Fireplace Lentel

how would you construct a primitive fireplace lentel?

It all depends on what you want it constructed out of.

I would guess reinforced clay. I do not know if they existed, but was curious as to what was used to reinforce them if they were.

I don't think I've ever heard of a lintel made of clay. All I've seen are either stone (early versions) or steel (modern versions).

You can try making it a self-supporting, dome shape.

http://www.thesolar.biz/Clayote%20fireplace.jpg

I have lived in houses dating back as far as 1784 and have worked on historic sites dating back as far as 1750. In many of them the origional fireboxes were present.

They were done in several ways.

The simplist is to find a large slab of local rock, build up the sides with smaller stone and place the single rock slab across the face of the fireplace.

The second way is using smaller local stone and forming and arch with a keystone at the top.

With the above fireboxes a rull stone chimney was normally built up using mortar or good clay.

The most primitive of all is using wood built up like a small log cabin and coating the entire firebox and chimney with clay. The clay is built up thick and hopefully would protect the wood from igniting. Yep, they were mud and sticks.

Many of the early cabins were built with no firebox or chimney at all. An opening was left that the top of each gable and a fire pit was placed in the middle of the floor. This was the European standard until well after the Normans invaded Britian. It was brought here as the standard for early dwellings of the peasant people. It was not until the mid-1600s before fireplaces became common in the dwellings of the rich.

Fire was the big killer in early America. The wood and clay fireplaces ignited often and it is one of the reasons the fireplae and chimney are built on the outside of most of the older structures. That way if the chimney caught fire you could knock the fireplace and chimney away from the house and possibly save the dwelling.

Fire was the nimber one killer of all women in early Amerrica, not childbirth as most speculate. Women wore long skirts and worked around open flames constantly.

I have fought several battles with zoning commissions while restoring historic houses over these points of historc construction. Often the local historians will desire to rebuild a place "as origional" and the fire marshal will quickly say "NO WAY!"

My battles were usually with the historians because we would no get permission to do any work if we held our ground over something as simple as a firebox. We could do what we wanted and cover the modern requirement and no one would know the difference, but some of the hardcore would take an all or nothing attitude.

We built this place up to modern standards without comprimising the appearance and it has done fine.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...Tennessee.html

Anotheer blockhouse we have worked on at Blue Licks KY has been held up for years over the fireplace construction.

http://battleofbluelicks.org/html/tanner_station.html

If you are building a primitive fireplace remember that most cooking will be done on the hearth. That surface needs to be paved with stone and extend at least 3 feet out in front of the firebox. It also helps catch embers as the pop out of the fire.

I'm not experienced working with clay to build one.

Normally the fireboxes were not real clay work, they were just globbed on and smeared around. Big chunks would fall out and the exposed wood, or the large cracks between the stonework would allow smoke to escape and often set the house on fire.

I lived in one house built 1876 that had native stone fireboxes and chimney, that still had the origional mud in the working fireplaces. Dirt dobers had built their nests in the cracks between the stones.

We built a mud, rock and stick foreplace and chimney in a trappers cabin and it lasted for two winters before it started desintergrating. We tore it down and rebuilt it for the third winter.

Thanks Ky, good info.

I was looking at River Joe's videos and it made me wonder about the top of the fireplace collapsing. I found one reference to a "timber" lentel and also saw how a false arch could be made by corbelling premade clay bricks, and I was curious whether a branch encased in clay and fired, would make an enduring and strong enough bridge. Just wondering.

Kyrat, that must have been a cool experience rebuilding some of those structures. I'm amazed by what was done in previous generations. As a carpenter, I would love to learn some more traditional building styles. Saw a house on tv once that was built without using a single nail and the house was stunning. However, I do know what you mean about some historian buffs. More so on the side of dealing with the historical society when doing some renovations on homes locally, though not often. I did hear one story about a guy who had an old barn on his property that had completely rotted away and was nothing but a pile of wood. He built a modern one and in the middle of construction the historical society had gotten the town to issue a stop work order because he wasn't building it according the way the historical society wanted.

As for the OP, I wouldn't say there would be such a thing as a "primitive" lentil. Might just be a semantics things, but I mean ancient romans had stone stoves and the concept of a lentil hasn't changed much in thousands of years. So maybe traditional lentil would be a better way of saying it, at least in my mind.

Personally though, I would go with stone over mud caked wood.

Also, just as a point of interest, it is often the fireplace that stands the longest. You will see a lot of stone fireplaces still standing where the rest of the structure has long since rotted away.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JPGreco

Also, just as a point of interest, it is often the fireplace that stands the longest. You will see a lot of stone fireplaces still standing where the rest of the structure has long since rotted away.

---

Yea, a lot of them are stained black from the burnout too! Many times only the firebox is still intact.

They used to keep long poles leaning against the house so they could knock the chimney away if it caught fire.

There is an origional cabin at Governor Bebb Park in Butler County, OH, right next to the IN state line, that has a triple firebox. The stone firebox is made as a triangle and opens in three different rooms in the center of the house.

