Starting new build in Dallas

[Dwatkins]

More progress the past two weeks. Got both the inner and outer walls bricked up to 34", pickup the 3" angle iron for the wood storage opening and framed up for the oven floor slab.

[shanxk8]

That is looking excellent so far Dan! The bricks you picked to build the support structure look beautiful.

Looks like you created a simple IT tool for a cylinder . I could have used something similar to keep my decorative brick exterior level (which they are not), but I built mine using concrete/cinder blocks and then brick outside.
I'll have to keep checking in on your build, as it looks very well executed so far.
David

[Dwatkins]

Thanks David, it actually has worked very well but now that I am at the dome floor I will be using a level.

Over the long weekend I started framing for the oven dome slab which will be 5” thick. I added in two 2 ½” angle iron supports to add strength to the center while pouring. I used my angle grinder to cut slots in the brick so the angle iron would lay flat. I will then lay ½” wonderboard over this to pour the slab. It took two 3 X 5’ sheets of wonderboard which I laid on top of the forms, crawled underneath and scribed the inside of the forms. I used the angle grinder with a masonry blade to cut them to fit. Worked great.

[Dwatkins]

OK, using my handy dandy Harbor Freight mixer in 70 minutes I had 24 50lb bags of quikrete poured. Wait two days and will pull the forms.

[Dwatkins]

The wood blocks did come out as I filled in with cement. Just used them for temporary stilts.

[Dwatkins]

After for two days I pulled the forms and the oven floor foundation is ready. I plan to complete the pergola extension before I start the dome just to keep it dry so I will be working on the pergola for a while. The last pic shows the pergola pre-oven and where the round table sits is the oven location. The pergola will extend to the fence, about another 14'.

[Dwatkins]

I picked up a load of cedar to start the extension. Got the two posts set and set the two beams and once I have the two ends tied together I will start the joist.

[Dwatkins]

Made some progress on the pergola extension this past week. I secured the beams setting on top of the posts with 2x6s bolted through with all threads. The corner braces are 6x6 like the posts and once I put the other two in I will bolt them in as well which gives it a lot of stability. Will start the joists soon.

[Dwatkins]

After being sidetracked by Knee surgery and several other life events I am back to our build. Getting the basic layout and trying to get it pictured in my head but one question that I have not been able to find in the forum is concerning the first 1/2 brick soldier course, are they mortared to the oven floor?
Thanks for any reply.

[SableSprings]

Good to have that knee surgery behind you! You don't want to mortar the base dome bricks to the cooking floor. The dome actually will expand/contract (as will the floor) during firing/cool down so there is a little movement between those two structures. Just set the bricks on or around the perimeter of the cooking floor bricks (either method is good, but with setting the dome on the ceramic board just outside the cooking floor, you leave a little expansion gap). Your layout looks good although I can't tell if some of your cooking floor bricks aren't quite level. If the floor is not pretty evenly flat, your peel will catch. If the bricks aren't quite level, lay a thin layer of fine sand+a little fireclay (dampened slightly) and use a notched trowel (like laying tile) to groove the surface. Then you can set and tap the cooking floor bricks into a basically smooth surface for your peel work.

Hope that helps a bit.

[Dwatkins]

Mike, thanks for the reply. I was pretty sure that should not but wanted verify. The floor bricks are actually pretty flat but will probably take a belt sander to them just to get them as close as possible, have read that others have done the same.

[Dwatkins]

Picked up 220 firebrick and two bags of Heatstop 50 at Metro Brick and stone here in Dallas. I also located the ceramic board at Bread Stone Ovens in Dallas as well. Two boards 2x3 by 2" for right at $110 for both and I used almost every piece of it for the floor. The ceramic board cuts easily with a bandsaw and after overlapping the joints I placed the floor. Working now on the opening and dry fitting before starting the mortar.

[Dwatkins]

Life really get in the way when you are trying to work on a project but some things in life are more important than a pizza oven. I have made some progress over the last 4 weeks though, and hope to have more time to work on it in the weeks ahead.
Dry fitted the soldier course and inner arch and added the 1/4" steel plate under the outer arch that will hold the face bricks. Inserted the wood brick and attached the IT. Cut several 10 degree wedges and mortared in the soldier course.

[UtahBeehiver]

So far everything looks good. The IT centerline is set correctly and pivot point at floor elevation. This is a good non-weld IT for any builders who do not have access to a welder, adjustable, centerline of IT at pivot point and pivot point at floor level. With 4" of CaSi board, the floor insulation is very good.

[Dwatkins]

Thanks Russell.
Here is a better shot of the carpenter IT.
Storing the HS-50 in a sealable HD bucket, we have had a lot of rain in the last two months so this has worked well. Also started the first chain and working up to the inner arch. Started notching the halves for the remaining chains.