I'm getting closer to my Dome!

[Aegis]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

Thanks for all the words of encouragement and helpful suggestions, both mean a LOT! I fortunately have a day job that takes up quite sometime, but it pays for the firebrick, so I can't complain! I have been taking some time off to make some headway looking for a summer pizza party! Hopefully I am not dreaming too BIG!
Thanks
John

[AtTheLake]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

Hey, I like the playdough idea.
I could of used it this weekend. We just went through the same thing. My son didn't mind, he went fishing and I kept slowly notching firebricks. They look almost exactly like yours. Had to be extra slow and careful because the there is no way to set my saw to all the crazy angles so I just had to free hand it taking small bites so the blade wouldn't grab. I have a Turbo Rim blade and its fairly aggressive, I think a tile blade would have been better.
And like Brian mentioned watch the level, Mine started to droop at the arch and I thought I would just fix it at the next level. That didn't work so well and I had to tear out a few bricks and redo them. Even then I had to do a little grinding and put in a filler piece.

Mark

[EricU]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

Nice job on the build. And don't worry or stress about the little things.

You wont notice them when they are covered. And once you get past those transition pieces it starts going faster, but it does get a little tiring! Hang in there! It looks great.

On my build last year it took me and my son about three and a half hours to get the last two small rings and the three-piece keystone in! I think my back still hurts, but I am old.

Eric.

[brianventura]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

John,

Nice! I like your idea of the molding clay. That would of helped me and I could of saved on a couple of bricks.

Brian

[Aegis]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

John,
I used the eyeball method on what looked good to me which ended up being frustrating until I got it right, or at least close enough. I did put in some fill in pieces for the areas that didn't fit as good as I would of hoped for. In the end it worked and I continued to the top.
Good luck!
Brian

John,
It was "easy"! I went through about 12 bricks to get the final first one! Not to scare you but I think I aged 10+ years on my transition. My wife loves to tell everyone how I spent four hours cutting one brick. Here is a picture of one of my transition bricks.
It took me awhile to figure out but this really worked well. Read post #105 on my build thread.

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/8/pizza-bobs-42-build-7155-11.html

Good luck!
~Bob

Hi Brian, & Bob, Well I hope you all don't laugh too loudly! I took a chapter out of my GrandDaughters' book! Yep, I got myself some play dough and had myself some fun! I shaped it into a close replica of a square brick and then just forced it into the area of transition! Voila! A great impression that I could eye ball and try to replicate on the HF saw! I thought it came out pretty good, or at least good enough to work.
Bob, I see from your pic you went further over onto the arch and cut through the top of the brick. I may follow suit if there is a good reason like making the rings meet! lol

Thanks for the help and I hope I put a smile on everyones face!
John

[pizza_bob]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

Thanks Brian, How did you figure out what angles to cut? Trial and error? I am befuddled with this concept. Maybe a day off from the brick yard will help get me mentally back in the game!
Thanks
John

John,
It was "easy"! I went through about 12 bricks to get the final first one! Not to scare you but I think I aged 10+ years on my transition. My wife loves to tell everyone how I spent four hours cutting one brick. Here is a picture of one of my transition bricks.

It took me awhile to figure out but this really worked well. Read post #105 on my build thread.

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/8/pizza-bobs-42-build-7155-11.html

Good luck!

~Bob

[brianventura]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

John,

I used the eyeball method on what looked good to me which ended up being frustrating until I got it right, or at least close enough. I did put in some fill in pieces for the areas that didn't fit as good as I would of hoped for. In the end it worked and I continued to the top.
Good luck,

Brian

[Aegis]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

Wow! Very nice.

It's all coming together, and before you know it you'll be at the top.

The transition was slow going for me. I ended up with a few cuts that just didn't work and I had to re-do the angles. Keep them at the correct level compared to the rest of each ring and you'll be on your way to the finish.

Brian

Thanks Brian, How did you figure out what angles to cut? Trial and error? I am befuddled with this concept. Maybe a day off from the brick yard will help get me mentally back in the game!
Thanks
John

[Aegis]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

I'm thinking that it's looking really good! Can't wait 'til I'm that far along!!!!

Congrats on a job that is well done thus far!

Bill

Thanks for the encouragement! It sometimes feels like I am walking through molasses in January... I am stopped today for several reasons - Most importantly its Memorial Day and I have to take time out to honor all of those Americans I owe my freedom to! THANKS and may God Bless you all and all your families!
Thanks
John & Linda

[brianventura]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

Wow! Very nice.

It's all coming together, and before you know it you'll be at the top.

The transition was slow going for me. I ended up with a few cuts that just didn't work and I had to re-do the angles. Keep them at the correct level compared to the rest of each ring and you'll be on your way to the finish.

Brian

[Pizza Common Sewer]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

I'm thinking that it's looking really good! Can't wait 'til I'm that far along!!!!

Congrats on a job that is well done thus far!

Bill

[Aegis]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

Hi John,
So I can tell everyone its not a flaw, it is character! I LIKE IT!
Here are a couple of pics of the arch. Now if I can figure out how to do the dome/arch transition bricks I'll be moving again. Till then it is all stop
Thanks for everyones help!
John

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

Some of the joints were less than stella. oh well, I'm sure the pizza won't "see those" !

John,

Funny... for all the care and attention to detail we put into our builds, we tend to focus on the minor imperfections, wishing they weren't there. The closer I get to completing my oven the more I realize these are what gives our ovens their unique personality. Once the pizzas are flowing it sinks in that the journey was just as good as the destination.

Gotta love them Happy Dances, yeah?

[Aegis]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

Ok! A little Happy Dance! The inner arch is done! Bigger dance when it stands without the form.........
Now the arch/dome transition has my pea brain fried! I think I will be getting some molding clay/ play dough or something to help me figure out the cuts. I'll post a couple of pics, as soon as I re-gain some sanity.
Thanks to all for the suggestions on the arch, I used a board and square, plus level and it came out better than expected but not as good as it could have. Some of the joints were less than stella. oh well, I'm sure the pizza won't "see those" !

[Aegis]

Re: I'm getting closer to my Dome!

When assembling my inside arch, I used a square to keep my brick faces as vertical to the entryway floor bricks as possible.

Hi John,
I'll use a square to keep the board Bob suggested vertical! These are great suggestions from experienced builders! Can't buy advice like this!
Thanks
John