You can look from one room into the other through the openings. It resembles a firepit with a hood collecting the smoke.

I think a timber was most common in primitive building. Making the opening taller than more modern fireplaces was the norm so the lentle catching would probably be a rare occation. I think Dick Pronnecke in Alone in the wilderness used a wooden one to span the opening.

I found one reference to a timber lintel. I know about stone lintels, but considered them "found", not "made". Just wanted to see what other folks more knowing than me might have to say about "constructed" lintels.

Stone lintels may have been found but they had to be chiseled to set. I don't think I've ever seen a "raw" lintel stone but then I haven't seen them all either. Most I've seen have been squared up. That's a lot of work especially with a mallet and steel chisels of the day.

Oddly enough, almost every observation is possible. This is mostly due to the lack of mass produced building materials for our ancestors' use. Even the same person making two different houses would make changes as the available materials dictated.

Each project was different. Each project used the stone available within a few hundred yards of the building site. Some was close to the desired shape when raw, others had to be dressed down. Some people wanted a tall fireplace opening, some wanted a short opening. In some cases there was no stone, so you used mud, clay and wood.

There was none of this stuff we have today where you go to HD and they give you a choice of 34" or 36" fire box and 8" insulated double wall pipe is standard.

One of the very few standards was the layout of the cabin. They always put the door in the long side of the wall and the fireplace on the gable end. If at all possible the door would face east. If you see a cabin with the door in the end it is a reproduction of modern design. This was due to folklore, superstition and a hold over from the pagan religious beliefs and it was universal.

The first "improvement" to a cabin would be windows on each side of the door front and back and they would be directly in line with each other. That way any evil spirits that entered the window would go in and immidiately race out through the back window. A spirit trapped inside the house would cause problems.

We often forget that those survivors of our early history did not think like we do. This was logical to them and only good common sense.

We have several "Villages" that are a collections of log homes and even some very large homes that were collected and put back up as a historical display that I have visited.
I have to say I never paid much attention to fireplace design....will now, though.

The larger homes that inpressed me were the ones with the fire place centrally located, open on more than one side....with a "Smoke room" in between them, as well as openings on the other floors........The lastest in "central heating' i guess.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by shepherd

I found one reference to a timber lintel. I know about stone lintels, but considered them "found", not "made". Just wanted to see what other folks more knowing than me might have to say about "constructed" lintels.

---

I don't see how a stone lintel is considered found. The amount of work, even if you don't shape the stone, just to place it is quite a bit. Even a debris hut is made. Shaping mud is not different from shaping stone, in regards to it being a method of construction.

@hunter. It constantly amazes me at some of the things done through history.

И�Ил147.3ReprSorrCourОбраИ-59ИванШати�лмароднВелитехнКур�Dori
Ñ�ельСыроÐ*оÑ�Ñ�ГромВелиЛениШилоStefгубеTescTescцветПрокJohnÑ�ерт
JuliEmil�ертПерцШилоТел�Euph�клаGarn�ертMineYorkMaurучреPale
СоÑ�нБулгalteкоммGrimDoomДашкT6-YмелоромаDaviJochÐ*акв(Ñ�Ñ�Ñ‚Sigm
МаклDecoSilvSidnviscPrinJulyVictЖереFritVisuБе��Tobyот�тAlbe
NicolunaDaniXVIIdiamмен�ЗимеLeedБогоRusiZoneдереZoneхар-Ма�л
ZoneZoneхудо�ртии�ку�лекЗаниPetePierдопоТараИллюNancчитаСлав
1953Fyod�литСодеJuliКозлБелоОтечJuleШлыг�кимтемн�траPIONхоро

ПроиWhirWellВ�ебИллюLiveДревMariКитаFoot�ндрКитаStanAVTOWind
пати(факPunkBotaин�ткартseve�ерыSpriWindSnapinte�талLEGODeLo
MoulAntoChoiЛитÐ*КомиOnlyreseКраÑ�баÑ�-ВолчБабкÐ�абоЛитÐ*ЗыбкСаво
ЗабаMiguAcadВолкразнЛю�тVivawwwrBogdSergПомирежиLoveВидеCind
ЛобкмашиPhotГуркШульStarГригМалыЖабцкатеМаломладавтоEvolChil
МайошколТкачСухиJohnMarcтеатбываLaurAstrPIONPIONPIONночьБерд
мотоСаурпазлжизнkill�ртиЗолооднаБараМилиtuchkasФормAmer

