My oven is under way!

[mgraban]

My contractors are starting on my Artigiano oven. They're digging out grass to prep for the foundation pouring. I'll post pictures of the progress of how this goes.

[mgraban]

Pictures

Here are pictures of the progress so far, just a foundation:

http://picasaweb.google.com/mgraban/...enConstruction

[DrakeRemoray]

Now THAT is a foundation! That sucker won't be going anywhere. What part of the country are your in mgraban?

Drake

[CanuckJim]

Under Way

Mgraban,

Now you're set for an oven that will last into the next millenium, surviving a direct hit from a nuke. Nice work. How's your back?

Jim

[jengineer]

dang that looks like a foundation for an iceberg, 70 percent below the sight line! I think you have a good foundation!

last time I saw a hole that deep for something that was going to burn wood was when my dad was building our house on a plot of land that used to have an old carriage house on it (fancy name for a barn). Diggin' the foundation for the fireplace we hit the location of an old outhouse!. Dad had to back fill with concrete a 12 to 15 foot hole. We found all sorts of cool stuff blue bottles, old stove top irons, nails...

[james]

Jim,

That's the point. It isn't Mark's back that's sore -- it's Craig the mason's back. This is the same Craig who installed Jay's oven.
James

[mgraban]

I'm in Keller TX

...outside of Fort Worth. Yeah, I haven't really lifted a finger (I'm not real good at this type of work). The crew working on this and my grill island are real pros!

The soil here is very shifty.... that causes problems for foundations, pools, etc. The contractors said it's overkill, but it's not much more expensive to pour a deeper foundation.

They're starting the cinder blocks today, I put new pictures up and will put more up over the weekend.

[mgraban]

Thanks to James

One other point, for anyone considering buying an oven: James and Tammy have been INCREDIBLY helpful along the way. I have experienced oven builders, but I'm still afraid something might get screwed up, so James has been great about answering questions and providing tips for me to pass along to the builders.

The forum was very helpful when I was researching the ovens. I appreciate that there is a community here and that James cares about more than just selling the oven and being done with it.

[carioca]

Keller means cellar in my native tongue...

...

The soil here is very shifty.... that causes problems for foundations, pools, etc. The contractors said it's overkill, but it's not much more expensive to pour a deeper foundation.

... and you're certainly digging a sizeable one in that photo! What exactly IS your soil, BTW? Looks like loess to me, from afar.

I have deep clay, and am still trying to figure out the best way to deal with it...

Cheers,

Carioca

[mgraban]

... and you're certainly digging a sizeable one in that photo! What exactly IS your soil, BTW? Looks like loess to me, from afar.

I have deep clay, and am still trying to figure out the best way to deal with it...

Cheers,

Carioca

It's somewhat claylike once you get 2 inches down... not exactly sure how to describe that. I can ask my contractor.

[mgraban]

Jim,

That's the point. It isn't Mark's back that's sore -- it's Craig the mason's back. This is the same Craig who installed Jay's oven.
James

It's not Craig's back, but his crew! :-) I've had 4 to 5 guys working in my backyard most of the time, they're the real craftsmen.

[mgraban]

I have some more pictures of it taking shape (ignoring the problems I documented in the "Artigiano floor" thread).

http://picasaweb.google.com/mgraban/...enConstruction

My companion grill project:

http://picasaweb.google.com/mgraban/GrillIsland

[CanuckJim]

Backs and Such

Mgraban,

I deeply sympathize to the bottom of my M535 with how Craig's back must be feeling. This is one really super piece of work you're getting installed. A showpiece indeed. Well done. I do a lot of flagstone work, so I'm wondering what stone are the large pieces of flag. Limestone? Local? Looks very nice indeed.

Jim

[mgraban]

Well, again it's Craig's crew. Craig has been a pain in my backside, but for other reasons.

Thanks for your compliment. It's Oklahoma flagstone, I believe.