Masonry Magazine October 2005 Page. 24
MASONRY HEATERS 101
As the guys took turns laying up the heater, Gary W. and Jean-David, under Norbert's supervision, learned how to build with brick. They watched Gary put one arch in place over the bench, fitting end bricks in to make a flat surface for the soapstone cap. The next arch to be set in place was the one for the firebox door; later on, one for the bake-oven on the kitchen side of the heater.
Day Six
AND SO THE HEATER kept growing. Everyone had a chance to lay brick, place cardboard expansion joints, parge the inner surfaces, point, and wet-saw or chip bricks into shape for special applications.
Always at the end of each day came those clean-up chores - buckets, mortar pans and tools scrubbed clean, all debris carried away, the floor swept clean.
Day Seven
"A LOT OF FUSSY STUFF awaiting us today," Rod said.
They worked out the damper controls for both the main flue and the bake oven bypass damper. The crew's "apprentices" learned how to mix refractory cement, pour it into the