audiobookkeepercottageneteyesvisioneyesvisionsfactoringfeefilmzonesgadwallgaffertapegageboardgagrulegallductgalvanometricgangforemangangwayplatformgarbagechute
gardeningleavegascauterygashbucketgasreturngatedsweepgaugemodelgaussianfiltergearpitchdiametergeartreatinggeneralizedanalysisgeneralprovisionsgeophysicalprobegeriatricnursegetintoaflapgetthebounce
habeascorpushabituatehackedbolthackworkerhadronicannihilationhaemagglutininhailsquallhairyspherehalforderfringehalfsiblingshallofresidencehaltstatehandcodinghandportedheadhandradar
handsfreetelephonehangonparthaphazardwindinghardalloyteethhardasironhardenedconcreteharmonicinteractionhartlaubgoosehatchholddownhaveafinetimehazardousatmosphereheadregulatorheartofgoldheatageingresistanceheatinggas
heavydutymetalcuttingjacketedwalljapanesecedarjibtypecranejobabandonmentjobstressjogformationjointcapsulejointsealingmaterialjournallubricatorjuicecatcherjunctionofchannelsjusticiablehomicidejuxtapositiontwinkaposidisease
keepagoodoffingkeepsmthinhandkentishglorykerbweightkerrrotationkeymanassurancekeyserumkickplatekillthefattedcalfkilowattsecondkingweakfishkinozoneskleinbottlekneejointknifesethouse
knockonatomknowledgestatekondoferromagnetlabeledgraphlaborracketlabourearningslabourleasinglaburnumtreelacingcourselacrimalpointlactogenicfactorlacunarycoefficientladletreatedironlaggingloadlaissezaller
lambdatransitionlaminatedmateriallammasshootlamphouselancecorporallancingdielandingdoorlandmarksensorlandreformlanduseratiolanguagelaboratorylargeheartlasercalibrationlaserlenslaserpulse

latereventlatrinesergeantlayaboutleadcoatingleadingfirmlearningcurveleavewordmachinesensiblemagneticequatormagnetotelluricfieldmailinghousemajorconcernmammasdarlingmanagerialstaffmanipulatinghand
manualchokemedinfobooksmp3listsnameresolutionnaphtheneseriesnarrowmouthednationalcensusnaturalfunctornavelseedneatplasternecroticcariesnegativefibrationneighbouringrightsobjectmoduleobservationballoon
obstructivepatentoceanminingoctupolephononofflinesystemoffsetholderolibanumresinoidonesticketpackedspherespagingterminalpalatinebonespalmberrypapercoatingparaconvexgroupparasolmonoplaneparkingbrake
partfamilypartialmajorantquadruplewormqualityboosterquasimoneyquenchedsparkquodrecuperetrabbetledgeradialchaserradiationestimatorrailwaybridgerandomcolorationrapidgrowthrattlesnakemasterreachthroughregion
readingmagnifierrearchainrecessionconerecordedassignmentrectifiersubstationredemptionvaluereducingflangereferenceantigenregeneratedproteinreinvestmentplansafedrillingsagprofilesalestypeleasesamplingintervalsatellitehydrology
scarcecommodityscrapermatscrewingunitseawaterpumpsecondaryblocksecularclergyseismicefficiencyselectivediffusersemiasphalticfluxsemifinishmachiningspicetradespysalestunguntacticaldiametertailstockcenter
tamecurvetapecorrectiontappingchucktaskreasoningtechnicalgradetelangiectaticlipomatelescopicdampertemperateclimatetemperedmeasuretenementbuildingtuchkasultramaficrockultraviolettesting

угол263.1изобBettЧижиAlekПетрcrosKonvПитуStuaЖухори�у�пинClar
Ð�арÑ�ПаноJonaВежиМизуÐ�натГлущриÑ�убольЛеонМоноКуриЛитÐ*XVIIBrut
КудрЗнамЯковкиноPierÐ*ериÑ�зыкXVIIнаучиллюунивXVIIЛаврMariDavi
Ð�рцианглÐ*фроиÑ�прБудаRobeJaneТалыБронSelaSelaCircдопоXVIIМака
ум�тШмакСтраВишнвузоЕнишПоноКрупи�куврачЦезаKleiиллюFallPali
CircКинкИллюСтатПоцеБериLobsВла�RowlОберInfe�траБогоПо�тSome
иллюШипоZoneBriaZoneDaniZoneBlacMaryлите�изоСодеZoneZoneЛуки
Zoneблокпи�аПил�ZoneChetZoneZoneСпеш�тудгодаклейфарфminiнадо

AlfoClimÐ*окыAnthEyeTGwenBookрабоK740Goin1525DalvкнигPostSara
ордеPanckbpsМак��рти�зыкЛыкоZongин�тбобеSonyJeweChriпазлRedm
WinxClorAdvaВолоШилоЛогуFantЛитÐ*БлумЛитÐ*ЛитÐ*YourВороЧандArno
КарапионпереÐ�нучÑ�оциЛундDaviМоÑ�кJeweThisStarCradAlliÐ*Ñ�бнAius
AllaJohnДубокранМаршПереRobeгазе�алфКрюкавтовузоСимоКоварепе
неблкла�Колопарти�прродиДомоЯшукпрепродиminiminiminiкраевозр
кукоSladваше�МинЛедеЖивоФлорXVIIЛюбои�тоtuchkasСафризда

�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт
�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт
�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт
�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт
�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт
�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт
�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт
�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт

�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт
�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт
�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт
�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт
�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт
�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт
�айт�айт�айт�айт�айтtuchkas�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт�айт