My 3-Legged Dome

[Tscarborough]

Re: My 3-Legged Dome

It looks great, and I bet it will perform as well as it looks.

[fxpose]

Re: My 3-Legged Dome

Thanks Tscarborough, I'm hoping it performs well.

I'm also hoping I can get in that tight spot to stucco the rear portion of the oven....It's pretty tight...

George

[leckig]

Re: My 3-Legged Dome

How did you do the "little cosmetic touch up"? Did you sand the bricks? They looks some smooth! I was thinking about sanding bricks a bit but I am worried about the silica dust, any solutions?

[Tscarborough]

Re: My 3-Legged Dome

You should put something to break bond between the wall and the oven, plastic for example, then pull it out before the stucco sets fully.

[fxpose]

Re: My 3-Legged Dome

How did you do the "little cosmetic touch up"? Did you sand the bricks? They looks some smooth! I was thinking about sanding bricks a bit but I am worried about the silica dust, any solutions?

I use an angle grinder with a diamond blade to make quick, rough shapes. But you need to be very careful doing this because it cuts and grinds through brick too easily. I also use masonry abrasive discs on the grinder to sand and shape brick. You get better control using the disc.
For finer touch ups I use a sanding belt from a belt sander cut to make one long strip and sand by hand. It's great for bull nosing brick corners. Using a power tool can take too much off if you're not careful.
You're gonna get brick dust no matter what you do. I put on a regular dust mask.

You should put something to break bond between the wall and the oven, plastic for example, then pull it out before the stucco sets fully.

Good idea, I'll do that. I can basically get my hand back there and it's easy to apply stucco by the palm of your hand. As for the very back corner of the oven I can crawl underneath the hearth where I have good access.


George

[fxpose]

Re: My 3-Legged Dome

Here's are some ugly views of the oven with its initial rough coat of stucco.

George

[leckig]

Re: My 3-Legged Dome

looks great! If you want to see ugly oven construction, you should come to my backyard! thanks for the tips on sanding - i used angle grinder today with a masonry disk - as you said, it works really quick!

[tfasz]

Re: My 3-Legged Dome

George - Looking good. What are you using for stucco - anything special?

Pretty cool to have your oven so close to your house - mine is going to be about 60 feet away (and 20 ft downhill).

[fxpose]

Re: My 3-Legged Dome

i used angle grinder today with a masonry disk - as you said, it works really quick!

Hi, I'm glad to hear that's working out for you. I use the disc regularly for grinding and shaping. A dremel tools works great for getting into real tight spots.

What are you using for stucco - anything special?

Pretty cool to have your oven so close to your house - mine is going to be about 60 feet away (and 20 ft downhill).

Hi, for the base coat I used Quikrete base coat stucco with water stop. For the second coat I'll just mix my own stucco as I still have some sand, lime, and cement left over. For the final coat I'll probably use Quikwall SBC (surface bonding cement).

That's kind of funny you mentioned your oven being downhill and pretty far. My original location for my oven in which I did some prep work and spent a lot of time on was also quite a ways away from the kitchen and a down the hill as my property sits on a hillside and I have plenty of land back there.
Circumstances changed and I had to find another location for my oven build. The nook just outside of kitchen located at the front side of the house was the only other practical location I had. Not ideal, but it's turning out to be a practical spot for the oven. My only concern is the smoke.

George

[fxpose]

Working with perlcrete

It was Saturday so I did the perlcrete thing.
I had no idea what to expect mixing this stuff but it was fun and very easy to work with. I really did not pay much attention to the mix ratio. I just dumped perlite from the bag to the tub, added a little portland, a lot of water, and mixed by hand. It's reallly like oatmeal like people say....

George

[fxpose]

More funky photos...

My wife refers to my oven as looking funky.

Anyway, here are more progress photos I took this morning. I have some charcoal briquettes burning behind the those white insulating bricks. I'm curing my oven low and slow using the briquettes. Home Depot had 40lbs of Kingsford charcoal on sale for $9.97 over Memorial Day so I stocked up like I do every year for my grill and smoker.

At this point I don't know what shape to finish the oven in. My original idea was to run the chimney straight up at the top center of the dome and shape the dome like a stubby whiskey bottle. But that will make the oven look much taller and may be too overpowering for that corner.
My other idea is to run the chimney towards the corner of the nook as you see it now and go straight up. The oven itself will pretty much retain that shape as you see it.
Any input on the oven shape would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

George

[Tscarborough]

Re: My 3-Legged Dome

[fxpose]

Round 2

This is another chimney alternative I had in mind, with stucco enclosure tapering up higher perhaps by another foot or so. The chimney sits slightly in front of the dome center.

My original reasoning for offsetting the chimney to the rear of the oven as much as possible (as seen in previous photos posted) were to basically hide it from view as you approached the front of the house.

Again, any input is greatly appreciated!

George

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: My 3-Legged Dome

I see what you mean by wanting to hide it from view as you approach (or at least move it back). However, since you 'look down' at it from the upper level, it kind of fore-shortens the length so it's doesn't seem imposing at all. I guess ideally if it went went back to the corner a few more inches it might not impose as a vertical thing competing with your vertical front door. But, once you step down at oven level, it looks fine where it is and well proportioned.

I guess my vote is it's fine where it is but if it goes toward the corner just another 2-3", better.

It's looking really nice George, the perlcrete and stucco come out good.

-Dino

[fxpose]

Re: My 3-Legged Dome

Thanks Dino, for your thoughts.

Moving the stack a few inches back will place it almost dead center above the dome, but will also raise the elevation of the elbow considerably which will be completely enclosed in perlcrete and stucco. This was basically my original idea a few weeks back. The enclosure will be pretty much symmetrical from all angles and shaped like a wine bottle. I'm not sure I want that now.
Stacking the chimney as you see it now takes it out of symmetry resulting in a steeper front face and a gentler sloping rear. I'm still pondering which way to go...

George