One small step for Pizza

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: One small step for Pizza

Well Gary, I drink ice tea all afternoon, if you work too hard and I break a sweat watching, I'll have a beer, then move on to wine later. I'll be right over to help .

Your brick work pics look good. The tool you made for keeping round looks good too. I assume you've mortared those soldiers and are doing your 1st row above it? Regarding your question on my thread about tying in, here's what we do:

At this point, you need to install your inner arch or else the rows have nothing to "finish" on. Your inner arch is made up of the top arch (of course) that sits on a left and right vertical pieces. My arch walls are 3 bricks high, others went 3.5 or 4 bricks, it depends: my inner arch opening is 8.25" at the sides (up to 9" is standard) and 11.5-12" in the middle. See my pic below. You can see the 3 bricks at the sides of the arch are straight, stacked. Then I begin my arch bricks. Those side-arch bricks have an angle to them you can't see that meet the 1st 3 rows nicely. The 4th row (almost finished on the right side) will need a "pac-man-like-mouth" cut out of it, facing the arch a mortared in. You will need 2-3 difficult cuts like this but then you cross the top and it's easy after that...really . Oh, and mortar can make up for any little gaps when your cutting isn't perfect.

-Dino

[gdest]

Re: One small step for Pizza

Thanks Chris

Thats what I thought. However what I am really after is someone who can come down to my house and provide me with some hands on instructions. In fact I don't really have to be there. Let me know if you need the address and you can tell me what you like to drink so I can arrange to have it on hand.

Gary

[SCChris]

Re: One small step for Pizza

Gary,
I picked up your message re cutting bricks from front to back to achieve the dome from Dino's thread. It's really up to you how it's acomplished To cut, taper, the bricks adds a bit more cutting but saves on mortar and bricks. I cut and was looking for the minimum mortar joint size I could get. If I were to do another oven, I'd taper again. I always try to point out that half bricks placed with loads of mortar and full taper cut ovens cook great pizzas and roasts and both seem to hold up just fine. The lack of insulation is more of a day to day issue and will cost you in heatup times and days or hours of usability. If you decide to taper, set up a jig and cut a bunch all at once. I cut 1/2" off the front and let the blade come out the side of the brick about 1" short of the 4.5' depth. Mortar fills the gap just fine.



Chris

[gdest]

Re: One small step for Pizza

You all have heard the old saying "Those who can DO, those who CAN'T teach" I am finding out that I am one hell of a teacher!

Here are some progress photos. I made a major Boo Boo. Can you all spot the mistake(s).

Gary

[gdest]

Re: One small step for Pizza

Dino,

Thanks for the response on the fire clay for the floor. Thats what I thought. I've just discovered that since I only get to work on the oven about 1 day on every other week I tend to do the following:
1. Over think the build
2. Make mountains out of mole hills
3. Forget all of my construction experience and knowledge
4. Try to come up with money saving ideas that normally cost me more money!

Guys thanks for all the help so far, but to be honest it would really be helpful if some of you would just drop by and lay a brick or two while I'm away. My wife would not mind and neither would my Prime subcontractor, who by the way my wife has told me to address him correctly, so now he is not going to be refered to as my subcontractor but my Soncontractor!

[gdest]

Re: One small step for Pizza

Need some advice here.
I purchased two gallons of what Boral Brick told me was fire clay, even though it stated on the bucket "mortar". I called up the manufacturer and found out it was in fact high temp mortar.
Now lacking any fire clay can I do any of the following:
1. Just install a leveling course of sand down under the floor?
2. Mix some of the sand with the mortar and use that as leveling
3. Try to find a fire clay and how much? I am buiding a 42" ID oven.

[gdest]

Re: One small step for Pizza

Well my subcontractor and I (my wife calls him our son) finished installing the perlite concrete on top of the hearth. A few lessons learned:
1. DO NOT USE WHITE PORTLAND CEMENT when mixing it with perlite. You sure can't tell when you have the proper mix.
2. When handling perlite USE A RESPERATOR!!!

I hope to start the brick work next week!

[Fish Wheels]

Re: One small step for Pizza

You could use an 8" clay flu and taper it to 6" by splitting it down the centre and then cement it back together. Add the 6" on top.

Rod

[gdest]

Re: One small step for Pizza

Thank you all for responding. Yes I know that 8" is recomended for the 42" oven, and I know the 6" would work if I make the chimney high enough, but this is not what I want to do.
I really wanted to use this gift but I might not be able to do so.

[Fish Wheels]

Re: One small step for Pizza

The recommended size for a 42" is 8" a 6" flu is ok for 36" ovens from my reading on this site. Good luck with your build.

Rod

[kebwi]

Re: One small step for Pizza

No need for a new thread, your post puts it back on the "new post" page. In internet forum lingo this is called "bumping" the thread (back up to the top of the list).

Someone will answer you. I put an 8" on a 36" and it has worked great, so take that as you will. I have no direct experience with 42" ovens.

[gdest]

Re: One small step for Pizza

I think everyone has stopped reading this thread. I believe this since you all have been very helpful for any and all questions and I haven't heard a response to my question on the chimney size.

I will check this and if no response I guess I will have to start a new thread

[gdest]

Re: One small step for Pizza

I will have more photos in a few days/weeks/months? whenever I download them from my wife's computer onto my hard drive. I hope you all like what you see so far.

By the way I was contacted by Doug, also located in The Woodlands and he came by to see what I was doing and he gave me a 6" dia. clay pipe for my chimmey. My oven is a 42" oven, is 6" to small?

[gdest]

Re: One small step for Pizza

I hope you all can see these photos

[gdest]

Re: One small step for Pizza

Don't pay attention to the dates. My wife never re-set the camera after changing the battery