New build in SW Arizona

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: New build in SW Arizona

Jeff,

It's funny what guys will do under difficult conditions (at best) to build something. I was dripping wet and having the time of my life playing with bricks! At least I had a shop light and the luxury of a 15F drop in evening temperature, which I'm not so sure you have!

There is enough wiggle room in any oven to be a few degrees off on any dimension and a 60% door is well within limits, especially if it's a little wider. I'm partial to hemispherical doors (arches) for a number of reasons, but that's just me. If you lowered your ceiling an inch, 63% of 20.5" is 12.9"

Funny, I tried hitting on a calzone in college, but all she would do is clam up and told me to beat it!

John

[jeffrorrt]

Re: New build in SW Arizona

John,
It was a hot one!! I started Saturday by soaking my bricks for 30 minutes, but they still just sucked the moisture out of the mortar ASAP,even when it was pretty thin. So I soaked the rest over night and let them stand for 30 minutes while I prepped and mixed mortar on Sunday morning. What do you think about decreasing the entrance height by an inch? Spreadsheet still calls for a door height of 13.4, and that's what it is currently. Bringing it down an inch would be in the 60% door/dome ratio.
Thanks again for the input
Jeff

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: New build in SW Arizona

Jeff,

I know about the heat. When I started my oven I laid soldiers in 105F which was fortunately, dry. However the brick sucked all of the moisture out of my mortar, causing me to go with horizontal courses all the way up. I learned to make my mortar wetter which worked a treat.

I'm glad to see you widened your door. My door is 20" and with a flared entryway gives me good visibility, access to logs, coals, pans, etc. My oven is 1m as well. Before you get any further, with your straight entryway, if you added another 2" to your door width I do not think you'd be sorry...

Also, you can modify your IT as you go to create a flatter dome. My dome ended up 19", which is less than a true hemisphere, but I wish I'd planned for 18".

[jeffrorrt]

Re: New build in SW Arizona

Paul,
I used the dome calculator, and it gave me a height of 13.4 I believe (63% of 21.3 inches), as the top of the dome will actually be 21.3 inches with the added height of the IT. How well does your oven draw with that door height, and do you get much smoke out the front? I will be going with an 8.5 x 17 clay flue liner for my chimney. It sure would make my arch building simpler if I could cut an inch off of my arch form. Right now my arch will start about an inch above my first row of brick. If I cut an inch off my arch form, I could start the arch from there and not have to deal with more "tricky" cuts. I did the mod to the IT with an old clamp I broke on another project, and some scrap I had available. Whom ever gets it next will get the original end, and the new one.
Jeff

[jeffrorrt]

Re: New build in SW Arizona

Thanks for the heads up Mike, I honestly didn't notice it until you mentioned it, and I had everything laid out and readily available. I've been renting a saw for cutting my brick, and had some half and 3/4 brick cut for just that scenario, but when it came time to start laying the brick, they were no where to be found....until I did my walk through of my lawn prior to mowing that is. It's amazing what my almost two year old German Shepherd will decide is good to chew on LOL.

Jeff

[mirassou]

Re: New build in SW Arizona

I like the way that you modified the IT. I used that same clamp for a few bricks, but didn't make it permanent.

[mirassou]

Re: New build in SW Arizona

It's hard to tell from the pic, but it appears that your arch is high. If the width is 18, the target height should be 11 1/3.

[SableSprings]

Re: New build in SW Arizona

Remember to stagger your seam lines...cracks love to follow a "straight" line of mortar between the bricks (and I see a couple aligned mortar seams in the back courses now). The offset process is pretty simple once you're aware of it...you're always going to end up cutting a brick or two in the row anyway, so use shorter pieces as needed to offset each brick seam from the row below.

Looking good...and I certainly don't envy you the heat!

[jeffrorrt]

Re: New build in SW Arizona

Had some time this weekend to set a few brick. Can only work until about 9:00 every morning as it's 90 degrees at 6:00 AM when I start and 100 by 09:00 with 40% humidity. I know it's not much humidity for some, but we're used to 5-10%. Two rows down, 9 to go. I did make my opening 18 inches and need to recut my arch brick or the arch would be done also.

[mirassou]

Re: New build in SW Arizona

Cool thanks Jeff, I was going to use the plasma cutter lol

[jeffrorrt]

Re: New build in SW Arizona

By the looks of your oven building skill set you won't have any problem fabricating it yourself Paul. I will be going with 3/16 plate for my oven door, with some FB blanket sandwiched between two plates. I just used a hand jigsaw to cut my smaller and curved pieces for the firebox door. The key is to use a quality blade.
Jeff

[mirassou]

Re: New build in SW Arizona

Cool thanks...I was figuring that I'd need between 1/8 and 3/16.

[jeffrorrt]

Re: New build in SW Arizona

Yes I did fab the door. I looked online for about two weeks trying to find a cast iron one I could build a frame for, but they were well out of the range of what my overly budget concious butt was willing to pay . I used 3/16 steel plate, and 3/16 x 2x2 angle for the frame. The plate is welded to 1 x 3/8 channel to receive the 5/8 rope gasket i used. Offset hinge is 3/4 x.125 sq tubing and hinge is 1/2 hollow tube and 3/8 rod. Thanks for the kudos

[mirassou]

Re: New build in SW Arizona

Jeff
The door looks great. Did you fabricate it? If so, I was going to ask what thickness of steel plat should be used for the oven door...just haven't asked my nephew about this. He's an awesome fabricator.
Thanks,
Paul

[jeffrorrt]

Re: New build in SW Arizona

I had some time this week after work to finish up the door for the smoker firebox and install it. Not quite sure what I'm going to do yet with the space above, but I'm sure I'll think of something. Too hot 110-114 F to work on the oven after work, but I hope to start laying brick this weekend