And so the groin looks like this. I thought i would have to start going vertical very soon to hold the bricks there but was able to go up about 5 feet laying horizontal. Once some fell. There is NO centering. I am using clay mortar and after 5 secs it will hold the brick. Gypsum would do the same. the mortar has no load bearing work, nor does it add any strength.

Then so you can see the vault coming along. I finally got the scaffolding so i didnt have to stack up bricks! You can see the strings if you look carefully

From the outside. I cant sleep anymore I am so psyched.

This one is wild. Lying on my back looking up the groin. It appears to be straight and the arches appear curved.

 

That is one of the most impressive things ive seen in a long time!

 

As I've seen some Mexican guys do a couple of bovedas, I seen that work happen without centering. But that is a pretty nice parabola for having done it freestyle.......very, very cool.

 

I remember the old thread...really cool stuff going on here. True artisan work indeed. Keep these pics coming :thumbsup:

 

totally amazing.....i for one have a soft spot for masonry vaulted ceilings. Excellent job....... Post as many pictures as you have, I'd like to see them all.

What a unique little building.

 

Sofi sona!

I too remember the old one, in fact I recently referenced it for someone
inquiring about arches or vaults.

You, my rafiki, are a true craftsman. :thumbsup:

Keep it coming.

Asanti,
D.

 

Thanks for the encouragement, will post more.

Originally this room was to be divided but everyone refuses to talk to me until i remove them as it will spoil the roof.

I have some more pics on blog here and will post more in a few hours (my day is your night) and then each week.

Diamond D. Asante sana. ulijifunza wapi kiswahili?

 

I have some more pics on http://www.alternativebuildingtz.com

No workie. :wheelchair:

 

Very cool stuff. That's a lost art, well I guess it was and you found it again. :thumbsup:

 

Thanks much CJKarl. Just to have you comment is an honor.

At some point it would be interesting to pursue with people like you and this forum why it is not used since about 1930's in the USA. I doubt it is purely that reinforced concrete and steel became cheap and labor more expensive. Or is it? Some people have alot of money.

Your masonry skill far exceed ours, ours is more of an engineering coolness. To look at some of your rock work is inspiring. So I will continue on these but work more on aesthetics too, straighter cuts, lines, uniformity.

Good masonry like yours is not cheap, so why do people pay for your great work but not ask for brick roofs? I mean no offense to you, if I had the money I would hire you also.

Someday i will throw some numbers down on what it costs, although our labor costs are much cheaper for comparison, and our wood costs higher.

 

Above gives better idea about how we cut a triangle off top of brick that goes into the groin. Today looked for awhile and think even the low angle groined vaults should be done this way. I think Denver2 was telling me that a year ago but I couldn't see it.

Well i did live through the 60's as a kid so I think i am allowed to put a wine bottle in the roof. And I probably can only get ex hippies to rent it anyway.

Above , probably stupid idea, but I put in some bricks sticking out for a permanent ladder. I have to cut them off as they stick out too much and will cause too much force. Also to waterproof that and then step on it will be an issue. Whaddaya think?

Here you can see more of the built in ladder. But I posted to show how i managed a 50cm (18in) overhang on the ground floor. It also serves as access around the first floor windows and water catchment pipes. There is no steel except the ring beam. The wall weight counter balances the overhang, so force goes back to the wall.

To get an eave on this part of the house I started moving some bricks out at end of walls and at cross lintels up to the lintel, and then tied these extensions into the lintel. Lintels are inside brick cavity, this cavity is made with 1/5 and smaller bricks. Really time consuming but looks better. Then on the lintel sticking our we made a plain arch. these are only about 30 cm.

This was about a week ago, seen over the brick drying sheds.

 

That there is some level 3 brick work...I would come out for a few days for free on this one, just for the experience. Top notch work indeed :thumbup:

 

When you coming and how much beer do you need at end of day?:thumbsup:

 

I hope FJN doesn't see this thread, you will have you red-tagged in a second.

