Round shape

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Round shape

Mike, the brick work looks great. Very nice arch you have there. I think the 'tear drop' happens more with a true arch (half circle) entry like you have vs. a 3-4 bricks straight side walls THEN the arch-over. That way there are vertical "arch-wall bricks" to bite into as you do your rings and close up the dome. I think the way to avoid it (but I would think it it's not a good idea) is have a taller dome which you don't want.

Stick to what your doing and shoot for the correct final internal height even if you have to tear-drop forward to catch onto your arch. It's the nature of the beast with round arch entries like yours.

Home-farm fresh egg cracked on a pizza! that's something to look forward to.

-cheers, Dino

[Mike D]

Re: Round shape

Thanks for the help Dino- I read your whole build before I started mine, nice job.

-Here is how I figured out my design flaw. When I put my wooden guide under the arch, I thought it wouldn't line up because the arch would (should) obstruct it. It doesn't even touch when it is lined up with the circle on the floor. If the arch was pushed in more, it would be fine.

-I think you are right about the round vs. straight sided arch. It is easier for one to mess up a round arch out of human error than on a straight sided one.

-If you look at the 4th picture you can see how the first row lines up with the arch. I think if the arch is pushed in more so the outside edge of the arch brick lines up or hits the first row the arch will fit inside the dome. At this point my arch will be on the outside of the dome.

-I think I will have to push a teardrop to connect the dome to the arch and then correct the shape as others have done.

I think I will post this as a new thread to separate it from my build to help others in the future.

Mike

[Mike D]

Re: Round shape

Got one more row done - slowly getting things done

When did people move to cutting bricks into 3's?

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Round shape

Mike,
If you have to ask the question, the answere is the next row .

I looked at mine and I have a soldier course, 3 half-brick rows, then everything else is 3rds, (and by by the time you do the last 2 rows, they are all custom and you stop counting).

I bet your getting a little frustrated with half bricks fitting in. You've done such a nice job and by now, the half bricks are kinda limiting you from keeping tight joints on the rows. Go ahead and just start doing everything in 3rds and the rows or rings will go in nicer.

You will be 'arching over' in your rings and closing up your dome soon enough so the extra time it takes to install 3rd bricks is not a big deal even though it may seem like it. You'll also find that those 3rds (or 1/4ths, 1/5ths near the top) come in really handy at the "shoulder" rings where you bring your dome in (tilt the ring blocks to the middle) and your start closing up the dome.

What row or ring are you on now? Your oven is going to be awesome, keep up the good work!,
-Dino

[azpizzanut]

Re: Round shape

Hi Mike D,

The 1/3 and smaller bricks seem a natural way to go for the last few rows near the dome closure since the half bricks begin to give a more angular look . You'll also find the smaller bricks are necessary to avoid lining up mortar joints. On some of my bricks I angled one side to get a good fit and on others I tapered both sides to get the best joint. I chose what I thought was the most simple and straight forward approach to building the dome and didn't taper the bricks at all until it became necessary towards the end. There are several ways to do it of course.

I really admire the artistry of some of the forum members, their work is super. I also respect the less than perfect masonry because I know how hard it is since I just completed my 36" Pompeii. The dome won't fall in, but it won't win any beauty contests either.

Best of luck with your build.

Cheers,

[fxpose]

Re: Round shape

As I approached the dome top I had precut several different sizes (1/3's, 1/4's, and anything in-between randomly) to pick and choose from for best fit and to avoid lining up mortar joints.

[Mike D]

Re: Round shape

Thanks guys,

I think I will put one more row of half bricks (with angles and bevels) and them move on to 1/3rds.

I looked over your thread again when you went to 1/3rds and I guess you do what you have to do make it fit. Did you put a bevel on you 1/3rd bricks?

I am cutting bricks now, hope to put up a couple rows this weekend.

Mike

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Round shape

Ya, you'll be beveling alright. The higher you go, the tighter the circle and the more trapezoidal they can get. But, like Bob (azpizzanut) said, our ovens don't have to win beauty contests so if you use less tapers and bevels and more oven-cement, its ok (unless you actually like the neurotic cuts ).

I enjoyed the challenge of the cuts and made the time for it, though they were by no means perfect.

Posts some pics, lets see it,
Cheers, Dino

[Mike D]

Re: Round shape

-Man you guys are right, this is not getting any easier. I did 2 more rows, I cut all the bricks before but I had to adjust a lot of them to fit better. I think I am done cutting a bunch of bricks and will have to cut to fit from here on out.

-I can see the reach in the dome to the arch, but I don't think it will be that bad (the pictures make it look more pronounced than it is). I think I can correct it when I get past the arch, which is 1 or 2 more rows.

Mike

[lwood]

Re: Round shape

That is the hardest part, spent days thinking about that part. But it gets easier from there and your almost finished (not really..haha). But you will be cooking pizza in no time

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Round shape

Mike, It's looking great.

Your right, the teardrop is not that big. I know I've seen pics of someone who had the same dip, and was either in this row you're at or maybe the next and he put a longish brick, or an almost full brick on its side, and saw-cut a wedge out the flat face of the brick and placed that across those 3 arch bricks to span the 2 ends your rows bite into your arch. That way, the next row had a much truer round shape and the next row after, he was back to perfect circles. Just a thought, you seem to have a good eye for cutting the right geometric shape you need so I'm sure you've got some good ideas.

Your next row might also have a sharper bottom taper to start 'shouldering over' to have your dome height and keystone at the proper height.

You probably will not be pre-cutting entire rows anymore but look on the bright side: each row will now drastically reduce in number of bricks .

-Dino

[Paul in Rockwall TX]

Re: Round shape

Don't sweat it. Mine looked very much the same and I was nervous and didn't post pics of it because it was a little embarassing. shouldn't have been. In any case, a couple of adjustments and it was back to round by the 10th course.

I've already forgotten the stress of it after a few pizzas

Here's 10 courses and you can't see it:

PhotoPlog - Dome and Floor

[RTflorida]

Re: Round shape

AH, the dreaded teardrop. Seems to be the biggest challenge in hanging the dome on the inner arch. You will have to be creative with your cuts on the next course, but is really of no concern at all. I remember being really bummed at the time, I spent so much time cutting every brick to fit only to have the teardrop at the arch. I quickly got over it, realizing that I had acheived my goal of tying the dome into the arch (not just butting against it) and also - NO ONE WILL EVER SEE IT. I sacrificed a couple of firebricks getting the cuts right on the corrective course, other than that, no big deal.

RT

[brickie in oz]

Re: Round shape

AH, the dreaded teardrop.

It looks like from the pic that the entry should be further back into the dome?
Is this how the plans read, I havent looked at the Forno oven plans.

Itll still cook ok no doubt.

[RTflorida]

Re: Round shape

The plans call for a steel lintel (angle iron) and no arch (at least the original plans did, I have not actually looked if they have changed) which changes everything.
I know what you mean about appearing too far out and that is probably the issue. Just laying out the arch and soldier course does not give you any idea of how things play out when the dome starts to taper in AND meet the arch at the same time. You are correct, no affect on cooking or strutural integrity (just mental anguish from having miscalculated)

RT