Arch Construction

[roobqn]

I have finally gotten to the point where I am starting the arches on my Alan Scott style oven and have a question regarding them. With everything that I have read and looked at on the internet, it looks like you can mortar in the first dome chain and immediately remove the form and start on the second.

Am I reading the instructions correctly or should I leave the form in until the mortar has had time to harden? If it can be removed right away is their a sagging effect that i need to watch out for?

[Tscarborough]

Theoretically you can, but in practice I wouldn't. But then, I would never build it like it is shown in those plans anyway. Stack bond is inherently weaker than running bond, so your form should be long enough to do either all of the arch or at least one third of the arch.

[Derkp]

I have discovered another lie on the TV. Laying brick is not as easy as it is played on TV, unless you are tscarborough !!! Neither is sheetrock mudding or laying tile. Practice makes better, I guess.

How long did you leave your barrel forms in? Is one week enough? I am up to two days with misting and plastic on it the whole time. Also, chimney, on your cap that seals the top, how do you keep the mortar from sliding down the outside of the clay flue tile?

I will be checking the bees this week, hope they have been very busy.

Thanks,

Derk

[Tscarborough]

I took it out the next morning. I filled the chimney with perlite, then put lath on top of that.