I wish we were allowed to do craft work in the US, at least for ourselves.

 

That is phenomenal!!

 

In looking at the pictures for the 20th time I guess I'm wondering how watertight this will be when all said and done.

Whats the weather like in tanzania? It seems like this building would be a nightmare to cool or heat.

Having said that it is still way way way amazing. The kind of thing I want to tinker and do when I retire in 20+ years.

 

In looking at the pictures for the 20th time I guess I'm wondering how watertight this will be when all said and done.

Whats the weather like in tanzania? It seems like this building would be a nightmare to cool or heat.

When I get there it can be a different thread about waterproofing. I have been fretting about that also.


I have 2 domed rooms and a small vault. they all have 1-2 inches of cement plaster, one with waterproof cement mixed in. All have either weld mesh or chicken wire in the plaster. the vault one has some seepage and used floor wax and it sealed up. So I know it can be done but would like to try different this time.

I will place roofing felt (tar paper) first. Then i might try different coverings:
-cement plaster
-clay and sand
-lime and clay and sand
-lime plaster

weather is temperate here 55-90. two rainy seasons one two months long and can heavy heavy rains up to 4 inches in 24 hours.

In another small house i made they say it stays nice and cool but after midnight it warms up. So if i could figure out how to time it so it heats up the room slightly after 2am it would be great, that is when our houses get slightly cool.

I think the house is going to be too cold in the cold season when it is about 55 outside and little sun.

Next house I work more on the passive solar heating and cooling.

 

Fundi, you are a very talented craftsman:thumbsup:

 

Wow!

 

It is slow going. You can only do 1-2 arches on a side, the groin cuts are odd, and all the strings get in your way. Dickson says " lets go slow and get it right." when i get impatient.

Today I climbed up on top for some pics.

Putting in a stone chip in the extrados.

Close up of the groin cut as it gets steeper. It seems to defy gravity. The bricks are mine and look like crap becuase of the ash. They have never been wet, so that will wash off and look like the walls.

I wish i could put clear waterproofing over the top. A shame to loose the brick look on the roof.

I deleted this similar pic before but it shows up as "attachment"

 

I wish i could put clear waterproofing over the top. A shame to loose the brick look on the roof.

Yeah it is a shame. It looks really nice just as it is.

 

Great workmanship Fundi. I've never attempted an arch without using a centre. Not a corrugated tie in sight:laughing:
With regards to the waterproofing, tha problem with a sand/cement render is that fine cracks will usually develop and allow moisture in.
On the old Regency townhouses round here, the basements had arched cellars under the pavements (sidewalks) for coal deliveries.
They used hot pitch to waterproof them.
You could always use mastic asphalt, and then brick over the top again to retain the looks:laughing:

 

Fundi, this looks awesome. Two things come to mind:

-I would not have thought this would work as you are doing it without seeing your pictures. According to the historians, centering was used for groin vaults at least at the groin itself. Obviously the historians may have been wrong. With that said, be careful up there. It would be terrible to have something go wrong with so much weight in the air.

-The difficulty with the groin joint is exactly why ribbed vaults were developed. It's really just a means to hide that joint. It would be easy for you to build ribs with light centering or just add them after the fact.

-With the Gustavino or Catalan style vaulting, I'm pretty sure they never built groin vaults, but that can be another topic entirely.

 

This post almost makes me want to do brick work. Awesome craftsmanship and execution!!

 

You should, just do it. It will make you a more well rounded person. Like a linebacker taking ballet class. :thumbsup:

 

Laying brick is calming. All the bricklayers I know are laid back, block and rock guys are much more frantic.

 

There is definitely some truth to that...I'm not so crazy about burning up the line on long walls so much now a days, but I love to build arches, piers, or any kind detail work. Something calming about the repetition.

 

Hey Fundi, i have been following many of your articles. I too build mexican domes but i am very curious on how you understood the structural science of these vaults. I am curious to know about the science behind to build better structures. Any leads would greatly help me.