Jim's build for the common man

[Tscarborough]

Re: Jim's build for the common man

Tuck the cracks and move on, it ain't no big thang.

[jimkramer]

Re: Jim's build for the common man

Well, my blocks are all stacked. I'm not so sure now about my prediction that the thing will last at least 25 years despite the imperfections; there's several horizontal gaps between courses of 1/8", and a few at 1/4". So I suppose the blocks could crack pretty soon under the weight of the slab, then the oven bricks will shift. Still, I say throw caution to the wind, and get this thing built. If the oven collapses, I'll bite the bullet and have a pro make a new stand, and I'll buy a FB oven. Or maybe I'll just start all over again. Next step: make form, pour slab and cores (having a truck deliver the concrete.)

[splatgirl]

Re: Jim's build for the common man

I think as long as you leave it covered, it'll be fine. It takes forever to drive all the moisture out of the insulation board just from the construction process, so drier is better but doing the best you can should be fine.
Really, there is no reason you'd need to bother grinding the blocks over the angle iron. Set your formwork for the hearth slab and you'll see why...it'll have no effect on the finished surface or slab to leave them as is.

[jimkramer]

Re: Jim's build for the common man

Well, I'm certainly not going to win a Fornobravie (name of award I suggest they have every year) but this is a grand experiment for guys with no experience, and little time. My foundation slab was not level, and I had trouble leveling the first course. I thought it was good enough, but as I went up, many blocks wobbled when I stacked them, so I had to use mortar the whole way up. The back corner ended up with the fourth course about 3/8" higher on one side than the side meeting it at 90 degrees. But rather than redo everything, and never get anything done, I'm pushing ahead. Despite the big flaws, I gotta think this will still last at least 15 years.

Here's the latest pic - not quite done with the fourth course - gotta finish leveling and stacking one side, then grind down blocks over the angle iron spans. (Note my son's beautiful chalk drawings all over.) I got the angle iron from an old bed frame, seems like it will work very well. My goal is to make the form and pour the hearth slab and cores before it gets too cold, which I'm sure I can do. I don't think I'll be able to finish the dome before then, so I may have to put that off until spring. Or is it okay to leave exposed supersol if I start the dome, but don't finish before it snows? Can I just keep it covered with a tarp if I start and don't finish?

[Millstone Man]

Re: Jim's build for the common man

Also bending 1/2'' rebar is not easy. You can heat it with a torch or just order 1/2'' 90's from a masonry supply store. Or just keep it all straight and dont' put them down into the block cells. I came across these left over at a construction site. I believe you could also get by with 3/8'' and just double them up.

[Millstone Man]

Re: Jim's build for the common man

You want your rebar between 1/2'' to 1'' from the edge of the form. If the edge will be exposed when finished then I would go more for the 1'' to be sure you have a good bond with the concrete and won't have any exposed rebar. I also ran a 1/2'' piece between the 90's out over the cantilever part and used 3/8'' everywhere else.

[jimkramer]

Re: Jim's build for the common man

Scott-

How close to the edge of the cantilevered form does the rebar have to extend to? In other words, if the slab extends 5" off the edge of the block, should I put rebar that extends 4" from the block?

[Millstone Man]

Re: Jim's build for the common man

The old surveying tools and stories are really cool. My father in law was a carpenter and I have a few of his old tools as well as his stories of the pre-power tool days....For the record after he got power tools he never looked back and never used a hand saw again. I thought he was going to have a heart attack when he saw me using a hand saw rather than a reciprocating saw he had given me.

Jim - I cantilevered my hearthslab with no problem and I have a lot of weight on it. I did it to gain the space under the counter. It extends out about 9'' on the left side and is supporting a full brick wall. Just be sure to "beef up" your rebar. I used 1/2'' 90's with one end stuck down in the block cavity.

[KraemerBAC]

Re: Jim's build for the common man

Jim,

I hope you are having as much fun as I did...I look forward to more pictures and don't sweat it, except for a few none of us were masons either

Peter Kraemer

[jimkramer]

Re: Jim's build for the common man

THanks for everyone's inspiration. I've also been inspired to make the next level of blocks more level. Just got a trowel, hopefully that will work better than my garden shovel. Back to work on it tomorrow.

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Jim's build for the common man

Nut,
That's sounds ridiculously delicious! Like most, the thought of memorable dishes comes quickly. I am familiar with a lot of the local supermarket (my favorite is a mexican market that took over a departed Von's) chiles, but also the homegrown: sweet, fresno, habanero. Although comfortable with the spices to go into carnitas and a good southern pulled pork rub, I am not familiar with annato, which I found in one puerco pebil recipe since your post.
I look forward to making mexican dishes such as enchiladas, chilequiles, and especially all the (relleno) egg dishes that I hope rise unbelievably in a WFO, but I'm gonna give this puerco pebil recipe a try right away.

John

[azpizzanut]

Re: Jim's build for the common man

Hello GianniFocaccia,

It's been a long time since I traveled as a surveyor but my most memorable Mexican foods cooked "al horno" were shredded goat meat, frijoles, various carnes, (mostly pork and chicken) baked tamales, and pan. Fresh tortillas cooked over a wood fired iron grill are delicious and are made in several varieties both thick (gorditas) or thin. I like the thin ones to wrap burritos.

If you want to cook Mexican food then there is much about spices and various chiles to learn. You should have a plethora of resources in and around your location for recipes and ingredients at the local mercados. An easy dish to cook inside of your wfo might be puerco pebil. You can make it spicy or mild. It is a dish I will make often since the meat can be used to make other dishes by shredding it and adding it as an ingredient to tacos, soups or as a topping for beans or rice. The spicy sauce is tasty spooned over rice or frijoles.

I hope this gets your taste buds tingling and encourages you to try some al horno Mexican food dishes.

Cheers,

[eprante]

Re: Jim's build for the common man

Jim,
Good luck with the build, especially with the 3 hours per week part. Once you get started on this it becomes all consuming. That and your significant other will tire of the construction zone ambience of your patio.
I lurked for about 9 months before I took the plunge. Nobody's oven fell apart during that time, or since other than an occasional arch brick. If you go with the rectangular opening with rebar support virtually no chance of arch failure. It is a great project and fun to cook for your friends and family.
Enjoy the journey,
Eric

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Jim's build for the common man

Apizzanut,

In addition to Italian, I am a huge fan of mexican food and can only imagine the kinds of authentic Mex I can make in my oven once it's completed. Could you share the kinds of hearth-cooked dishes you enjoyed in these small towns? I had to chuckle at your term atrial fibrillation, the wavering connection of chambers

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Jim's build for the common man

Wow, what a great photograph, Tom. I just 'inherited' a folding rule just like the one pictured from my late father-in-law and it brought back memories of the one my grandfather (a carpenter) had. The theodolite is simply magnificent. Somehow, there is a romantic, hand/eye-measured element missing from today's precision digital surveying, kinda like the old black oil pots that lined soft shoulders and construction zones before streetlights and battery-operated beacons became commonplace.

Thanks for sharing.