Ready to Role Up My Sleeves

[CanuckJim]

Re: Ready to Role Up My Sleeves

Sharon,

Maver has pretty well covered the ground on your questions. I live in Ontario, where snow load is an issue. I went for a gabled roof for exactly that reason. Unless you have considerable slope on a flat roof, you might be asking for trouble. Any roof you build, however, should be strong enough to withstand the weight of snow and especially wet snow during freeze-thaw cycles. There's a pic of my barrel vault oven in the gallery.

You've really done your homework, so it's time to get busy. Once the snow melts, of course.

Jim

[maver]

Re: Ready to Role Up My Sleeves

1) I am planning a corner installation. What is the best way to install the fourth block course over the wood storage area? I understand the use of angle iron and cutting out the 3/8 to accommodate its thickness, but how to I handle the void that remains on the side walls by tying into them at an angle? Should I miter the corner blocks? Should I extend my framing lower and fill in the wedge when I pour the structural concrete layer? Or am I better off no having a row of blocks over the opening (they way gaptogap did on his recently posted photo)? Or is there a better alternative someone can offer?

Sharon, welcome to the forum. Here's a link to Widespreadpizza's corner oven for another idea:

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/8/lo...nt-1598-2.html

You can see that he filled the void in the side walls with a column of poured concrete.

2) The diagram on page 15 of the plans shows a 62? outside measurement on the 43? oven, what does this reference? Based upon everything I read, I was anticipating a 72? block stand. However, the corner installation on page 19, photo 2.3 of the plans looks like it is 80?. What is the best stand size for a 43? corner oven?

I think you'll find that the variation in stand size is due to variation in how to finish the oven. It's been a while since I pondered the math involved with this, but you first need to decide how you are going to build the 43" dome (firebrick splits cut exactly or roughly, or a 1/3 firebrick thickness, or even a geodesic like DMUM), then whether to add cladding (my opinion is don't bother), what kind of insulation and how much, and any finish materials outside of that. That's your block stand size. It's helpful to develop your vision of your finished oven, then plan accordingly.

3) What?s the best way to finish the roof on a corner installation? A gabled roof that will accommodate the front angled wall could get tricky. I am leaning toward enclosing with concrete block and stucco. I like the roof on the Stucco House on page 49 of the plans but am concerned a flat roof may not be a good choice in my northern climate. Anyone have a recommendation?

Your roof needs to prevent water from getting into the oven/insulation and in your case needs to be able to handle whatever snowmass you encounter. In your environment a sloped roof is likely appropriate, but how you slope it is the question. I think a gabled roof would work wall. Whether there is an angle in your front wall or whether you extend a flat wall surface to either side is a design choice. There are less corner ovens to look at for inspiration here, but play around with the ideas for the finish. You are not limited in the shape of the oven by anything more than the space you build it.

4) Does anyone have a strong opinion to offer on what?s is a better cooking surface ? the four piece pie shape that Forno Bravo carries or fire brick?

Both work - there is supposed to be a thermal advantage to having the dome walls extend around the floor of the oven directly onto the insulation below, although that can also be achieved with carefully cut firebrick. Seams can also be an issue, but that can also be worked around with a 45 degree angle herrignbone pattern and grinding down any seams that don't lie flat.

5) All of the pictures I have seen posted on this site and others, show ovens built yards that are much larger than mine. I will be building in a fairly tight space and the back of the oven will be right up against a 6' privacy fence. Is this going to be a problem? I'm not concerned about making it difficult to build, I am on great terms with my neighbor and I know he won't mind if I take boards out temporarily to grant access during the building process, I am more concern about problems that might arise when I use the oven.

We don't take pictures to show how small our yards are. My oven is up against a fence, and several builders have pretty small suburban backyards. You really don't need to access the back of the oven other than during building and perhaps for maintenance in the future (if you have to repair the finish). At no point in use of the oven does the back matter.

Marc

[swripley]

Greetings all from cold, snowy south central Montana, we just had what I greatly hope will be our last snow of the season so that I can getting started on my oven project. But more likely it will be at least another month.

A brief intro - I am an avid do it yourselfer and cook who baked professionally in a former life. I've been married for 17 years to a man I affectionately call "The Cruise Director". We entertain extensively! My husband is a wine broker and I am the director of Outreach for our local university.

Outdoor brick ovens first caught my attention during trips to the Dry Creek area of California. I have been gathering information on pre-fab units for several years now, but nothing motivated me to take the plunge. Last summer a good friend had a barrel oven built and while I loved the oven, wasn't thrilled with the price. And then one afternoon of internet surfing brought me to Forno Bravo. I download the plans and have been fixated ever since.

I am now on my fourth read through of the plans, have spoken three times with our local building department and located local suppliers for everything I will need. I met with the a rep from the fire department today. I left him looking perplexed and with a complete set of plans for what I have planned. I don't think they get many do it yourselfers building brick ovens in Montana! He said he would have to look it over and would get back to me in about a week. I'm pretty certain I will be able to overcome any concerns he has. I feel ready to role up my sleeves.

My plans have expanded to include a fairly extensive outdoor kitchen. Never lacking in confidence, I have a tendency to think there isn't anything I can't do. But I have been known to get it over my head on occasion. I've been emailing James over the last several weeks and he directed me to this forum. Imagine my excitement - a whole group of people who seem to be willing and able to help me out if I get in over my head. Any everything I've read so far has been greatly inspiring!

My initial questions are: 1) I am planning a corner installation. What is the best way to install the fourth block course over the wood storage area? I understand the use of angle iron and cutting out the 3/8 to accommodate its thickness, but how to I handle the void that remains on the side walls by tying into them at an angle? Should I miter the corner blocks? Should I extend my framing lower and fill in the wedge when I pour the structural concrete layer? Or am I better off no having a row of blocks over the opening (they way gaptogap did on his recently posted photo)? Or is there a better alternative someone can offer? 2) The diagram on page 15 of the plans shows a 62? outside measurement on the 43? oven, what does this reference? Based upon everything I read, I was anticipating a 72? block stand. However, the corner installation on page 19, photo 2.3 of the plans looks like it is 80?. What is the best stand size for a 43? corner oven? 3) What?s the best way to finish the roof on a corner installation? A gabled roof that will accommodate the front angled wall could get tricky. I am leaning toward enclosing with concrete block and stucco. I like the roof on the Stucco House on page 49 of the plans but am concerned a flat roof may not be a good choice in my northern climate. Anyone have a recommendation? 4) Does anyone have a strong opinion to offer on what?s is a better cooking surface ? the four piece pie shape that Forno Bravo carries or fire brick? 5) All of the pictures I have seen posted on this site and others, show ovens built yards that are much larger than mine. I will be building in a fairly tight space and the back of the oven will be right up against a 6' privacy fence. Is this going to be a problem? I'm not concerned about making it difficult to build, I am on great terms with my neighbor and I know he won't mind if I take boards out temporarily to grant access during the building process, I am more concern about problems that might arise when I use the oven.

I think that?s it for know, no doubt I will have a lot more questions as I progress.

Thank you all,

Sharon