Sharing CAD files of 42" Pompeii Tuscan oven build.

[JABF99]

I am in the initial planning phase, trying to figure out exactly what to build. I really like the 42" Pompeii Tuscan plans. In particular I like the oven built by Ken524 (My Old Kentucky Dome) and Boylanta's build (another beautiful 42" oven). I've been thinking of doing a CAD model to tinker with as I refine what I will end up trying to build. I've been thinking that there must be a lot of people here who have built a variation of one of these type ovens and used a CAD program to design their project. If so, then it would sure be helpful to have a copy of one of these. Ideally in a DXF file format (although a DWG would be okay).

Thanks in advance for any help.

[JRPizza]

I used a cad program, but due to limited skills I kind of stuck with wireframes instead of building solids. I found a plan view plus a side view took care of most of what I wanted to do, as I could lay out my hearth and work out the placement of my inner arch. I recently had to reload windows and just discovered I lost most of my oven files. I used Freecad, what program are you using?

[JABF99]

I used a cad program, but due to limited skills I kind of stuck with wireframes instead of building solids. I found a plan view plus a side view took care of most of what I wanted to do, as I could lay out my hearth and work out the placement of my inner arch. I recently had to reload windows and just discovered I lost most of my oven files. I used Freecad, what program are you using?

I am using FreeCAD also. I am learning how to use it, and thought it would be fun to use this WFO project to tinker around with it. I am on a tight budget right now. I am nearing retirement, yet still have all of my children in college and graduate school - so I'm trying to save money where I can, until they are all out of school, and FreeCAD was free :-)

I had planned on retiring earlier, but with the kids in school I'm having to work 3 more years. My wife said that I can build a WFO when I retire then. So, I've got a lot of time to plan the project and begin gathering materials for the build. To be honest, I'm at a point at my job where the thought of 3 more years there seems like an eternity. But, when I'm getting overwhelmed there, I just think about the WFO and I feel better. LOL, there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow :-)

My wife and I live very modestly and that will need to continue after I retire. But I'm thinking that if I can gather some of the materials for this build, over the 3 years, then it will help keep the costs down a bit. I use that FreeCAD program on a laptop that has Linux Mint, a free operating system. Having free software programs and the free operating system is great for our budget also. I actually prefer the Linux over Windows, but it took some time to get used to using it. I've got my kids using the Linux now too.

I like to build things, but have never built anything like a wood fired oven. And I've never worked with masonry. But, I figure I'm not too old to learn something new. It will be good for me. And since I have a lot of time to plan for this, I don't feel pressured to hurry things. The planning phase will hopefully be fun too. Anyway, thank you for the reply. Take care.

- Dave

[UtahBeehiver]

Dave,

I am from the old school, although a former engineer by profession and used computers and software programs extensively, I found that good old graph paper and #2 pencil worked for me, I started with Sketch-up but did not care for it.

I am one of the biggest material scroungers on the FB website, I was always and still am on the hunt for materials for my oven and sometimes my design changed slightly due to materials I wrangled up. Craiglist and Restore (Habitat for Humanity) and local paper classifieds are good sources for material. I would also think about procuring a wood supply as well. Talk to neighbors, friends, coworkers if they or someone they know are pruning or cutting down trees you will take the wood. Green wood takes a year or so to season. Although I am a DIYer I had not done any brick/masonry work before this project and many others on this site were in the same boat so with time and patience it can be done well. Lots of things to scrounge up over the next few years so fill up the garage with the stuff and MAYBE the wife will say get started on the oven to get rid of all this stuff..........LOL, BTW I am on year 5 of my build.

[JRPizza]

Dave, I totally understand the work thing. My last year I got to where I could hardly stand being there. We also had a son planning on grad school, but he was able to land a NSF Fellowship so he has been paying his own on his way to a PhD and I was able to pull the plug.
Glad to hear you are using Freecad. My son uses Adobe Inventor under a student license, but I can do pretty much anything he can do after I figure it out. I recommend joining the Freecad forum if you have not already done so. Pencil and paper are great, and you will probably want a full size layout but for planning and multiple iterations of a design I think the computer excels - just don't forget to back up your files ;-) Learning new skills late in life is supposed to be good brain exercise, so learning cad and building an oven should make for a healthy mind.
Attached is a file (one I didn't lose) where I did a layout for a 36" oven on a corner stand I ended up making the stand a little bigger and going with a 39" oven. If you look at my build, you can see some of the screen shots I took from Freecad during my design phase. I am going to recreate some of my files as I am still finalizing my chimney, and am more than happy to share and offer any design or Freecad tips you want.
Well, either .fcstd file types won't upload, or I have not figured out how to do it. If you send me a PM with your email I can send you a copy. I'll try to send via PM first.

[JABF99]

For anyone wanting to email me CAD files, my email address is:

dkistner
at
iwu.edu

Just replace the "at" with "@"

[JABF99]

Dave,

I am one of the biggest material scroungers on the FB website, I was always and still am on the hunt for materials for my oven and sometimes my design changed slightly due to materials I wrangled up. Craiglist and Restore (Habitat for Humanity) and local paper classifieds are good sources for material. I would also think about procuring a wood supply as well. Talk to neighbors, friends, coworkers if they or someone they know are pruning or cutting down trees you will take the wood. Green wood takes a year or so to season. Although I am a DIYer I had not done any brick/masonry work before this project and many others on this site were in the same boat so with time and patience it can be done well. Lots of things to scrounge up over the next few years so fill up the garage with the stuff and MAYBE the wife will say get started on the oven to get rid of all this stuff..........LOL, BTW I am on year 5 of my build.

LOL regarding filling up the garage with stuff......that sounds worth trying :-)

[Gulf]

You can possibly make some room in the garage for your "scroungings". Brick and blocks can make it outside if they are kept relatively dry. For you folks that are restricted by neighborhood covenants ( or worse SWMBO) there are ways of hiding stuff in plain sight. A dry stacked brick garden wishing well is one. Storing wood outside under cover can be done with class also. None of these pics are mine, however. I live in the woods with a "country girl".................thank goodness! .

[UtahBeehiver]

Why not make wood stacking a piece of art............

[JRPizza]

Russell, that is great. Here is one I found a while back that I thought was clever.

[JRPizza]

This is a test - I'm attempting to upload a Freecad file by zipping first. The FCStd extension is not one of the allowed ones for upload, but .zip is supposed to work.
Dave, this is the same version I mailed you earlier.

[JABF99]

This is a test - I'm attempting to upload a Freecad file by zipping first. The FCStd extension is not one of the allowed ones for upload, but .zip is supposed to work.
Dave, this is the same version I mailed you earlier.

That worked fine. I just downloaded it and extracted it. FreeCAD opened it just fine.

[JRPizza]

Dave, are you planning on a corner build or a rectangular one - or is it a few years too early to tell?

[JABF99]

Dave, are you planning on a corner build or a rectangular one - or is it a few years too early to tell?

I want to build a rectangular brick one. I'm still deciding how I want it to be. I do know that I want the oven itself to be the 42" Pompeii Tuscan from the plans downloaded from this site. I'm also wanting a wing on each side of the oven, something like this, but I want the side wings to be flush with the front of the oven face (not off-set back like in this photo). I want a brick chimney instead of just the stainless pipe.

[JRPizza]

Nice look. Making the wings flush with the front of a rectangular hearth will give quite a bit of depth - maybe even room for vertical storage if you want. Are you going to put a roof over it for cooking in the inclement weather? We wanted an outdoor eating area, and here in the Pacific Northwest that pretty much means having a covered space.