Vesuvio 90 Replica Build

[Golfpro2301]

Thanks David

i will adjust to have 3/4” catch like you mentioned. I believe I can i crease the overall diameter by 1.5” which would help bringing flue gallery out a little. I am going to redo the template today and make just floor and entry template so I can lay that out.

having hard time getting some template way I want it. Anyone on here good with CAD that may be willing to help?

[Golfpro2301]

David/Gulf

need your input on this one. I made wooden template and kept maximizing it as much as I can go. I plan to put paver blocks on front so with the front portion of template hanging off 1/2” that leaves almost 4” of room on back sides for insulation, mortar, tiles. You think that is sufficient?

template is based on 32” oven floor with bricks laying on top. Overall oven diameter is 50” which is curvature you see on front.

[david s]

I can’t see that such a small bit overhanging the edge will be a problem.

[Golfpro2301]

I shortened floor by 1” to 31”. This should give me a little extra room for whole oven

with doing low dome style should I cut bricks so inside edges of dome bricks always touch and leaving mortar gap in back or base on height of dome will there be consistent joint along inside where bricks arent touching

[david s]

Apart from the problems already mentioned regarding structural weakness (post #36), the brick building experts are probably better to advise you, but I think you probably need to chamfer a few courses where the radius is really small at the vertical wall to low dome transition. Drawing explains what I mean. This type of design suits modular cast builds better than brick builds.

[Golfpro2301]

I got the dome templates done today. Rounded off edges a little for better transition. The way I see it I have two option. Full brick vertical orienting it so 4.5” thick and cut an angle to start transition. Or use half bricks for 3 rows and cut top at angle to start transition. The full brick would be easier for metal band as it is essentially one later. Multiple bricks I cant secure each row. Not sure if that matters tho

[Golfpro2301]

Spent time tonight splitting wooden mold and attaching them back together. Still have few more to put in and trim down to get perfect 31”. I was wondering if I should just fill gaps with sand and skreed ot along wooden forms to get uniform shape. Id lay down saran wrap on oven floor then saran wrap mold after sand so Mortar doesnt stick. Im assuming downside of this not being able clean mortar joints but since doing after first row majority wont be visible. Positive is get a good uniform shape to lay bricks against. Seems like a good idea and one can be used for low domes. Thoughts?

[david s]

Sorry, I don’t understand what you intend to cast against your mould. Have you laid the floor bricks yet?

[Golfpro2301]

I have floor cutout and first row bricks sitting on top to plan out arch location. I found Larry P build and think I am going to move in that direction and use steel arch so I have something weld bands to. I have a lot of scrap 1/4” steel plate laying around. I like the sand mould idea but is it better to use saran wrap or wet newspaper

i wish he included angle he cut bricks at on top vertical wall. May be a 45 but not sure

[david s]

I am still unsure how you intend to build the dome. I thought you were going to build it all in brick, but your posts about moulds suggest that maybe you are intending to cast the top section so the sides are brick and the top is cast. Is that correct?

Also remember that any steel bracing the inner brick walls and your planned inner steel arch will be subjected to heat and moisture which both accelerate corrosion. Once the steel is covered with extra outer layers it will become inaccessible. Some heat proof coating might help, but don't use galvanised steel or zinc coatings as the vapours from zinc are highly poisonous.

Regarding the angle of the top of the side walls, the general method is to cut what are called skewbacks (D), with steel bracing (E) this pic explains it (sorry it's sideways). Remember that the flatter the arch the greater the sideways

thrust.

[Golfpro2301]

Arch will be brick. When referring to mould meant sand I can lay bricks on top.

i have some paint leftover from smoker build that goes to 1500F. Was going to use that on steel

the angle for D you have on drawing what referring to

[david s]

Arch will be brick. When referring to mould meant sand I can lay bricks on top.

i have some paint leftover from smoker build that goes to 1500F. Was going to use that on steel

the angle for D you have on drawing what referring to

(C) goes back to centre of radius. Or refer to drawing on #65

The disadvantage of laying the bricks against a sand form is that you will be unable to tidy joints on the inside until the dome is complete. It may be easier to use your template to support the bricks. Moving it around as you lay each brick.

[Golfpro2301]

I can remake form for 1/4 circle but with low dome style wouldnt bricks need dry on it before repositioning. Not sure how the homebrew will support bricks. Since the first two rows are essentially only joints can see not sure im worried about cleanliness of joints. Now if there is some structural/strength implications by that is different story but not sure if there are any.

one thing I noticed when laying homebrew over perlcrete to smooth surface is how fast it dries and cracks in FL sun and wind. I re did it with thick layer and am wet curing it over 7 days. When building the oven I will be unable to keep a cover over it while working. Should I mist it with hose periodically while building and then tarp it every night?

[david s]

If you are leaning the bricks against the sand you don’t need a newspaper or plastic slip layer. Any ragged mortar on the inside is purely cosmetic but you wouldn’t want any bits falling off into your food so you’ll still have to clean up the inside a bit when done.
The addition of lime to a mortar mix actually slows the reaction when used with Portland cement. The opposite occurs if used with calcium aluminate cement where it accelerates the reaction. Clay added to a mix increases workability, but also increases shrinkage. The homebrew recipe has a high proportion of clay and sometimes leaves visible cracks. For this reason I halve the clay addition.
It is normal to dip the bricks before laying them, they should be damp but not wet on the surface.Covering with wet burlap after the day’s laying is prudent.

[Golfpro2301]

Thanks. Ill adjust homebrew to .5:1:1:3, clay, lime, cement, sand