Glenn's WFO

[glennb]

So after a mad rush of blood, construction is back on a go-slow, which gives me a chance to post some photos.

Aiming for a ~40" diameter WFO, and will render the outside, rather than build an enclosure.

Foundation layout and formwork, and hearth slab.

[glennb]

Re: Glenn's WFO

Once i had the hearth slab finished, i've laid out the bricks and marked them up for cutting. This was a few weeks ago now, and i'm waiting on the brick saw that i can borrow from my work, but someone else has it at home for another project, so i'm having to wait till next week.

I've installed a thermocouple in the floor and will put another one in the dome poking out into the top of the oven. I know a lot of people don't use them after awhile, but i'm curious to check what temps are achieved.

Also, i've gone with brick on edge for the floor slab, for no particular reason other than i like the look of it
It also gives me the same floor thickness to the walls (half brick) so seems sensible to me.

Hearth is on 50mm thick Cal-Sil board directly on the concrete slab.

Aim is to be able to cook fantastic pizzas, bake bread, and experiment with other baking. I enjoy my cooking and trying new recipes, so really looking forward to firing this beast up later in summer.

[nodoubt68]

Re: Glenn's WFO

Hi Glenn,
Looks like you've got it all under control and you've been real busy ! Love your wheelbarrow ramp...great idea.
Thanks for posting the pics..I enjoy watching peoples progress. I,ve been put on hold for a bit due to back op.
Good luck for the rest of your WFO

[glennb]

Re: Glenn's WFO

Materials have been relatively easy to source so far (in Melbourne, AUS) and i've bought 220 bricks (~40%Al) at $3.50 ea. I've gone with a bag of dry mortar rather than premix due to the largeish gaps on the outside of the dome. However if i can be bothered doing the extra cutting to make it a tighter fit, i might need to get a bucket of premix (smaller particle size, but not so good for large infill sections).

Planning to wrap a couple of layers of ceramic blanket over it, then a good couple of inches of vermiculite and cement, and then finish with a water proof render for a rustic look.

The only thing i haven't found yet is the chimney materials.
Anyone know where i can get the clay flue liners in Melbourne?

I really like the look of how dmun and others have split the flue liner and rejoined it to make a cone shape for the chimney base.

[glennb]

Re: Glenn's WFO

Hi Glenn,
Looks like you've got it all under control and you've been real busy ! Love your wheelbarrow ramp...great idea.
Thanks for posting the pics..I enjoy watching peoples progress. I,ve been put on hold for a bit due to back op.
Good luck for the rest of your WFO

Thanks mate.
Quick calcs show that i've moved about 4 tonne of concrete and blocks, and as you can see, there were no cement trucks used, so it was all by hand and carrying them up from the front of the house. My brother helped out though, so i can't complain too much.

Definetly not something you want to try with a bad back though.

I as able to get an electric mixer up the next door block (it's empty) to do the foundation slab, but when it came to the hearth slab it was wheelbarrow work. My brother and I are both Engineers, so of course we can up with the most efficient method we could think of to Mix+Pour.

[christo]

Re: Glenn's WFO

Engineers!!!! Oh no!!!

Sounds like erriely similar to the week my brother in law (both engineers) and I spent going from dirt to dome! As we had a very short schedule - we spent very little time debating and most of our time laboring.

It's looking really good so far!!!

Christo

[bturton]

Re: Glenn's WFO

Good looking job! Your firebricks look pretty nice and even. Did they come that way or did you have to touch them up? I feel like ours are bowed and rough.

[james]

Re: Glenn's WFO

Hey Glen,

Looking good.

You really can put the firebricks on the flat side. It will hold high heat better, cost less, weigh less, and it will definitely hold all the heat you will ever want for baking and roasting. If you go with the thick floor (bricks on their sides), your oven will have a heavier and thicker floor than a commercial pizzeria oven in Italy.

James

[glennb]

Re: Glenn's WFO

Good looking job! Your firebricks look pretty nice and even. Did they come that way or did you have to touch them up? I feel like ours are bowed and rough.

I haven't touched the bricks as yet, and yes they do sit pretty flat. The bricks are good quality (as far as my amateur eye can tell), but I also credit the Cal-Sil board, as it's nice and flat and makes it easy to get everything level.

[glennb]

Re: Glenn's WFO

Hey Glen,

Looking good.

You really can put the firebricks on the flat side. It will hold high heat better, cost less, weigh less, and it will definitely hold all the heat you will ever want for baking and roasting. If you go with the thick floor (bricks on their sides), your oven will have a heavier and thicker floor than a commercial pizzeria oven in Italy.

James

I know James. I did plenty of reading and went through all the threads debating the pros and cons of each.
To be honest though, I just prefer the nice herringbone pattern that results from using them on their sides.

And yes i'll pay for it with more wood and a longer heat time, but sacrifices must be made for aesthetics.

I actually started off looking at the Rado Hand design, but it is just too thick in a lot of areas and you seem to end up heating up concrete that is unnecessary. My brick on edge is a bit of a compromise between the Rado and FB designs if you like (although i'm hardly original).

I'll make sure that I report back with my firing times and amounts of wood useage for others to think about.

[Frances]

Re: Glenn's WFO

The floor does look very nice with the bricks on their sides... thought it would .

Make sure you do tell us how it works out - I'll be watching with great interest!

[staestc]

Re: Glenn's WFO

I do really like the look of the floor with the bricks on their sides I am not sure I could stand the additional time and fuel needed to heat the extra mass though. I am wondering if anybody has split brick lengthwise to get the same look with just slightly less mass than bricks laying flat?

It's looking good Glenn!

Travis

[Frances]

Re: Glenn's WFO

I am wondering if anybody has split brick lengthwise to get the same look with just slightly less mass than bricks laying flat?

Hey, or you could cut them into different shapes and do a kind of mosaic pattern on the floor....!

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Glenn's WFO

You can still do a herringbone pattern with the bricks flat...
See my build...
http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f8/d...-oven-633.html

[glennb]

Re: Glenn's WFO

The problem with cutting them is you might not end up with nice straight edges which will result in slightly larger gaps between bricks.

I know herringbone can be done with bricks flat, but I just think it looks better with bricks on edge IMHO.