36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

[brickie in oz]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

I hope those are helping hands.

They sure are, they help hold in the heat.........

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Never was able to get to mortaring the perimeter bricks, got side tracked into working on the door/arch template. Leveled it out and added a center arch span. I went ahead and stacked brick across the top. Have a baseball game to go to this evening. Thanks again for all the helpful comments.

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

With my 100th post, I decided to recap a timeline for the build.

3/21 slab was poured

3/29 started surface bonding inner bricks

3/31 filled in interior block

4/2 cut 4 layers of cement board to form top of stand with stagger seams

4/6 set angle iron over storage area and reset cement board

4/9 set screws to lock layers of cement board together

4/13 completed stand

I hit the limit for images and will finish in another post.

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

With my 100th post, I decided to recap a timeline for the build.

3/21 slab was poured

3/29 started surface bonding inner bricks

3/31 filled in interior block

4/2 cut 4 layers of cement board to form top of stand with stagger seams

4/6 set angle iron over storage area and reset cement board

4/9 set screws to lock layers of cement board together

4/13 completed stand

I hit the limit for images and will finish in another post.

4/21 tapered firebricks for perimeter

4/24 finished cutting insulation for floor

4/26 finished cutting floor and set bricks on insulation

4/27 finished arch template - progress to date

Interesting to look back at the steps along the way. I appreciate all the help I have received and am enjoying this experience. Thanks again, Bruce

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Well Dave, you have me working on the door. I just happen to have an 18"x12" aluminum oven pan (what were the odds?) that I could cut using your assembly plan (see image). I can't decide the best way to cut the top so that the wings (spreading out from the apex can be reattached with the rivets or bolts coming out the back. If my cuts don't work out I could get a strip of aluminum sheet and fold it down over the template and attach to the back of the pan. Possible spoiler, I measured the thickness of the aluminum to be 1.77 mm which is between 13 and 14 gauge. Hopefully, it will be adequate. Any thoughts?

Added: After staring at the pan for awhile, it seems easiest solution would be to cut a line following arch on both sides, cut along the diagonal to each corner, and then up from the bottom of the pan through the top lip. Pull the outer sides out, and push down the upper sections to conform to the arch allowing the attached piece from the bottom of the pan to slide inside the arch cut from the rest of the pan bottom. The over lap is used to rivet or bolt the sections together. There will be an inch or two of the arch that will not be covered which can be covered by the material from the sides. Sorry I don't have a diagram, hope the description makes enough sense. After all, what could possibly go wrong?

[cobblerdave]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
Thickness more than robust, I'm at work at the moment so a bit rushed. The strip of metal sounds good. Don't think I could put down in words how to cut that. Might be best to make another drawing tonight. Have you saved your scrapes of cal sil for the insides
Regards dave

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
Thickness more than robust, I'm at work at the moment so a bit rushed. The strip of metal sounds good. Don't think I could put down in words how to cut that. Might be best to make another drawing tonight. Have you saved your scrapes of cal sil for the insides
Regards dave

Hi Dave, good to hear thickness is adequate. I have plenty of cal sil to insulate inside. Looks like I get to use the pan after all. Looking forward to your take on best way to do the cuts. Bruce

[cobblerdave]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
This is scary.....Im not a metal worker at all ....I have no idea it will work and has more to do with making a beading edge on a shoe. but here we go.



So here where the cut to get the "top" of the baking dish firstly and again where to cut so you can tease the remaining piece to gain an arch shape. I'm saying tease but I can really imagine it might need a massage on a heavy surface with a mallet at the least. Remember again this is going into a hot oven it will expand and if it does Will jam in the opening if you dont allow at least 5mm smaller than the opening.

Regards Dave
any Questions?

[brickie in oz]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Just go to a metal shop and get one made, its so much easier and less costly.

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Dave, thanks for your help on this. I really appreciate the time and thought you are putting into this.

Remember again this is going into a hot oven it will expand and if it does Will jam in the opening if you dont allow at least 5mm smaller than the opening.

any Questions?

I was planning to make the opening .25" (6.3 mm) larger on both sides. Is 5 mm sufficient in total or did you mean on each side?

Thanks, Bruce

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Just go to a metal shop and get one made, its so much easier and less costly.

Brickie, that's plan B in the DYI handbook.

[cobblerdave]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
5 mm both sides sound better... remember a normal door opening allows 2 to 3mm each side and is not ever going to be heated like your oven door. Remember also that the flat edge will be contacting the brick for the seal. My first door was perfect till used on the hot oven and got stuck, buts it was made of airated cement sheet and it was easy to carve a but more off it. not so with this one.
Forgot about that bottom lip as well that will have to bent/cut it out of the way ?
If this way doesn't work out or becomes all to much work making up another strip might prove to be the easy option. Anyway your the 'man on the ground' so to speak so its really your call ...I will feed you as many ideas as I can.

regards Dave

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Rain today so worked on the door. A recurring theme (or obsession) during the process of this build has been the entry door. At first, I was determined to use angle iron, so I could use an 18" x 12" oven pan to build the entry door. That plan did not survive contact with the forum and I was convinced to build an entry arch. I decided on a design with 8" vertical walls toped by an arch with a 12" apex. Cobblerdave suggested a door design (be sure to open attachments) and prompted me to make my entry door/arch template.

Gudday Bruce
Definitly shim it, you will not get it out otherwise.

Been thinking about you door. So I have put a rough plan together. Now dont laugh Im not a metal worker, but this is what I have come up with.
[ATTACH]35171[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]35172[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]35173[/ATTACH]

I built a template for the entry door/arch which is shown in image 1, inside the oven pan I had purchased for the original design. After some back and forth, with cobblerdave and brickie, it looked like I might me able to use the 12"x18" pan as the basis for door. Well today was the day and the battle of man v. metal was on. It was quite a battle, and after quite a struggle (and one sore thumb) I think man prevailed. Okay, actually it was pretty straight forward and not that hard. I made some cuts, used the door/arch template as a form, and hammered like hell. I haven't used any bolts, screws, or rivets as yet to hold it together.

It may not be pretty, but once filled with ceramic fiber board and finished it should be very functional. One of the reasons I wanted to get this far on the door is that I can be sure entry is sized properly to fit.

[cobblerdave]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
Now that's starting to look very functionable !! Well done. What's the plan from here?
Regards dave

[Greenman]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Hey Bruce - That looks like a prime start to a good door. Very clever using something that is part way there.