CVB Oven Build

[jlb922]

Hello all,

I have been lurking for a while in the forum, admiring all of your hard work and craftsmanship and have taken the plunge.

I started on 3/20 by confirming the site and excavating for the foundation.

After digging down between 8 and 14 inches I hit a solid sandstone boulder.

[jlb922]

Re: CVB Oven Build

On 3/21 built the form; just placed the 2x4s holding the form in place directly on the sandstone. Also added to the mountain of quikcrete in the garage.

For comparison I called a local cement company about a truck. It's $260 for the yard (I estimated needed 0.75) and they allot 10 minutes to unload with $2 minute beyond the 10. Decided hand mixing might not be so bad.

[Les]

Re: CVB Oven Build

$260 a yard seems a little expensive. Do you have a United rental near you? They will let you drive off with a yard of mud for less than $100.

Les...

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: CVB Oven Build

yea, hand mixing sucks, but half the battle is getting the multiple bags home...looks like you did that already...ah but I see it is on a pallette, maybe it was delivered?

Good luck and get some help!!

[jlb922]

Re: CVB Oven Build

yea, hand mixing sucks, but half the battle is getting the multiple bags home...looks like you did that already...ah but I see it is on a pallette, maybe it was delivered?

Yep, that was four stops after work to pick up those 45 bags and unload them into the garage. I had the pallette handy to keep them off the floor.

[jlb922]

Re: CVB Oven Build

It took 2200 lbs of #57 to fill from the sandstone to the base of the forms; Filled that in, placed rebar and plastic.

I was fortunate that a neighbor came to help and we setup two wheelbarrows to pour the pad. Got the job done in 1:15 and don't feel overly tired. Hand mixing one bag of quikrete with a hoe is not so bad. Not sure how to do the hearth base, maybe pull the pickup truck in the back yard and put the wheelbarrow in it.

[Ken524]

Re: CVB Oven Build

Not sure how to do the hearth base, maybe pull the pickup truck in the back yard and put the wheelbarrow in it.

Here in Louisville, there's an outfit called "Mini-Mix". They have a fleet of small mixer trucks (big Ford pickups with mixers on them). They hold 1 or 2 yards of concrete and will drive on your lawn right to the worksite (terrain permitting).

Many larger cities have this type of service. Check the concrete section of your yellow pages. For both of my pours, the drivers were extremely friendly and helpful (they are used to working with amateurs!)

Cost was very reasonable (compared to potential damage to my back!).

[jlb922]

Stand Progress

Set the stand in place after a little leveling with mortar for the first course. A neighbor and his son helped so it went very quickly; used 12 bags of quickrete to fill the alternate cores. All of the corners and the opening cores are filled.

[jlb922]

Inner Arch layout

I made a cardboard pattern for the base of the oven and set the floor and soldier course. I went with 1/2 bricks on edge resting on the floor since my tile saw is the $79 workmate version. I already had it and couldn't justify another wet-saw in the house so I have to make two passes for each cut and a nice round cut is out of the question.

Anyhow, I have a question on if I should cut the base block of the inner arch or fit the soldier course around it. In the first picture (left side arch base) I'm thinking I will remove section "A" to slide a dome brick in and leave section B

In the second picture (right side arch base) I'm not planning on removing any of the arch brick and will place triangular pieces in the void where the soldier brick would go.

Am I on the right track here?

[jlb922]

Hearth Pour

Had a great couple of weather days here in NE Ohio and I was able to get the hearth poured. Letting it cure for a bit with some plastic over it.

Next will be a 2 1/2 perlcrete insulating layer upon which the FB Board will rest.

[jlb922]

Insulating Hearth

This weekend I got around to pouring a 2.5" perlcrete insulating hearth and tonight put down the FB Board.

My plan is to pour another layer of perlcrete under the outer arch area so I have enough FB Board to have a door fabricated figuring I don't need much insulation out there anyhow. I made the inner diameter of the oven floor 39" so I could use 2 FB boards (48" wide) under most the oven floor/dome with a good part of the 3rd under the remainder of the dome and the inner arch area.

I left the rebar sticking up since I'm going surround everything with another 3.5" pad with a rounded cantilever out about 6-8" over the firewood area. (much like Ken's Old Kentucky Dome). My neighbor got me a piece of 2x2 angle stainless (pictured) which I'll embed in the concrete so the area over the doorway doesn't sag.

[jlb922]

Re: CVB Oven Build

On 4/7 I began to start laying the oven floor and the next day after work I got 1/2 of the soldiers in place. I had cut all of the random pieces around the floor under the soldier course but my marking system failed me so I'll have to place that back in as I finish.

[jlb922]

Re: CVB Oven Build

This past weekend I was able to finish the soldier course and transition to the arch. Cutting those bricks was a pain on the 7" table style saw.

Took almost the whole day Sunday to cut tapers on the bricks and get the first two courses up. I'm really excited about how it's turning out.

[SCChris]

Re: CVB Oven Build

CVB, Looking great so far! Only one comment, Try to stagger your joints as best you can. The bricks are stronger than are the mortar joints.

Keep it up!!

Chris

[jlb922]

Re: CVB Oven Build

Chris,

Great feedback - thanks! I will be more conscious on future courses to make sure there is a good stagger between joints.

Jeff