now. The Keysone at the dome's top will be an anchor point for some kind of chimney liner support. I'll have to work that out.




(M) If you look carefully at the back left on the Hearth Slab above, you'll see the first piece of horizontal metal channel for the vertical metal studs to engage. I have drilled through the channel and into the mortar. I secured that channel with special hardened blue concrete screws with a hex nut head; about every foot.

Ciao,

Marcel

[Marcel]

(M) The images were no longer accessible from the preceding post so I replied to my own with these images. They may not coincide with the text exactly, but I think you'll get my drift.

(M) In a later thread I postulated that radiant heat might be reflected off the foil, back to the dome but that I would need the input of a thermal engineer to support that theory.

Ciao,

Marcel