Oven On the WAY!

[Howie]

I'm now excited the Premio 120 is on the way. I have a six week wait for delivery. I guess that should be enough time to install the stand and insulated hearth. The concrete people are going to pour a patio and a slab for the oven this tuesday. Pizza by the 4th of July!

[Howie]

Here's a shot of the pad I'm going to start forming the Stand and Insulating heath on. I'm going "round" to reduce the visual impact of enormity. Should end up looking like a "stucco bullet"
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/100_0003.jpg

[oventhusiast]

Hey Howie,
Best of luck on starting the 'Stucco Bullet'! How wide is the base in the picture?

Rick M.

[Howie]

The base is 74" in daimeter.. plus another 16" for the red brick "fanning". The concrete form being built is 65" O.D. I figured 1" refractory coating.. 1" blanket.. 4" Vermiculite concrete. The wire mesh and stucco should bring the finish daimeter to 67" There will be some minimal masonry work in the front to carry the opening platform and to allow access to the wood storage. I'll be finished with these forms soon.. Rick.. If you want them when I'm finished come an gettem!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/100_0015.jpg

[Howie]

Here's a shot of the outer form all anchored down and the steel all tied together. The second shot is the core form all skinned up and ready to drop in. A few hours tomorow and it will be ready to accept some concrete.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...100_0002_2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...100_0005_2.jpg

[Howie]

Ready for Concrete!

Here's the form ready for concrete. I built it from the flimsiest stuff I could find. I amazed how solid it turned out. There's about 90 feet of 3/8" re-bar in it. I would like to filler up tomorow but I think it's going to rain. It will take a little over 12 cubic feet. Should be able to do that in a wheelbarrow eh?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...100_0007_2.jpg

[Robert Musa]

looks absolutely beautiful. better go out and buy that weight lifting belt tho.

[david]

That looks great Howie,now I wish I had done a round one?..........Next one !I think mine will look like a Santorini Sugar Cube church-but then again,anything can happen in the next half hour...Thunderbirds are go!

[Howie]

Something to Work With

So here it is. Now I have something to work with. Looking back and reflecting on the happenings here's what I found. Concrete is heavy. Should have went out and bought that weight lifting belt. Could have used a few of those Santorini sugar cubes halfway through the mix for a little energy too. But all went pretty good other than the form was a bit flimsy and I could not manhandle the mix the way it should have been to make it nice and smooth. Time to start the frontal brickwork!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...100_0009_2.jpg

[Howie]

Getting it Ready

Here's a shot of the fanning that goes around the concrete slab. There are two other "Patio" slabs that get this treatment. There is over 200 linear feet of this work contracted out to the "Brazilians" but there not here yet. I had to do about six feet of it myself because the oven front comes out on the fan a bit.. The brick sets on 6"of concrete so it took a bit of time to get it ready.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...100_0012_2.jpg

[Robert Musa]

Concrete is heavy. Should have went out and bought that weight lifting belt.

Looking great! I can sympathize with respect to lifting concrete. My all time low weight for the last five years was the monday morning after pouring my hearth. I swear I lost 10 pounds that weekend.

[Howie]

Getting Started

Getting started stacking brick this morning. I was kind of excited at first.. then I found out how tedious this type of work is. Hats Off to the Masons!
The inner wall of brick will eventually get arched to a 45" radius to mimic the opening on the Premio oven opening.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...100_0003_3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...100_0005_3.jpg

[Bob C]

Howie, your work looks great.

I like the round base...good work.

Bob C

[Howie]

The Masons are Here!

Thanks Bob! The Brazilian Mason Team has arived! These guys are tearing up the yard like there's no tomorow. I'll have to step back while they perform their magic on the 1100 square foot "Oven Option" we will someday refer to as the Patio. And to think... It's all about the Pizza!

[Howie]

Oven Option

Here's a few shots of the Masons working on the patio today.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/100_0018.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...a/100_0023.jpg