I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

[carloswlkr]

After many years of dreaming, my wife and I had a 'ranchito' (outdoor kitchen and living room) built here in Costa Rica. We included space for a brick oven and BBQ pit, which I wanted to build myself. We've been enjoying the ranchito now for a year and a half, but it wasn't until January 1 that I finally started building my oven.

We'll have a 44" internal diameter dome. After a few posts and replies from a couple of years ago, I decided to go with tapered fire bricks which our local foundry sells for the same price as the normal 4 1/2 x 9" ones.

Anyway, here are the first pictures. I'm off to the house now to cut some more bricks for the opening, and lay another chain!

[Ken524]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

Hi Carlos!

Outstanding start. Keep us up-to-date with more pics!

[carloswlkr]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

Thanks Ken! I finished the third chain tonight. Here are a few more pictures.

[Les]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

Carlos, again this is just my opinion. Start one thread of your build as it evolves. It will keep us focused on your specific questions in order of your build. It can be specific as "Carlos' build, or "The dude in paradise" - your call.

Les...

[carloswlkr]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

Sounds good. I'll post any additional questions here and use this thread from here on out.

[Archena]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

Taking a poll: which are we more jealous of - that he's actually building an oven in an already mostly complete outdoor kitchen or that he's doing it in Costa Rica?



Sorry, saw Les' comments earlier and couldn't resist....

[n2iko]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

Taking a poll: which are we more jealous of - that he's actually building an oven in an already mostly complete outdoor kitchen or that he's doing it in Costa Rica?

Sorry, saw Les' comments earlier and couldn't resist....

How about a "C" - All of the above.

[Ken524]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

Carlos,
I really like the shape of your opening. Curved sides instead of the standard straight sides with the arch on top. This is going to be cool!

[Archena]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

How about a "C" - All of the above.

C is a given...

[Les]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

Carlos - I trust everything OK? You guy's got quite the jolt. Keep us posted if possible.

Les...

[Archena]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

Carlos - I trust everything OK? You guy's got quite the jolt. Keep us posted if possible.

Les...

^Yeah, that!

[carloswlkr]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

We're OK, thanks. It was pretty strong, and the aftershocks went on through the night. In fact, we felt another small one this afternoon. It was pretty tragic for a lot of people in remote areas, but everyone I know is fine. We had things fall off bookshelves, a few broken pictures, but the house is OK... and so is the oven!

Haven't had time to work on the oven since Wednesday night, but hope to spend Sunday on it before leaving for Honduras for a week. Will post more pictures when I have progress to report.

Thanks again for checking in.

[Archena]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

Glad you're okay.

[Les]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

house is OK... and so is the oven!

Sweet! Great news. We get them here as well, I'm kinda interested how my oven would fair... but I prefer to wait

Les...

[carloswlkr]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

I finished the fourth chain and the internal opening / arch this weekend. Had hoped to do more, but time wasn't on my side. The arch gave me more trouble than I had expected. Had to restart once because I noticed the bricks weren't lining up flush at the front.

I've also decided to start my remaining layers in the center, opposite the opening. My staggered bricks are starting off perfectly at one end, but by the time I reach the other, the smaller circles mean that my bricks are overlapping. I'd rather cut keystones at each end where they won't be visible, and have a better appearance opposite the opening.

I'll be traveling this week, so won't be able to do any more work on it until next weekend, but here are a few more pictures to share my progress...