Mannextdoor WFO

[mannextdoor]

Re: Mannextdoor WFO

I am usually pretty patience about most things. I started a project for when I retire about 4 years ago and will be happy if it is done within the next ten years. But I am pretty excited about this project and I would at least like to get the footings and slab down. Then I will feel like I building something.

[gjbingham]

Re: Mannextdoor WFO

I'm the same. I need to put my foot in the water before I can start moving on a project. I can sit and think about it forever, but once I start, get out of my way!

Once you get to the point of putting down the bricks on the floor of the oven, you won't even consider doing any other unnecessary work elsewhere around the house/yard. You will be consumed by the WFO builder demon. This is not a 10 year project. This is a 4 month project, allowing time for reflection and dreams of cutting bricks.

Gomannextdoorgo!

[mannextdoor]

Re: Mannextdoor WFO

Today?s dig. I am moving along at a snails pace. We finally got a break in the rain. Today we had 50*F along with 23mph winds gusting to 36mph. Not a perfect day to be outside, but it has been the first opportunity I have had in a month to dig. More rain in the forecast. Thought I better get busy. The JD 3320 did a pretty good job digging, considering how many root that where in there. The round concrete cylinder is a well. The back of the WFO will be about 2? from the well. There will be a wings coming off of the oven on each side for a kitchen layout. There will be a patio where the dirt is. Feels good to be moving forward.

[mannextdoor]

Re: Mannextdoor WFO

Well I am up a running again. This Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday was our second time this year we had three days in a row without rain. May 29th we had three days, which aloud my dirt to dry out. I was able to haul two truckloads out and make some room to work. It rained 1.6 that night. Annual rainfall is 35.5 inches per year. We have had over 28 inches so far this year. The last few days I did manage to get the foundation in. I poured the concrete today. Calling for rain tonight and tomorrow.

[Frances]

Re: Mannextdoor WFO

Nice foundation! I like the way the shape fits into the landscape there.

Actually I've been wondering where you'd got to... oh well, only 7.5 inches to go and you'll be finished with rain for this year...

[mannextdoor]

Re: Mannextdoor WFO

I am ready to order my blocks and Bricks. Can any one tell me how many bricks that are required for a 42" oven if you cut each brick on a taper? And is there any benefit to doing it?

[dmun]

Re: Mannextdoor WFO

And is there any benefit to cuting each brick on a taper?

The only benefit is aesthetic. It uses less expensive refractory mortar, but it takes up vast amounts of time. There are three issues. At the first ring the bricks need to be tapered on the outside. To have a true fitted dome, each layer needs to be tapered vertically as well. As the rings go up, the bricks need to be angled as well as tapered. You do end up tossing a lot of brick fragments out. It was the contemplation of this process that lead me to invent another way of doing a full fitted dome, the geodesic plan, which has it's own set of problems.

A dome with joints filled with mortar cooks fine. If any such domes have fallen apart, we haven't heard about it.

[asudavew]

Re: Mannextdoor WFO

A dome with joints filled with mortar cooks fine. If any such domes have fallen apart, we haven't heard about it.

Dave's hand is up.

I lost three bricks.

....

Due to my impatience maybe during the build.

But I repaired it over the weekend.

The bricks fell from my inner arch. The three center ones... The dome rested on that arch.

The dome did stay together though, and I've no idea why.

I have no engineering skillz or knowledge like so many others around here! Cudos to those folks.

[mannextdoor]

Re: Mannextdoor WFO

Well we finally got the block & brick delivered. That was a bit of a trick. The delivery guy got a little excited when he pulled the last skid of block off the truck and swung it around. The front end of the truck started to come up off the ground. We inched it around and finally got most of it where I wanted it. I had to move some of it down after he left. I guess now I get to learn how to lay block.

[mannextdoor]

Re: Mannextdoor WFO

I got a pretty good workout yesterday. I unloaded a ton of sand by hand. I got one course of block laid, holes drilled and rebar set. But with setup and cleanup, that was enough for this fat old man. I don't have a mixer. So we are doing it the old fashion way. It feels good to have another project going that requires some exercise. It is good for the hearth & soul.

[Frances]

Re: Mannextdoor WFO

That sounds interesting with the truck coming off the ground! I'll bet your hearth was in your mouth there...

I love your set up. There's something about a Pizza oven by a lake that's very appealing.

[mannextdoor]

Re: Mannextdoor WFO

Course #2 went down yesterday. I think I figured out why those trowels are shaped so funny. It should go a little faster now.

[Modthyrth]

Re: Mannextdoor WFO

Wow, what an idyllic setup. The new kitchen area will connect and flow so well with the existing deck. I'd never want to miss a party at your house!

[dbhansen]

Re: Mannextdoor WFO

Looking great!! Can't wait to see the finished product. I agree - very nice location. The boaters will be drooling.

[mannextdoor]

Re: Mannextdoor WFO

Thanks for the kind words. Every year I try to have a home improvement project. Talk about the boaters drooling. I will post some other pictures later when I can dig them out that the boaters drool over. I got course #3 laid yesterday. The last 3 days I have found some muscles that I had forgot I had. This has been a good workout. Sleep sure is sweet at night.