Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

Aceves,

After much experimenting, I found that lining the bottom of your grill with firebricks is inefficient (and creates a huge mess from burned drippings). Why? Because the firebricks take too long to soak up usable heat in a grilling operation. Same thing in a true barbecue configuration where the food is cooked via indirect heat from the fire.

I find firebricks are extremely useful when used to create a firebox within the barbecue and below the grill. I use full bricks that have been split lengthwise to produce a 1 1/4" split and lay them into my charcoal barbecue vertically to create a four-sided wall (firebox) inside one end of my smoker. Depending on what (volume) I'm cooking, I may make a 5" x 19" firebox, other times a 19" x 19" firebox. These walls keep the heat contained and 'focused' upwards in a defined area and eliminate radiant heat from leaking out to overcook the closest food on the other end of the barbecue (salmon, roasts, bruschetta, etc). When my indirectly-cooked food has reached 80-90% of its desired internal temperature I slide it directly over the coals for the last-minute presentation char/grill marks.
John

[aceves]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

I added this post to my Pompeii build thread, and thought I'd add it on here as well, since this is part of my outdoor kitchen build.

I decided to "mod" my WFG - Wood Fired Grill - that will be incorporated into my outdoor build of the WFO.

Here's a pic of my "mod": I lined the bottom of my grill with firebricks. The idea is that once I fire up my grill, the bricks will soak up the heat from the fire and keep my grill going hotter, longer. That's the idea, anyway.

What do you all think?

Aceves

[aceves]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

Here are some pics of my 2-level deck! It's 90% done, just need to a built-in bench, a couple of steps, and outdoor lighting and it's done!

I worked on the deck this weekend, as well as on the entry/vent on my 42" Pompeii. More pics on the way!

aceves

[aceves]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

Hi all,

I've started a new thread in the "Pompeii Oven Construction" Forum. This weekend I switched from just "getting started" to starting on my dome!! It feels great to finally get started on that thing!

It only took me 3 years!!!

I'll post pics of my dome build on the other thread, but I'll continue to post a pics of the overall build on here as well.

Happy WFO building!

aceves

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f8/acevess-corner-42-pompeii-build-16501.html

[aceves]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

Hi Jamie,

A big hello to a fellow Sactown builder! Your WFO came out awesome! I like the white stucco & brick design. I can't wait to get the dome done and start cooking in it like yours!

As for the key in my keystone, it will not be in the way... I made sure of the measurements (double and triple checked). My oven entry ledge is going to stick out about 4" beyond the key, as I still have to set the stone facade on the ledge right above the keystone and my brick landing on top of that with a few more inches sticking out beyond that.

So the key will be "inset" from the final oven entry landing. The pics you see are not the final product, I still have to finish the front landing area.

I'll be checking in on your WFO cooking from time to time!

aceves

[cynon767]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

Nice to see another Sacramentan making progress!

I like the way the spaces of the deck and outdoor kitchen flow together.

Only one quibble... that key looks like it projects right about a crotch level. I'm forseeing a certain amount of potential for accidental injury in an uncomfortable area...

[aceves]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

And why would I place a key in a stone? Like I said, fun and functionality! This key is no ordinary skeleton key!

Check out the pics below. It's a wine bottle opener and a beer opener - the oval handle part opens beers!

I envisioned cooking pizzas, drinking wine, wanting to open a new bottle and missing a bottle opener... so why not have one readily available right on the WFO?

You have a beer that needs opening? Hey, the opener is on the keystone!

I thought of the idea and I just went for it. If it didn't work, no harm, no foul. But it turned out just fine! I found the skeleton key on eBay.

The last pic is the mock-up of my arch right before I starting setting it in place with mortar. It shows the keystone ready to go.

More ideas in the works for this build!

aceves

[aceves]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

One other thing I added to my build was a bit of fun and functionality to my WFO.

I finished up my storage arch with a custom keystone. And I went with a literal meaning of the word. I cast my own keystone, with a skeleton key in the stone... get it? Keystone!!

In the first pic you'll see the finished piece. In the expanded view you'll see the completed arch.

In the next 3 pics you'll see how I cast the keystone. I printed the text I wanted to incorporate into the cast. I reversed the image (mirror image). I used a router to cut the text as grooves in the mdf, and I created the box with the correct dimensions for my arch. I used a mix of portland cement, mortar, concrete and colored powder I had from a previous project. It came out with a sandstone color instead of the usual grey.

I believe this may be the first keystone in the FB forum that has a key in the stone... literally!!!!

aceves

[aceves]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

OK, so I got quite a bit done this weekend!

Here's a brick cutting tip I used on my storage arch:

When you're setting up an arch with only one row of bricks (facing bricks) and you want the look of 2 mini bricks between full bricks, just cut your full brick in half on one side, with the cut being the width of the mortar gap you intend to use. That way you are still setting up a full brick, but once you fill in the mortar, it looks like 2 half bricks.

Easy "cheat" for the proper 1-2-1 brick look, but it only works on archs with facing bricks that are one brick in depth.

This works great for storage archs as well as oven archs where you're setting up a facing brick arch only!

The 2nd photo shows my completed arch with the 1-2-1 brick facing layout, with the gaps mortared in, as well as the stonework I've done to date.

Slow and steady!!

aceves

[aceves]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

Side note:

If you happen to visit Sacramento, CA, you HAVE to stop by Pizza Rock on K Street. The pizzas are AWESOME!

They have a wood-fired Cirigliano Forni italian oven.

My family and I stopped by for the first time this weekend and the pizzas were amazing! I strongly recommend the New Yorker pizza.

The word is out that this place is a "must see" in Sacramento!!

aceves

[aceves]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

Hi Members!

Well, if you have been following my build, you're probably aware that I've been building a 2-level wood deck next to my outdoor kitchen and WFO. So depending on the time (per weekend) that I have to build, I have been working on one project or the other.

Here are some pics of my completed, stained & sealed upper deck. I'm staining from top to bottom, so the next thing on the list is to stain and seal the lower portion of the deck.

Just wanted to include some completion pics because I had included a half-built deck in my previous posts.

More pics of the WFO project coming right up!

aceves

[aceves]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

I've started with the rock facade install on my oven stand. It's going a little slow due to the heat and little time I've had, but at least it's getting done! I plan to finish the storage area arch before I complete mortaring the rock.

[aceves]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

I had some time to work on the WFO project this weekend and I decided to continue with finishing the lower portion of the stand before I begin building the dome. A wise family member suggested I "finish" the lower portion before I begin the top portion, otherwise I will never get the lower portion done once the WFO starts pumping out pizzas! Great suggestion, I have to say, considering I have 4 other house projects going on at the same time!

I've seen people here finish the stand at the same time they are finishing their dome, while I've seen other builders finish the stand first. I decided to go with the latter.

So here are some pics of the stand storage entry brick I installed over the weekend. I will be doing a brick opening surrounded by natural rock (same rock as my firepit). The brick will be a segmental arch design. I have an idea coming up on this arch, but more on that later.

As you can see, I cut the brick to accommodate the 45 degree angle of my entry. This gives me a straight edge entry into my storage area. It is not the best bricklaying job, but hey, this is only my 3rd time laying brick on this project. I figured I'd do my so-so brick jobs first before I get into the dome build! And these off joints will give it character!

The last pic shows how far I got that day (I built both sides of the entry). Next up is the actual arch.

More pics to follow!!

aceves

[dmun]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

What are those teeny casters for? It goes to show that you should be careful what you license your name for.

[stoveup]

Re: Corner Install with Kitchen/Prep Area

How many home delivered pizzas can you get for $3500?

None worth eating!