Brick oven reconstructed to a steel one

[david s]

Re: Brick oven reconstructed to a steel one

If it were mine I'd definitely be going for option 2

[v12spirit]

Re: Brick oven reconstructed to a steel one

The oven was planned to finish tomorrow which is the Lesser Bairam. I wanted to make some traditional Bairam bakery in the oven and share them with the forum. Unfortunately the finishing was delayed for reasons I don't have control over.
I?ve been trying to stick to the plans of construction. They suggest 100 cm as a height for the cooking floor (which feels the most comfortable). I modified my slab and raised it to the desired height using these floor tiles that I found in the garden. Laying the tiles was not that accurate being almost my first masonry job. When tried laying some insulation bricks over the tiles they were a little bit shaky. Is laying a thin layer of sand or clay over the tiles useful to make the insulation bricks steady?

[cobblerdave]

Re: Brick oven reconstructed to a steel one

G'day
50 /50 powdered clay and sand, add water to make a stiffish paste. Apply with a notched tile trowel. When you put the bricks in position the sides of the brick must first touch, then you drop them down. If you drop them down first then try and push then together your paste will build up and seperate the brick. Tap then down with a rubber mallet if not a block of wood and an ordinary hammer is just as good.
If the surfaces are drawing the moisture out of the paste a smear of margerine or cooking oil will provide a temperary barrier. Might not be needed inside out of the sun. See what happens
Regards Dave

[v12spirit]

Re: Brick oven reconstructed to a steel one

G'day
50 /50 powdered clay and sand, add water to make a stiffish paste. Apply with a notched tile trowel. When you put the bricks in position the sides of the brick must first touch, then you drop them down. If you drop them down first then try and push then together your paste will build up and seperate the brick. Tap then down with a rubber mallet if not a block of wood and an ordinary hammer is just as good.
If the surfaces are drawing the moisture out of the paste a smear of margerine or cooking oil will provide a temperary barrier. Might not be needed inside out of the sun. See what happens
Regards Dave

Thanks for the helpful details Dave, I don't actually have a notched tile trowel. This may sound odd, but can I use my straight wood saw instead, or what do you suggest as an alternative (being a rabid DIYer)?
Why should I trap moisture into the paste and for how long?

[browny]

Re: Brick oven reconstructed to a steel one

I don't know what your hardware store situation is like, but here our places sell notched plastic glue spreaders for those one off jobs where you don't want to buy a trowel that you'll never use again. Only $1 - $2. Easier than improvising but otherwise you just need to think of a way to spread the mix out evenly. I think saw teeth would be too small although a bow saw blade might work.

[cobblerdave]

Re: Brick oven reconstructed to a steel one

G'day
A usefull size for this job is 10 mm notched "square teeth"in the trowel. You could perhaps make one with triangular notches as it would be easier to cut. Like Browney says they sell one off use plastic ones. So make one from flat plastic side of a food container. If it was in Aust a used ice cream container comes to mind as they are square with flat sides and the plastic thick enough.
Regards dave

[v12spirit]

Re: Brick oven reconstructed to a steel one

Thanks guys for the helpful inputs. I'll be adapting one with 10 mm teeth or use my bow saw blade if that didn't work.

[v12spirit]

Re: Brick oven reconstructed to a steel one

Is there a fundamental way to cut, wrap, AND snug the ceramic blanket over the dome? I used to see blankets secured with chicken wire or with rebar arches, but never have seen a post showing the steps for doing that. I don't want to be improvising on my own to do that.

[david s]

Re: Brick oven reconstructed to a steel one

The blanket cuts very easily with a sharp snap off blade knife. you could secure it with chicken wire. I don't bother, but prefer to cover it with vermicrete to even out the bumps.This then leaves you with a firm enough substrate to render on to. I don't think using rebar is a good idea because it is adding heavy corrosive and conductive material over the area you are trying to keep cool. The heavy steel attracts the heat to itself. If you must use steel then make it as thin as you can. I prefer to use random fibres (non corrosive) in the mix, they are more expensive, but way faster than fiddling around with chicken wire.

[v12spirit]

Re: Brick oven reconstructed to a steel one

One of the things that still puzzling me is how to make the ends meet between the steel and the decorating bricks.. The steel arch looks like this in the picture

I welded this rim all around the oven opening in hope of providing a sort of sealing base where the arch bricks can lay on (for the top bricks) or engage with (for the side bricks).

My first thought is to slit the side bricks so their slots engage into the metal rim on the two sides, and let the top bricks lay on the upper part of the rim in order to achieve some sealing and/or integrated structure. But I don't know how to prepare for the inevitable different expansions of steel and brick!!

[cobblerdave]

Re: Brick oven reconstructed to a steel one

G'day
Why not insulate between the brick and the steel ? Otherwise you'll loose heat?
The expansion joint would be there as a bonus.
Regards dave

[v12spirit]

Re: Brick oven reconstructed to a steel one

Hi Dave,
Do you mean to insulate with the ceramic blanket? I just wanted to get an integrated structure. My oven weights about 20 Kg, so can't depend on gravity to get it fixed in place. After your suggestion, I'm thinking of fixing it in place with two screws, and building the brick shell as a distinct structure, insulated from the steel structure by the blanket.

[cobblerdave]

Re: Brick oven reconstructed to a steel one

Hi Dave,
. After your suggestion, I'm thinking of fixing it in place with two screws, and building the brick shell as a distinct structure, insulated from the steel structure by the blanket.

G'day
Exactly, replace the word," insulate" with "incapsulate ".
Steel transfers heat more quickly than brick " incapsulate" with the insulation. The brick becomes the" pretty bit "then rather than a heat sink.
Regards dave

[v12spirit]

Re: Brick oven reconstructed to a steel one

G'day
Exactly, replace the word," insulate" with "incapsulate ".
Steel transfers heat more quickly than brick " incapsulate" with the insulation. The brick becomes the" pretty bit "then rather than a heat sink.
Regards dave

Dave,
Where and how do you suggest to "anchor" the oven in place? Under the oven will be the "powdery" IFB (I didn't find better than that). I don't think sticking screws in the IFB is an option at all.

[v12spirit]

Re: Brick oven reconstructed to a steel one

I am planning to lay a thin layer of bricks on the steel hearth of the oven, not for retaining some heat actually, but in order to get a higher quality pizza due to the bricks being porous. My plan is to slice the FBs to thin slices that I'm sure you will guys criticize me for doing that, but that is what I believe as the best for my custom requirements.
Question: Is "4 mm thick slices" achievable in regards of the bricks not crumbling while being cut, or I don't have to bother my self trying to achieve that? I will be asking for help from a marble cutting company that must have the right grinder for that. They will challenge that too.. I am talking about the typical medium duty fire bricks found in the market.