Brick smokestack

This is the brick smokestack at Saint Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Indiana. The pics are poor because of the snowy weather the day I was up there. I will try to get better pics when I can.

The raidial brickwork is larger than the standard bricks nearby.

The stack is over 100' I would guess.

Progress for Feb 22, 2009

Just a small bit of work done lately on the top of the front face. Wont be long now till I pour the top slab and finish this part of the furnace. Need the weather to warm up!

Brick furnace construction update Feb 15, 2009

Ive began work on the flue passageway thru the wall to the chimney. Aslo began closing off all of the brickwork gaps around the front door of the arch chamber.

Brick furnace update for Feb. 9

Heres my progress so far. Getting close to the top! If I had to do it over I would have added more cut bricks to surround the arch. But for my first work, it isn't too bad.

Brick furnace archway key

A two day spell of warmer air has given me the chance to lay some more bricks. When I made the plans up for the archway to the firebox I figured I needed twelve tapered bricks. Either I got the number of brick needed for it wrong or my inexperience at laying the mortar joints for them at an angle is showing. Rather than redo all of it I improvised and came up with a keystone of sorts. Im sure it will be strong enough for this project at least.

All along I knew I would have to cut off the tops of the arch bricks to keep the access door to the crucible shelf low enough for access. This works out ok for that also. I have some mortar joints I need to clean up, but its not too bad I think. Gives a strange diamond detail to the arch. I like it!