Raffy's WFO Build

[Raffy]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

By the way, I'm a bit of a perfectionist (most Virgos are) and I just hate the spaces in between some brick for the cooking floor. Not all the bricks are uniform. Try as I might to find a piece that fits snugly it really wont close the gap. Is it ok to use the mortar as sort of a grout?

[Raffy]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

I've laid the brick for the cooking floor and I will be cutting them soon. I'm occupied with the arch templates for now. The soldier course will be around the perimeter of the cooking floor and not on top of it. I plan to mortar the soldier course into place. We live in an earthquake zone so I want these babies to stay where they are. The cooking floor wont have any mortar just in case I need to replace any brick that has suffered considerable wear and tear.

[Raffy]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Nice work, now the fun part begins.

Thanks and I heartily agree. I've been looking forward to "handling" the brick and constructing the dome. There is something strangely cathartic about using something rectangular to create something circular and sloping. Shaping, grinding and fitting... there should be a limit of how much fun a person can have.

Before I get too philosophical, thanks to everyone for your encouragement and help. I wouldn't have even attempted this if it weren't for the knowledge unselfishly shared by J-A-M-E-S and the rest of the members here. So, to James and the rest my deepest and utmost gratitude.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Nice work, now the fun part begins.

[windage]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Raffy,
Go man, Go !

Roger

[Neil2]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

"I think I over did it a little bit."

Better over built than under built. The cost of a bit more concrete and rebar is minor compared to the time and effort you are going to put in.

[Raffy]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Hi Kebwi,

I was looking at the pics of your oven opening and it is such a beauty. I hope you don't mind if I model mine after yours.

Regards,
Raffy

[Raffy]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

That is a beautifully solid looking stand! Every time I see stands like this I keep changing my design ideas. Oh boy...

Hahahaha! It is kinda robust, isnt it? I think I over did it a little bit. I guess I was over compensating for something. Hahaha

[fxpose]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

That is a beautifully solid looking stand! Every time I see stands like this I keep changing my design ideas. Oh boy...

[Raffy]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

I love tropical brick ovens. The setting is just so beautiful.

Having lived in a tropical country all my life, I've taken settings like this for granted. Hehehe. Thanks for helping me to learn how to appreciate it again. This is exactly the reason why I was asking about waterproofing an igloo style oven in another thread. I wanted to incorporate the oven into the setting and not make it stand out. I think an enclosure would be too conspicuous.

Nothing beats eating brick-fired pizza in a rainforest with the sound of parrots and monkeys in the trees.

I agree. Too bad our garden is missing the sounds of parrots and monkeys.

Nice stand btw. Best of luck.

Thanks! As a newbie, it makes me very proud to hear things like that.

[kebwi]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

I love tropical brick ovens. The setting is just so beautiful.

BTW, if anyone here is a Mexico traveler (I've been there more times than I can count), the little tourist village of El Panchan at the entrance to Palenque has a wood-fired brick-oven pizzeria called Don Muchos. They claim their oven is intentionally Italian in style. Nothing beats eating brick-fired pizza in a rainforest with the sound of parrots and monkeys in the trees.

Nice stand btw. Best of luck.

[Raffy]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Hi Neil,

Thanks for the compliment. It means a lot to me especially coming from a seasoned builder such as yourself. With regards to the perlite/cement ratio, I'm using 5 perlite to 1 cement. With the first batch I mixed up, I was a bit careless with the hose. The succeeding batches came out just right.

Regards,
Raffy

[Neil2]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

What cement/perlite ratio are you using ?

[Neil2]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Raffy

Nice rebar layout on your structural slab. Especially the "hook" on the ends of the individual pieces. Most don't do this and therfore lose a lot of potential strength.

I urge anyone who is building a structural slab to look at Raffy's post and pictures of 03-11-2010, 09:26 AM

[Raffy]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Perlcrete going on the slab today. Here are the pics of it as we are pouring on top of the slab. Now that I have actually seen the perlite, I can see why it insulates very well. Funky stuff I have to admit. While mixing it, I discovered why the mixture has to be a little dry. The cement has a tendency to settle to the bottom if its too wet. Its important to add the right amount of water to make sure the perlite is coated with the cement to make sure the perlite "grains" bind together properly.