32 Igloo Build, Lakeway TX

[pfennigthecat]

Re: 32 Igloo Build, Lakeway TX

Thanks moT!

I already have a 10" wet saw that I got from harbor freight years ago, one of my better purchases. Used it for multiple jobs, wouldn't part with it :-). I'm planning on using it for the dome bricks, but if for some reason 10" won't cut it (literally) I'll keep your offer in mind.

Took the forms off today, planning on making new forms for concrete counter tops, but my vermicrete layer still seems too wet and very crumbly :-(. I posted a question about this here: http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f28/...tml#post152369

Hopefully will get some responses there. Seems to be a common question (after posting, the forum gave me some "similar posts" links) but everyone's build is a little different so I'm not sure if advice to the others applies to me.

[pfennigthecat]

Re: 32 Igloo Build, Lakeway TX

I did counter tops yesterday, but didn't do the counter on top of the vermiculite yet. I think I need to have my firebrick floor placed first so I can make sure the countertop is the same height as the firebrick (don't want a lip) and so I can make sure the countertop transitions smoothly to the firebrick under the arch (don't want a gap). I also would have been short on countertop mix anyway -- I thought I ordered enough (12 bags) but I only have two left after doing all the other countertops. I probably need 3 more, will order 4 to be safe. It's ~$13 / bag so not super cheap but in the grand scheme of things having leftovers won't hurt.

But ugh I'm not looking forward to doing concrete again! Building the forms for the countertops was hard enough; I'm of the "measure 10 times, pour concrete once" school of thought, so I took several hours on the forms. Then I did 10 bags of 80# mix... now I know why I didn't major in masonry in college. It was a death march to the finish, and i put in the last of it at about 9pm saturday night. Then had to clean everything up. This was the hardest day of the build by far. It was about the same amount of concrete that went into the oven floor slab, but much more work as the forms and handling were much more complex.

To all you future builders: Have a helper! Or pay someone to do countertops for you, especially if doing a full kitchen and not just a WFO.


The last bit of counter I did (at 9pm, exhausted) didn't finish up too well, the part right behind the vermiculite slab. I was beat, probably short about two cups of concrete, and couldn't easily scrape a long 2x4 across that area either due to geometry. I'm going to mix up some mud to fill in voids in the edges, will probably try some there also. The rest of it looks fantastic, and the holes where the 4x4 rough cedar posts for pergola/roof will go seem perfect.

Doing pics non-inline this time -- I think the other way takes too much space, sorry about that.

[pfennigthecat]

Re: 32 Igloo Build, Lakeway TX

Well, apparently I can't figure out how to include non-inline pictures

[Tscarborough]

Re: 32 Igloo Build, Lakeway TX

You are going to play hell working the oven with that much counter in front of the oven. Other than that, it looks good. You can make a slurry to fill all those bugholes.

[mrchipster]

Re: 32 Igloo Build, Lakeway TX

You are going to play hell working the oven with that much counter in front of the oven. Other than that, it looks good. You can make a slurry to fill all those bugholes.

I think from looking at the original sketch up rendering the counter is on the back side of the oven with what appears to be a gas or charcoal grill in the counter space. But I could be wrong.

Chip

[mrchipster]

Re: 32 Igloo Build, Lakeway TX

Well, apparently I can't figure out how to include non-inline pictures

Go to advanced and used the paperclip to attach non inline photos.

[pfennigthecat]

Re: 32 Igloo Build, Lakeway TX

I think from looking at the original sketch up rendering the counter is on the back side of the oven with what appears to be a gas or charcoal grill in the counter space. But I could be wrong.

Chip

Chip's right -- the oven opens on the other side from the counter. Otherwise I would indeed need a LOOOOONG peel ! Pizza prep will happen on the big deep counter in the pic, then will be carried around to the other side where the pizza chef will be working with a much shorter peel

[pfennigthecat]

Re: 32 Igloo Build, Lakeway TX

Tscar sold me a bunch o bricks, yay! And my minivan didnt break :-)

[pfennigthecat]

Re: 32 Igloo Build, Lakeway TX

This is what approximately 1400 lbs of firebrick looks like. About equivalent to having eight full adults over the rear wheels of my minivan. I probably shouldn't have.

