Richard Gralnik on thu 10 sep 98
Great news!!! (Expectant hush. Drumroll. dadadadadadadadadaDUM!)
I built my arch!!! (Cheers to rival Mark McGwire's ovation on hitting #62)
And it stayed up!!! (Victory dance around the removed arch form.
Consumption of large amounts of alcohol (single malt
of course)
High fives all around! )
Do you have any idea of the trepidation? Of the care taken to get the curve
drawn JUST right? Of cutting three copies on a band saw to get the 2 best
ones? Of having the 2x4 ribs cut on a table saw so they'd be exactly the
same length, and cut square? Of screwing everything together on a
surface checked for flatness with a straight edge ? Of attaching the
single-tempered masonite to the form to get a smooth arch surface and
worrying about the 1/16" (1mm) gaps between the masonite and the cut
curves because the stuff just wouldn't bend exactly to the curve I wanted?
Of cutting the skews twice because I measured wrong and because I decided
to use my remaining K26s for skews instead of K23s because the 26s are
physically stronger? Of going through 3 14" back saw blades in the process?
Of checking the angle of each cut skew against a template and checking for
square, smooth cuts and shaving the imperfections off against a cinder
block wall? Of placing the skews on top of the kiln walls and shaving down
the high spots with another K26? Of realizing that all the skews on one side
were 1/8" too long so the throw bricks wouldn't have a bit of the top of the
wall to rest on, and taking all those skews out and shaving them down
against the cinder block wall and checking for square on all 4 corners again?
Of cutting a few more skews because a couple were just a little too short
now?
Of asking my friend Bob Pearson if he could come over and give me a hand
because I didn't *really* know what the hell I was doing and he'd done it
before? Of propping up the form and holding it in place with a brick at each
corner and checking for alignment and even spacing and adjusting the shims
until everything was just right? Of running the first course of bricks
and being really, really excited when they followed the curve of the form
and met right smack in the middle and the key brick dropped in like it
was molded to the space? Of undoing the first course of bricks because
I forgot I need to stagger the courses so they interlock? Of cutting the
precious #1 arch bricks to length on Bob's portable table saw and being
really glad he has that table saw with its adjustable, square cutting guide?
Of dropping in the bricks for each course starting at both sides and working
toward the middle? Of tapping the key brick in with a 2x4 and a *gentle*
hammer? Of realizing the kiln frame is 1 1/2" lower than the top of the
arch and having to cut away a little of each of the last 5 bricks in the
front course to fit inside the angle iron even though I checked those
measurements 100 times when I was designing the frame and KNEW I
could add an extra course of bricks to make the firing chamber 2 1/2"
higher and the arch would still fit underneath? Of lowering the form and
just waiting for the arch to come crashing down on my head? Of being
really amazed at how unbelievably cool the arch looked, just suspended
there like that? Of my wife being really amazed at the arch staying up,
just suspended there like that, and yes it really does look unbelievably
cool dear? Of the kids being really amazed at how unbelievably cool the
arch that Daddy built looked, just suspended there like that? Of my
friend Bob not at all surprised at how the arch was just suspended there
like that? Of starting to adjust the bricks and worrying over every spot
where the curve isn't glassy smooth because one brick is a bit lower and
trying to get it *perfect* and Bob saying "Just leave it alone Richard"?
Of standing back and looking at the arch and thinking "Wow!"
Of being really grateful for all the advice and good ideas I got about arch
construction from so many people on clayart ?
Real progress. A scary thought.
Richard
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