Structural Slab for new WFO

[mikku]

Re: Structural Slab for new WFO

No need to fight over me boys, there is enough to go around for everyone...........Ill make sure I bring some lube........

See! Almost like predicted!
Brickie in oz, you are a funny guy and really quick with your fun responses.

Now that you have had your chuckle, do you want to comment on the insulation question?

On other threads, you have given some real straight answers and they seemed to be broadly appreciated. So what do you think?

All the other big number guys have told me to follow normal protocol, like it is burnt in stone handed down from our heavenly Father above! I'm thinking it makes no difference at all and it might be an improvement---the pericrete layer would also be holding heat and not just insulating.

[brickie in oz]

Re: Structural Slab for new WFO

Now that you have had your chuckle, do you want to comment on the insulation question?

No.

You have had all the good responses you are ever going to get, you need to pick one that suits.

[mikku]

Re: Structural Slab for new WFO

No.

You have had all the good responses you are ever going to get, you need to pick one that suits.

None really suit--so I guess that is the end of it. Have to play on my own!

[mikku]

Re: Structural Slab for new WFO

Been very busy for the last few months. All the work involves driving for 1 1/2 hrs each way...so makes for a longer day.

The oven is now back indoors sitting on casters.

I decided to make a new wood storage structure, a little larger and have space for the oven near the house. But this involves removing 2 years supply of dry firewood, and disassembling my current wood shed. Forgot to mention, making the building larger means removing the remains of a huge oak tree. The stump is almost 4' across at ground level.

Lots of fun and games, dig up the stump and roots--but now have to recycle the remains! Pressure wash it and try to cut it up into usable sizes! That is a project for early spring. Now it is ground preparation, foundations, retainer walls, a little plumbing and building a new structure. Hopefully, by year's end, the oven will be up and running on its own base---under cover! High hopes! Maybe another week off will get me jump started enough to get the project done on my schedule.

[mikku]

Re: Structural Slab for new WFO







I disassembled the previous woodshed, did ground preparations, formed and poured the concrete for woodshed and oven location---now the concrete is curing so time to hit the wood pile hard and see if I can cut and split all before work calls me back to being busy. Had to make a temporary structure to keep the newly split wood undercover until it can be loaded into the new woodshed. That is still some time off!

The concrete took a bit of wind out of my sails. Mixed it all by hand, but surprisingly it came out better than I expected. All the walls are 150mm thick with reinforcing steel (welded together)--I am lousy with tie wire!

Maybe a home for the oven soon? When who knows?

I am sure lucky to be able to use my friend's wood splitter. It sure can bust apart some mean pieces of oak--even chunks where the tree wyes or large branches begin. Just tears right through them without even a cough!

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Structural Slab for new WFO

Mikku,

That is a serious amount of wood. You foundation look very good especially with a hand mix/pour. It is cold here, 9-10 degree F in the morning with a high of mid 20s. Nice to have a neighbor with a splitter. Were you not looking a building one from an engine you were rebuilding?

[mikku]

Re: Structural Slab for new WFO

The engine rebuilding was not for me--I like to tinker with things as you might figure out by now, it was for a friend's backhoe, a small diesel.

The splitter design is still something in the future. The hunting and gathering of components is ongoing. The cylinder and pump are still not available because the dozer/loader has not been recycled yet--I am on the want list for parts. The engine would be from a Japanese K-truck. Vehicles here with the K identification have engines not to exceed 650cc. There are a lot of engines around, probably easiest to find a vehicle then take what you need and send the rest to the metal recycler. There is not an abundance of splitters here but one of the few around belongs to a friend of mine. I usually will borrow something once--after--I usually get or make my own. The reasoning behind that is--if something breaks it is my responsibility anyway. So far, the recoil start mechanism broke on the first pull; $100 for the part and a 3 week wait. Also, the cylinder guide that rides below the "I" beam (made from brass) has deformed from my usage over several days. I will need to have a machine shop mill a couple of new guides before I can return the splitter to my friend. I guess the repair parts would add up to what a rental shop might charge--if splitters were available for rental.

The concrete work did end up being a pretty hard project. Used almost 4 tons each of sand and 1" crushed rock. The design and need for a retainer wall developed as I worked with the variation of land levels. When I have free time, I just like keeping busy no matter how difficult the project might be.

I saw your deck and pergola project. You like difficult jobs as well. Do you have any detailed photos of the fancy joints on the roof structure? Most people at first glance do not appreciate the work going into it. I am sure it provided a great amount of pleasure for you. I can see from all your previous work that (half-assed work) is not in your vocabulary--only top quality or nothing! I wish you would have included outdoor shelter for your oven. But that is only my idea for year around use.

Our temperatures are sometimes below freezing overnight and chilly but nothing like what has been hitting the USA recently. I am glad to not be living in Northern Minnesota right now. Areas around where I lived had 2 to 3 feet of snow and deep freezer cold temps!

I imagine you are gearing up for skiing season. Be careful and enjoy.

[mikku]

Re: Structural Slab for new WFO

Got the oven outdoors over the last few days. Now a lot of work to get everything wrapped up and finished. That should take 2014, but will be able to use the oven much earlier under any weather condition.








Oven is supported by 3- 180x105 Douglas fir beams (free span 2185 mm), this gives an open area under the entire oven. And now the entire oven can be insulated again.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Structural Slab for new WFO

No more bending over to cook pizzas, enclosure is looking very nice and precise as usual will all of your fabrication processes.

[mikku]

Re: Structural Slab for new WFO

No more bending over to cook pizzas, enclosure is looking very nice and precise as usual will all of your fabrication processes.

Happy New Years' Greetings-
Right now, without the ground slab in place, it is too high for easy access.
Once the concrete slab is done, it will be fine for me, but my wife will need a booster bench. Otherwise it is OK. No possibility of lowering it now.. just don't have to equipment necessary and won't borrow any again!

When the enclosure is finished, pizza making will be like the old saying for the USPS--concerning bad weather deliveries! Don't know current motto of Post Office.

[mikku]

Re: Structural Slab for new WFO

Wow! where does the time go?

Most of my roof is in place but the biggest hang up is the roof flashing for the chimney stack. Been trying to save some money in doing the work myself -- again. Fireworks stove shop wanted over $200 for a roof flashing, so did some web surfing how to fabricate a cone from sheet metal with a roof slope; tried the graphic layout first on plain sheet metal, then transferred pattern to .3mm stainless. Then had to try soldering stainless.

My joints came out OK, but having clean metal I guess is the trick. Washed everything with soap, then acetone, then flux and finally soldered. The stainless really heats quickly so you have to be very watchful and do a little at a time. But do able! The seams "are not perfect" but they hold together. Will seal one more time with paintable silicone, then spray the transition black with high temperature stove paint.

The silicone should be far enough from the stack not go be combustible--I hope.
Really slow going! Slower today because of snow!