Oven Build in SC

[Amac]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Glad to help videts - I hope it works out, it did for me - I just realised it late - but not too late. I posted this somewhere else just last week also - just can't recall where.

[videts38]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Thanks Amac,
That makes sense to me. I guess when I get home tonight from work I will be re-orientating some edge bricks to see how this works out. You know you see the pattern needed and you get blinded by it and focused, yet a little tweak in the pattern shouldn't make any difference at all.
I knew if I posted this question, someone would have a solution. Awesome!

[Amac]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Hi videts38
It's not difficult to avoid - just don't get hung up on keeping the pattern exact. When you see a narrow sliver - just replace that - and the brick(s) behind it and maybe beside, with a brick(s) oriented the other way - and you will be able to eliminate all the awkward cuts. I realised this just after cutting the floor and spending an inordinate amount of time cutting tiny pieces. I replaced most of them in this way. It doesn't at all affect the diagonal lines. You can also use this method to eliminate lengthwise cuts - repalce the brick with two bricks turned at right angles and the cuts will be easier.
It will take a lot of the pain from cutting the floor. It's hard to describe but simple in practice. I must make a drawing to illustrate this sometime as its a recurring problem and almost all the floors I see cut have examples I would love to replace.

[videts38]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Well, here goes nothing! I laid out the floor and set my template up for the cutting of firebricks!! I tried to set it up to have the least amount of little pieces around the circumference but it doesn't look like you can get away from it. No matter where I placed the template there will be some small pieces to fit in to the puzzle.

Does anyone know of any tricks to avoid this or is it unavoidable?

[videts38]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Thanks Russell, I'm pretty happy the way it turned out.
As far as the forms, I have Texman and Gulf to thank for that. Texman led me to Gulf's build and it was pretty much what I want to do and it was nice to see it before I attemped it. Not having a clue or prior experience on this type of work. I tend to kringe everytime I attemp to do something and hope for the best....so far so good. And now it should get more interesting for me now that I have moved on to the dome!!!!
I have to say though this is a fun and interesting and wild project to do.
As long as my pizzas don't come out with bricks on them I should be fine!!!

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Looks very nice, nice form work. I used a half and half mix of fire clay and sand slurry using a 1/4" notched trowel to level my fire brick floor/insulation. Some people use a dry mix of the same proportions. Vcrete/insulating fire brick too, great job.

[david s]

Re: Oven Build in SC

There is discussion on this topic on the thread "vermiculite insulation" under Pompeii oven construction.

[videts38]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Morning All,

Got the insulating layer mixed poured and topped with insulating firebrick last night. I was little nervous of the mixture and all. After reading many posts of the amount of water needed I was careful not to have excess water. I mixed till I had a wet sand consistency, no water in the bottom of the wheel barrel and if I grabbed a palm full, only when I squeezed extremely tight did I see moisture. hopefully I did this right. After topping with the insulating firebrick I found out my leveling of the vcrete was not perfect. I have less than an 1/8" divot in toward the center. Hopefully this won't be too big of a concern, from what I've read on FB forum, I plan on leveling again with a fireclay under the firebrick floor.

Can I get some opinions on what exactly goes down under the firebrick floor; is it straight fireclay or a fireclay mixture that should be put down to level the floor?
Also, I haven't read about a wait time for when I can start building the floor/dome on top of the vcrete insulating layer; does anybody have thoughts about this?
I appreciate any opinions on the process so far.
Oh yeah in the last pic you can see the building inspector stopped by and gave me an "attaboy". Felt good!

[videts38]

Re: Oven Build in SC

thanks David for the info on the fine vermiculite. Hopefully it has the same insulating properties as the coarser stuff.
Here is the form for the v/crete and insulating firebrick layer. Weather permitting, I should be mixing it tonight!

[david s]

Re: Oven Build in SC

I tamp it down a little. By doing this it will increase its strength, you don't want it to fall apart. You need to add more water to the finer stuff than the coarse stuff, but I think you get a more consistent mix with the fine.

[videts38]

Vermiculte layer??, Oven Build in SC

Thanks for the advise and compliments all. It is exciting getting to the oven and all!

I finished the forms for the insulating layer/insulating firebricks and am ready to stat mixing the v/vcrete layer, I thought!
I was checking the vermiculite tonight and opened a bag to find the finer vermiculite- not the coarse.
My question is, is this the stuff needed(Sawdust size) vermiculite or do I need to find the coarse stuff. When I bought it and I saw the size of the bag(very large) I pulled an "assume" then I talked to the guy selling it at a Feed and Seed and he said it was the coarse stuff. I've never seen the stuff before so maybe this is the coarse stuff? Again, it's like sawdust maybe a little bigger.
Next, is this stuff tamped down in the forms or just screeded, or would tamping defeat the insulating purpose of this layer by compacting it?


I have pics of the forms but forgot my card reader at work, pics tomorrow.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Oven Build in SC

v,

I used FoamGlass and CaSi for my hearth insulation and during the build I figured out that I could reduced the damage to the FoamGlas and CaSi from my feet by using the excess home brew as I was doing the courses. You will have extra mortar........ just slather on the excess and it helps with minimizing damage by your toes. Nice start by the way.

[texman]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Nice setup, looking good.

[videts38]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Understood texman, actually that's what I thought meant, but thanks for clarifying.
Made a little more progress over the weekend. I cut the insulating firebrick. and started the form for the v/crete. My plan is for 4" v/crete topped with the insulating firebrick. The plan is to place the IFB on the wet v/crete to get a little bond so they are a little stable. then a little slather of the portland/sand/fireclay on the edges to keep things from getting nicked up during the build. I also found the center of the hearth to start figuring out placement.

[texman]

Re: Oven Build in SC

correction: i used portland/sand/fireclay to firm up the edges. Mortar would work too, i think. I told you wrong, sorry about that. I just added the fireclay to prevent heat breakdown, but if you are using FB board or something like it, the heat on the vcrete wont be a concern.
Keep up the good work.
tracy