[pfennigthecat]

Re: 32 Igloo Build, Lakeway TX

Due to the texture of my vermicrete layer (rough and loose bits), it would have been pretty hard to level my oven floor. So I decided I needed to do a levelling layer:
1) cut out cardboard showing total outer dimensions, including the opening, and find desired position
2) use old spray paint (green) to outline area
3) make a form from flexible lattice (circle) and scrap 1x2 (opening)
4) mix up some very wet mortar and spread it on



It's probably not perfectly level -- I will probably still need some leveling sand & fireclay under the oven floor bricks. But it should make that step much much easier I think.

I used a somewhat random mortar mix -- about 1/2 quickrete mortar mix, 1/4 fireclay, 1/4 sand -- and mixed it pretty wet so I could spread it. It won't be structural, so probably won't matter. The instructions say to level the floor with just water sand and fireclay after all.


Unfortunately my order of new countertop-mix (need a couple more bags) isn't in yet at Lowes, so not quite ready to pour the oven-level countertops. I want to do this soon to protect the vermicrete layer while I'm jumping all over it making the dome.

[pfennigthecat]

Re: 32 Igloo Build, Lakeway TX

As seen in the picture above, the opening/arch area seems rather wide. My dimensions:

35" Inner Diameter dome

+ 4.5 brick thickness + 4.5 brick thickness means 44" outer diameter

18.4" Arch opening width

+ 2" reveal + 4.5 brick thickness + 4.5 brick thickness means that my outer dimension of the entry tunnel is 29.4"

11.6" Arch opening height (approx -- can adjust this part later)

My entry tunnel will be 9" (one firebrick) long after getting past the arch. The flue will be about half that and as wide as I can make it reasonably.

[pfennigthecat]

Re: 32 Igloo Build, Lakeway TX



Will be 33" interior diameter after finding center, making sure soldiers won't go off edge of the level area, etc.

I will put a strip of cardboard around the floor bricks once they're levelled, then mortar the soldiers (half brick high) in place. The cardboard will turn to ash and fill the space between soldier and floor.

[pfennigthecat]

Re: 32 Igloo Build, Lakeway TX

The chunks of 2x4 will allow a 3.5" gap between the soldiers and the concrete countertops, when I get the materials and pour those in place. Don't want all my heat leaking directly into the countertops! The gap will be filled with insulating blanket and/or vermiculite that covers the dome.

The concrete countertops will but up directly against the entry bricks on the other hand. These bricks are "outside" the oven, and heat loss there is less of a worry.

[pfennigthecat]

Re: 32 Igloo Build, Lakeway TX

Poured the oven-level counter today, will protect the vermiculite layer so I can climb all over the oven while building the dome. Also will let me return the cement mixer I'm borrowing -- all mortar etc from here on out should be smaller batches only.

I'm doing this a bit backwards from most builds by doing the counters first, but I think it makes sense. Main difficulty is making sure the counters are about level with the top of the floor firebricks and making sure the poured concrete countertops don't but up against the oven itself (would suck all the heat out of the oven). So I built a circular form out of scraps of 2x4 and melamine boards, topping with a flexible strip of synthetic lattice to get the exact right height to match the sides of the form. A bit of effort, seems to have worked perfectly and will give me 3.5 inches between the soldiers and the concrete counters, plenty for ceramic insulation.

[mrchipster]

Re: 32 Igloo Build, Lakeway TX

Poured the oven-level counter today, will protect the vermiculite layer so I can climb all over the oven while building the dome. Also will let me return the cement mixer I'm borrowing -- all mortar etc from here on out should be smaller batches only.

I'm doing this a bit backwards from most builds by doing the counters first, but I think it makes sense. Main difficulty is making sure the counters are about level with the top of the floor firebricks and making sure the poured concrete countertops don't but up against the oven itself (would suck all the heat out of the oven). So I built a circular form out of scraps of 2x4 and melamine boards, topping with a flexible strip of synthetic lattice to get the exact right height to match the sides of the form. A bit of effort, seems to have worked perfectly and will give me 3.5 inches between the soldiers and the concrete counters, plenty for ceramic insulation.

That is quite a bit of counter in front of the oven, I hope you have some long tools.

Chip