Where to buy in or around Toronto, Canada ?

[kellytoronto]

Re: Where to buy in or around Toronto, Canada ?

So here's what I've sourced so far:

* mixed concrete for slab: City Ready-Mix (delivered)
* Blocks & mortar for stand: Parliament Building supplies (delivered)
* Concrete for hearth: Home Depot (delivered)
* Perlite: Bustan and East End Garden Centre (pick up)

[kellytoronto]

Re: Where to buy in or around Toronto, Canada ?

I found two places that do firebrick. One in E. York that delivers (Kreitmaker) and Alphatherm that does not deliver. Prices were comparable between the two, but Alphatherm is far more helpful and responsive. For me, the non-delivery became a non-issue, because I could collect 100 bricks per trip in my Passat wagon, which was more than enough for a week or two of the 20-30 minute bricking intervals I can spare.

I am also using Alphatherm's pre-mixed mortar which has worked very well thusfar.

I am not a big tool guy, so didn't have a great tool with which to cut the bricks. I ended up using my Canadian Tire tile saw which goes on sale at least once per quarter for $49.99. You can't do complicated cuts with it, but so far so good for me.

Also worth noting is that I'm using many of Alphatherm's wedged firebricks. They are more expensive than the normal ones, but they use much less mortar and let you get a more solid, lower dome.

Alphatherm also carries vermiculite for a price lower than East End Garden or Bustan's.

[Food With Legs]

Re: Where to buy in or around Toronto, Canada ?

Kelly,

Are you using the Vesuvius Super #3000 Mortar from Alphatherm in a black bucket with a red lid? How are you finding the setting time? Are you soaking your bricks before mortaring them?

We've also gotten most of our supplies from Alphatherm and we're pouring our hearth slab this weekend so we're a bit behind you.

Cheers,
-David.

[kellytoronto]

Re: Where to buy in or around Toronto, Canada ?

That's the one - i started out with the runnier version and am now on the thick one. I've found that it gets hard enough to lay another course in about 2hrs, hard enough to brush against in 24hrs, and hard enough to lean on in 48hrs. I'm not soaking my bricks at all - Elvis recommended against it.

What part of Toronto are you in? I'm working to close the dome this weekend with luck.

[Food With Legs]

Re: Where to buy in or around Toronto, Canada ?

Thanks for the setting time information, Kelly. What are you using to support the bricks in the top courses while you wait for the mortar to set? Even with the thicker premixed do you need to go the exercise ball route?

I live near Yonge and Finch but the oven is being built at the family cottage near Beaverton on Lake Simcoe. Happily, Alphatherm is on the way between the two.

Good luck closing your dome this weekend.

[kellytoronto]

Re: Where to buy in or around Toronto, Canada ?

I haven't used anything to support them yet. I'm pretty close to horizontal, but the mortar holds the 1/3 bricks in place pretty well.... Hope to close the dome this weekend, time & weather permitting...

[kellytoronto]

Re: Where to buy in or around Toronto, Canada ?

More recent purchases were some insulating ceramic blankets again from Alphatherm and a flue from Webster & Son in Mississauga, that make terracotta flues that I hope to enclose with bricks.

[kellytoronto]

Re: Where to buy in or around Toronto, Canada ?

And as to the Vesuvius holding, I didn't end up using any form at all to keep the bricks in place. Everything was held by the "sticky" version of the vesuvius, up to the keystone, which I used the rubber mallet to hammer into place.

[kellytoronto]

Re: Where to buy in or around Toronto, Canada ?

Does anyone know a good place to find pizza peels, rakes, brushes etc near Toronto? I'm not tooled/ahndy enough to make my own, so want to buy.

[Alfredo]

Re: Where to buy in or around Toronto, Canada ?

I had lunch in Chinatown today (Spadina & Dundas) and walked up Spadina towards Bloor afterwards. Amazingly, I saw what looked like pretty decent quality peels for sale in a couple of stores there! $16 for a well finished long-handled wooden peel. Just shows you never know what you might find, where, if you keep your eyes open.

[kellytoronto]

Re: Where to buy in or around Toronto, Canada ?

Yeah - I checked that place (Hap Phong, I think) and it was pretty good. I'm also looking for some of the brushes etc which I could not find there...

[kellytoronto]

Re: Where to buy in or around Toronto, Canada ?

I got the brush, 2 peels, a cutter, and 6 pizza pans (for forming) for $130 at Nella on Queen/Sackville. Good deal.

[Food With Legs]

Re: Where to buy in or around Toronto, Canada ?

At Nella I found a metal brush/scraper and an aluminum pizza bubble popper. Didn't actually know that it was called this or that that was its intended purpose until I looked at the receipt. I plan to use the hook for moving and spinning various pans in the oven.

[Food With Legs]

Re: Where to buy in or around Toronto, Canada ?

Has anyone found pre-mixed stucco in Toronto? It seems that the trend is towards either newer EIFS systems and manufacturers only selling through licensed installers. I've found the Quikrete Quikwall Surface Bonding Cement but want something like Quikrete's Scratch and Brown Base Coat Stucco for the first two coats.

[AndrewL]

Re: Where to buy in or around Toronto, Canada ?

Kelly,

Are you using the Vesuvius Super #3000 Mortar from Alphatherm in a black bucket with a red lid? How are you finding the setting time? Are you soaking your bricks before mortaring them?

-David.

Hi!
I have just completed the dome of a 42" oven using this product; Super 3000. I liked it. Very sticky. Did not need any forms. I was dipping the bricks after the wet cuts to clean them, and gluing straight away. The weather has been hot and dry so the extra wetness was necessary.

Now, I await the problems that have been reported with wet pre-mix air dry mortars. I can see shrinkage would be a problem if the bricks are not tapered and fit tight. What else can go wrong?

You can see the progress so far here, Salt Spring 42" Tuscan Oven,
http://picasaweb.google.com/1099385665491055197