Pizza Pavillion

[Millstone Man]

Re: Pizza Pavillion

Well I'm back after a week off from building and started my curing fires. Actually I'm using a propane turkey frier without the legs. First day I was able to maintain low 200's(F) and second day low 300's at the top of the dome. I'm away today and will resume curing on Thursday. I can't burn wood until I get my chimney in place and I'm waiting for a metal transition piece to be fabricated between the brick and stove pipe.

I started the enclosure which will be brick and stone. I am doing all masonry more for the learning experience than any other reason.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Pizza Pavillion

The Elgin fire brick are fine, a few years ago their molds were worn out and they had dimensional issues and QC issues, but they have taken care of it now. That plant is about 100 years old, although some of the equipment has been upgraded. The old circular kilns are still there, I took some pics the last time I was there.

[Millstone Man]

Re: Pizza Pavillion

Life is truly not fair....I laid brick in 100 degree heat until my last oven brick and todays high was a record low today only getting to the mid 80's and I was stuck inside.

Tom, the butler's were all I could find around here at the time. Hope they hold up? Heading down your way Thursday and Friday for a meeting while the temps remain way below normal around here.

I'm sure it will get more that hot when I get back and start on the enclosure...go figure.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Pizza Pavillion

Dang, you bought those cheap ass Elgin-Butler Firebrick?! Just kidding, it looks great, and I can't believe you are even working on it in this heat. I have not been able to do anything but barely keep up on watering enough to keep my plants alive, much less do any actual work. Maybe by the end of September I will have my counter tops poured, then I can work on the pergola.

Very nice! You are ready to start some fires in there now.

[Millstone Man]

Re: Pizza Pavillion

I layed my last fire brick in the chimney at 4:00 and 107 degrees! Freaking Hot! I got my Forno Bravo IR thermometer ordered and hope to get it by the end of the week. Hope to start curing fires next week.

[christo]

Re: Pizza Pavillion

Wow! miss a few weeks and there's a whole nuther oven!

Looking really great. I insulated mine and cooked pizzas for a while before I went to the next step. Looks like you are nearly ready to enjoy. Low and slow on the curing fires.

Christo

[Mitchamus]

Re: Pizza Pavillion

Awesome Job!

[Millstone Man]

Re: Pizza Pavillion

Thanks Dino and Splatgirl. Yall's help (among many others) and continued support are greatly appreciated. I went ahead and got the keystone in this weekend and ended up at 20 3/4'' height. Not bad missing it by only a 1/4''. I did end up with several joints on the upper courses not as staggered as should be and I did get a dip around the arch transition that eventually worked out at the top. Overall nothing I can't live with. I still have to get my chimney installed and will be letting it sit this week before starting the curing fires. Here are a few pics.

Keystone exterior


Outer arch and vent

[splatgirl]

Re: Pizza Pavillion

Nice work, and that is one gorgeous pergola and roof.

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Pizza Pavillion

Well done Scott! What's your final dome height on the inside? Your pic on the inside oven shows you did a great job offsetting the vertical joints. That's really hard to do consistently.

I say put the keystone in as soon as you have time. That's the hottest part of the dome so let it dry out as soon as you can. Most of us wait a full week to start curing fires and I know a lot of us start the 100-300 deg fires after we've just finished the outer arch or vent since those areas don't heat up until later anyway. It's always best to let it dry as much as you can and to slowly dry and cure it.

Nice job,
Dino

[Millstone Man]

Re: Pizza Pavillion

Cut and ready for the near topping out!



Installed the top ring and ready for the keystone!



Inside view.



Keystone is cut and ready! I didn't mix up the bit of mortar to finish since I gotta finish the outside arch and vent before I can fire it up anyway. Gotta work most of the weekend so I'm not sure when I'll actually get it "finished"....so close yet so far....

[Millstone Man]

Re: Pizza Pavillion

11th chain is in!



Thought I would share my brick saw stand. I can easily follow the shade which is quite important for me.



I finally got the metal roof installed. I contracted it out as I did not want to tackle that one.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Pizza Pavillion

I have a few that are 1/8" to a 1/4" proud, but I have not noticed any issues.

[Millstone Man]

Re: Pizza Pavillion

It would be a pretty tough angle. I figure if I'm going to do it I'll wait until the dome is complete and try to knock it all off in one take. I'm just wondering if having a brick edge exposed inside the dome will deteriorate in the high temps.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Pizza Pavillion

Not that I would bother, but can't you reach it from outside right now?