Disassambling/Relocating an WFO

[BaronVonChickenPants]

Re: Disassambling/Relocating an WFO

So the big weekend has been and gone, and the mission was a success.

The weather was a little grim but held off for the important parts.

Step 1 - Remove chimney:
There was a big concrete tile over the top that lifted off



A storm was rapidly approaching, lightning strikes were hitting the hill and we were still delicately picking bricks out of the chimney


So given they were only standard bricks we stepped things up a gear, bring out the block splitters


We're down enough to throw a sheet of tin on and retreat inside


This air hammer and chisel was worth it's weight in gold, effortlessly removing render, seperating bricks, cleaning off mortar.

[BaronVonChickenPants]

Re: Disassambling/Relocating an WFO

Chimney down, dome exposed, raining, roof leaking, fun times


One photo I forgot to snap, got caught up in all this destruction, was the chimney over the arch. it was simply built up each side of the entrance to 1 brick above the arch. Then a section of galvinised weld mesh was cut to the width of a brick, and long enough to span the entrance. The rear of the chimney was then built on top of the weld mesh and smoothed in afterwards with render.

Another photo I forget to snap was the builders signature in the render: Frank - June 1999.

The front opening of the chimney was supported by a 75mm by 4mm length of mild steel.

Oven opening supported by more 75mm by 4mm mild steel formed into an arch shape, then welded to 150mm long lengths placed under the first row of dome bricks.


Overall the oven design was fairly simple, bricks broken to various sizes for each layer, mortar, more mortar, lots of mortar, chicken wire, then render.


This was our foreman, in true foreman style he took the only pair of ear muffs, declared that it wasn't that loud, then him and his ear muffs went inside to watch TV. To redeem himself he did bring us beers at 4 O'Clock.

[BaronVonChickenPants]

Re: Disassambling/Relocating an WFO

We initially started carefully separating bricks with the air chisel but once we had an opening it all came apart easily with some gentle persuasion.


The last dome brick


Hey I'm working here


The rain continued fairly heavily for the rest of the day, so we used our time to clean mortar off of the brick inside the shed, this basically halved the weight that we took home.


There is about 90 whole fire bricks and the equivilent of 120 or so in pieces

[BaronVonChickenPants]

Re: Disassambling/Relocating an WFO

Load up complete, this is what is left:

Filled a 6x4 trailer with render, mortar and broken standard bricks, there is another trailer worth left on the floor.

The bed was an interesting construction, 4 outer posts, 1 centre post, then 50mm of cement. On top of this a border of bricks was cemented in, then a further 50mm of cement laid inside of the brick border. The remaining height was then filled with sand and levelled with the brick border. Hearth bricks were laid directly onto the sand, square with the table, short end to the oven opening. Only the last row at the opening were mortared in place.

Loaded up and ready to move out, 10 x 6 dual axle trailer loaded with hearth and fire bricks:


Back of my 4wd loaded with more fire bricks:


Work ute loaded with standard bricks:

[BaronVonChickenPants]

Re: Disassambling/Relocating an WFO

6 x 4 trailer, Half load of part fire bricks, then loaded with tools that didn't fit anywhere else.


Load of rubble to be disposed of


3 hours down, 30 mins to go, the Pizza Party Convoy stopped at the Nerriga Pub for some refreshments


Fire and Hearth bricks unloaded:

[BaronVonChickenPants]

Re: Disassambling/Relocating an WFO

Standard bricks unloaded ready for cleaning:


Today has been spent cleaning the standard bricks, air chisel has taken care of 130 bricks in about 3 hours, there's about 30 to go. Can not recommend an air chisel highly enough for the work it saves.

Jordan.