Hi all, any recommendations on how to get the chicken wire to conform to the shape of the oven, specifically where the round back meets the straight sides that form the mouth of the oven? As much as I try to pinch the chicken wire at those edges, it feels like I’m going to lose the definition of the rectangular front and it’s all going to just meld into a big oval.
Thanks!
Hi Mike,
You don’t have to make the chicken wire all one piece. Instead of trying to fold the ends of a long piece over the edges of the front, cut a piece just for the front and fold its edges up and over the barrel.
The idea is to have a matrix in which the stucco can nest, but the stucco doesn’t care how many pieces the matrix is in.
Exactly, cut it where it’s giving issues and fold in. Then generously use the metal twist ties to join tightly. I recommend pushing the twisted metal pieces down after it’s tight and trim some that are extra long and keeps poking through. If you have chicken wire two or three times over lapping in some spots after you’ve cut it and secured it down that’s fine. That just means the stucco/mortar will really stick there easily. I wouldn’t recommend doing ANY cutting at the base of the dome however. If you’ve got areas that the wire seems a bit far from the ceramic blanket…just trim a piece of the ceramic blanket according and pull it underneath to fill the void. And as ALWAYS, please use N-95 masks when handling ceramic fiber blankets…and gloves and sleeves/pants are a must too!
Great feedback thanks guys. Will cut and fold and add wire where needed. Thanks!