ThermoJax's 42 oven

[Tscarborough]

Re: ThermoJax's 42 oven

I would not tear it out. A flattened dome is bueno, but you may have to cut a couple of wedge courses. Do not try and make it up all in one course, use several to get the height to where you want it.

[ThermoJax]

Re: ThermoJax's 42 oven

Well, the five courses so far seem strong, especially since they are almost brick on brick, the mortar being fairly even from inside to outside. I suppose that if I had used the tool earlier, that each course would have thicker outsides, flush insides. But I think that this course 6 with the notch cut out of the bottom will spread the force from courses 6-14 in the downward fashion that 1-5 require. Maybe i can continue shortening the tool, not have a super smooth roof, and get the heat down to a shorter level.

As always, everyone's advice is appreciated.


Tom

[fxpose]

Re: ThermoJax's 42 oven

You'll have such steep angles there I don't know how structurally sound your dome will end up being, with a near flat dome top. I wouldn't do it.

[ThermoJax]

Re: ThermoJax's 42 oven

Take it down and start over? I am really, really tempted. My new harbor freight multipurpose tool can really shave that expensive mortar, but I am on my third tub of pre-made fire mortar, which I am assured by a third party who I definetly the Man when it comes to hot things like boilers and kilns here in Jacksonville, better than homemade refmix. There are areas on the lower course that just kill me to look at them. On the other hand, I can just ignore the obvious and finish the dome tommorow...

hard to decide. My wife says this build is not going quickly or well. Mostly me standing around thinking.


Tom

[fxpose]

Re: ThermoJax's 42 oven

...could I just use the fixed center point, lower the tool for every course, to achieve the 2 inch drop?

Yes, that is one method used here so you'll end up with your desired dome height.

I were you I would remove a couple or three (or four) courses and start over. You should be able to easily pry each brick loose with a screwdriver or something.

[ThermoJax]

Re: ThermoJax's 42 oven

I have cut a notch in the bottom of row 6 to start moving the ceiling downward. Everyone seems to have a 21 radius and a 19 ceiling, so even if I get an inch drop, it will be better than no drop in height. I wonder that since my tool is fixed in the center and would normally produce a hemisphere, instead of something like drseward's oven, since he used an offset tool that accounted for the lowering of the roof, could I just using the fixed center point, lower the tool for every course, to achieve the 2 inch drop?

[ThermoJax]

Re: ThermoJax's 42 oven

I am up to 5 courses, laid freehand, even though "the tool" is right in the center. I didn't use it at first as my soldier course ended up being like 43 instead of 42. My soldiers we cut at 20 degrees, then I cut the cheeks on a half brick and just lined the edge of the brick with the edge of the soldier below it and before I knew it, I was up to 5 courses. Now I have purchased a angle finder from HF and I find that my angle remains 20 degrees. I fear that the roof/dome might close in eventually, but it might be 6 ft tall. I saw a nifty chart from jcg31 for his dome, which says course 6 should have a 34 degree slope, so I cut a half brick with the cheek cuts and some off the bottom at an angle, and when I lay that up dry I have the 34 degrees, but the next course after that wants even more. I could do that 3rd cut from now on, but I suspect the indespensable tool sets them at the required slope,so why bother. The tool is 21 in but in order to use the tool, course 6 would be an inch inward. Visually unappealing. see the second picture. This is my proposed step in. But besides being ugly, is there anything structurally wrong with an uneven inner surface? Those first 5 courses have roughly the same amount of mortar from inner surface to outer surface, so the bond is strong I think. I also think that if I had used the tool, then the mortar would have been thicker on the outer surface and thinner on the inner (like a v that starts the intersection of the two bricks, inner surface of oven, and gets wider as it goes outward) Be nice to have a 19 dome, but that won't happen unless I make it look ugly. Any suggestions. I think I will just cut a bunch of cheeks for now till I hear from somebody.

