Oven Build in SC

[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

Nice setup, looking good.

[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.

[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.

[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]

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!

[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!

[david s]

Re: Oven Build in SC

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

[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.

[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!!!

[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?

[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

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

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

WoooHooo!!! Finally cut my first firebrick!! And I was excited as much as I was nervous. I started to shape the WFO floor last night. I didn't get as far as I wanted but everything takes time between setting up, working for about an hour and a half and then cleaning up. But......I'm cut'n bricks! Here's my set up for the saw, I believe I owe banhxeo76 for the handcart/saw idea, so thank you sir. It helps to get the saw into the yard and is a good working height. So after setting up I got to cutting the floor firebricks. I was a little nervous about how they were going to round for the floor but after a few cuts I was put at ease. It's not that difficult; just have to take your time.

I have a question for anybody to answer: I plan a heat break at the oven entrance floor. I've seen a few on the forum and think it's a good idea. My bricks are 3" thick and I have a 3" square piece of stainless tubing with a wall thickness of 0.230". I planned on packing it in with vcrete for added insulating properties and also to angle the bricks that come into contact with it to minimize surface contact between the two. Is this to big of a piece of steel tubing for the concept? Will it act as a heat sink instead of a break? I attached a picture of the tube next to a brick.

I'd appreciate anyone's thought on this.