First milestone passed

[karl]

Re: First milestone passed

Breven,

That is very nice work! But I cannot see how I can make such a nice "hole" with the tools I have available. With the grinder I have (and my poor techique) there is no hope!

regards from karl

[Breven]

Re: First milestone passed

Give yourself some credit! Nice thing about cutting a hole like that is it doesn't have to be perfect- mortar will fill in the gaps. I needed a 6" hole, I cut a 6-1/4" hole. Same with the curved bottom parts...they weren't perfect, but the mortar filled the space and helped me level it. Just take your time...a little off here a little off there and keep checking to see how it fits. I used a
4" grinder with a $14 diamond blade and took my sweet time- never done anything like that before. You can do it!

[dmun]

Re: First milestone passed

With a little practice you could make a fire breathing dragon with a four inch angle grinder. As Michaelangelo said: you envision the shape inside the rock and remove the excess. And he didn't even have an angle grinder.

[nissanneill]

Re: First milestone passed

Karl,
you've come along well and justly proud of your achievements. Well done. Now you need to take thast next uncertain step that you think you can't do. Well, you have just proved that you can and it turned out OK. If you were to make another build, how and what would you do to make it even better. I bet that you would come up with a pile of things and they would all work.

I wouldn't put in a 6" flue with a 36" oven as to me it is just on that point where I feel that you will get some smoke exiting your front arch and staining those very porous firebricks. I would go for the next size up, an 8" and I would also make a steel, preferably a stainless steel transition as I did and as I am making for Hendos oven (once I get to buying the sheet). If you can't make it yourself, which it is quite easy but you will need some other basic equipment (a small angle grinder with a couple of 1mm steel cutting discs, a vise and access to a welder). The funnel action will draw up the smoke and channel it into the flue much better than simply cutting a hole into a stone/brick slab and hoping that all the smoke will go up the chimney.
They are made with 2 identical panels, one front and back, with a 1/2" folded edge on all but the bottom edges. A straight piece od sheet is then cut to the correct width and bent ay the corners to meet the shape, a suitable hole cut into the top to allow the flue to enter which I do with the 1mm cutting discs and tack weld them together. I then roll a 1"x 1/8" flange around the flue hole to allw the flue to be screwed and secured into the 'hood'
Drill 2 holes in the front and bottom edge and using small dynabolts, secure it in your chimney void. You can seal it with a little silicon of your high temp mortar.

Neill

[karl]

Re: First milestone passed

Neil,

Something like you propose I would need to have made. I don't have the tools nor the experince to embark on such a task. The shape of the "funnel" on your drawing is however very similar to how I have arranged the slim firebricks that collects the flue gases from the wide exit to a more narrow and rectangular shape on the top.
I will have a look at the 200 mm pipe and may go up to that size. Thanks for the advice.

So it is just about copying Michelangelo .... !

regards from karl

[karl]

Re: First milestone passed

Hi,

End of summer and the oven is under roof (and getting close to completion). Some brickwork around and over the opening, a door in the stand and some turf on the roof. Maybe some further "paintwork" next summer. The first family pizza-party this weekend. Big success.

karl

[Les]

Re: First milestone passed

Looks great Karl - But end of summer? Someone one that side of the pond, throw a brick at him Oh yea, I googled this one - I KNOW where Norway is.

Les...

[Frances]

Re: First milestone passed

Gee Les, are you really sure? I see there's also a Norway in Iowa, Maine, Michigan and South Carolina... could be one of those, what do you think?

I'd throw a brick for you, but I'm worried about frost burn when I pick it up.



Karl, don't mind us. Your oven looks great! You're planning a turf roof... with plants on? Those are really cool. When do you plant it?

[karl]

Re: First milestone passed

Les,Frances,

Autumn! September is autumn. Mountain hikes without flies, berries, hunting, multiple colours ..... who miss summer?

No risk of flying bricks up here ...... they are much too expensive!

I cut the turf out of the marshland. Seeds will not grow to bind loose soil sufficiently (autumn you know) before the rainy days will wash the soil away.

regards from karl

[sarah h]

Re: First milestone passed

Karl,

I really like your oven - great job!
And I know what you mean about the end of summer - it's gone here too, but this is actually the best time of year, I think ... if only winter didn't follow.
I love the idea of a turf roof - post some pics once it's on!

[nissanneill]

Re: First milestone passed

If your summers are coming to an end, then that means that ours in coming, and not that far away either!
Something to look forward to eh!!

Neill

[karl]

Re: First milestone passed

If your summers are coming to an end, then that means that ours in coming

Sure, - I would not dream of keeping it to myself up here! I used it carefully Neill. Please send it back in the same state!

regards from Karl

[sarah h]

Re: First milestone passed

Send it back better next year - around here, the past few months are being labelled 'the summer we never had'! Not so much the temperatures, which were lovely (though not many really hot days), but more because of the rain that just kept falling ... and falling ... and falling ...

... and winter could stand some improvement too, while we're at it!