[SCChris]

Re: ThermoJax's 42 oven

Tom, I figured out a tool to help "me" with the compound cuts of the different courses and posted pictures and an explaination of the thingy.

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f28/my-brick-cutting-tool-12478.html

I don't know that you'll want to build one or a variation of one but it might help you.


Regarding the frustration, It's normal. Very few of us here can imagine that our baby isn't going to be nearly perfect and that it's going to take so much time, that it's going to crack and all of the rest of it. The bricklaying skills are skills that almost nobody here has going into the build and then add in all of the rest of it. It's a lot of new things.

You'll do fine, bit by bit you'll finish and the pizza will open a whole new set of skills to be frustrated by, but the pizza will be great!

Chris

PS. Remember that there is no perfect oven, and my point of view is just one of many here on the FB forum.

[Tscarborough]

Re: ThermoJax's 42 oven

Don't hurry something that can last for decades.

[ThermoJax]

Re: ThermoJax's 42 oven

having just glued in course 2, I am disgusted with my handicraft. Too traumatized by the lumps and bumps that my cutting and gluing, mostly gluing, with the associated gaps from too much mortar, just to make sure it is strong that I don't want to even post pictures right now. I had notions of perfect brick cuts, needing hardly any mortar, I am so disappointed with my build so far. I so wanted to take some time off from work and finish right away, including curing, but according to what I have read, a long slow cure that brings up temps to near boiling to get rid of water, takes some time, perhaps weeks. I have yet to cut course 3, but the arch is in place. I stand firm with the make the arch on the plywood form method. Judging the brick placement, once cut into the arch, including the not yet placed mortar is somewhat voodoo science, but I bet I could do it better if I tore it down and shaved the bricks with the super duper harbor freight multi-purpose tool that shaves excess mud off the brick face. Having taken some glued bricks apart after 24 hours, I am amazed at how easy it is to clean off the mud, with or without the tool. The stuff must need more time to really get tough.

I am having so much trouble thinking about the compound cuts needed for all remaining courses that the only one that I think that I can reasonably do is this one http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/28/m...me-2985-9.html ( the string method) Do a course,lay an uncut 1/2 brick up there, pop the string, which would account for both the angle and the bevel, mark the brick from the string. Then set a temporary jig just from left over thin slices of brick the wedged under the uncut 1/2 that they accomplish the bevel while the easy cut as marked by the string indicates the angle. Cut a bunch of right side cuts and then re-jig for the right side cuts. Would anyone be willing to look at this string method proposed by MRCHIPSTER is viable. I have looked at the chart proposed by JCG31 but cannot make heads or tails of it.

Also, would you say that even if I put in my keystone plug by weekend, that I could not fire for quite a while. Perhaps my dream shall if not be denied, it might be delayed in order to cure properly.


Your thoughts are appreciated.


Tom

[SCChris]

Re: ThermoJax's 42 oven

Tom,

How's it going and how are you doing?


Chris

[ThermoJax]

Re: ThermoJax's 42 oven

by tonight it will be 24 hours since mortaring. Wet rags over the whole thing for the moisture. I would like to tilt it up tonight. What is the minimum amount of time you guys think I should let this rest before tilting up into position? I can see a week before firing.

Tom

[ThermoJax]

Re: ThermoJax's 42 oven

I kept really moist towels over the whole arch last night, and just refreshed them this morning. I guess I can cut course three this morning, and if I have to, go to work. I was hoping to take a vacation week and get it all done by the weekend, but I will use caution and let this cure before rotating it up.

Tom

[SCChris]

Re: ThermoJax's 42 oven

Bravo!
I was really afraid that I was going to have the "If you think you're in a hurry, think again" conversation.

Chris

[ThermoJax]

Re: ThermoJax's 42 oven

Too late. I am all glued up and wiped down. I ran a sloppy wet rag around the edges to ensure an easy release. I really think that unluss I screw it up, it will work.