Alex’s Pizza Kitchen (APK) build, Central Coast, NSW Australia

[Bert]

Re: Alex?s Pizza Kitchen (APK) build, Central Coast, NSW Australia

Hello Folks,

Yay!!

Finally after much time and effort and cost my hearth is complete. Had a big weekend on the tools and moved 3.5 tonne of cement mix up my very steep driveway with buckets. It was a glorious winters day, about 22 degrees in the sun...beats working in the heat of summer.

The hearth is incorporated into a retaining wall and is 120mm thick with N12 bar. The besa blocks are core filled and there is reo down 300mm every 200mm so this baby isn?t going anywhere. The hearth base is sitting on red ironstone. I used suspended metal sheeting for the base which worked out really well. My father in law had some lying around on his farm so when we were up at Taree he cut some down for me and I brought it home. The local metal supplier wanted 75 bucks per square meter so it was a handy saving and the first ?FREE? thing on the build.

It?s taken me a long time to build the retaining wall due to the steep driveway and getting everything moved up plus some sanity time to recover from knee and elbow strains.

The Mrs. laid the slab and I was the labourer. I am lucky she is a supporter of the project.

We hired a mixer as we also had to core fill the retaining wall?this took about 2.5 tonne I rekon?big big job.

I don?t think I have seen anyone using the metal slab, but it was easy as to form up and no requirements for propping up or supporting. Fingers crossed it will hold up ok. There are a few little hairline cracks at the front but they don?t appear to be right through. I think it may have dried out a little too quickly as we made quite a high MPA mix. I will keep it wet for a few days to assist with the curing.

Lots of photos to post when I get a mo.

Bert

[Bacterium]

Re: Alex?s Pizza Kitchen (APK) build, Central Coast, NSW Australia

Hi Bert,
My current build is 1150mm internal diameter, which is on a 1.8m by 2m base.
I'm figuring on a 2brick deep outer arch which will sit over inner and against dome but allowing a small thermal break.
Have 75mm of CalSil underneath and will wrap it in at least 75mm of fire blanket.
Think my build post has brick size, so you can check how that compares to the FF size units.

I can't see any issues with my base size it seems to all be fitting on/within this.

[Bert]

Re: Alex?s Pizza Kitchen (APK) build, Central Coast, NSW Australia

I'm about to start the block work for the oven. I'm building a 1100mm internal diameter. So I was thinking a 1800 wide and 2000 deep. Will this be sufficient if I use the bricks from Field Furnace? Not sure about length of transition and arch

[Bert]

Re: Alex?s Pizza Kitchen (APK) build, Central Coast, NSW Australia

Thankyou Doug and Russell. I just hope the body holds up...moved many tonnes of stuff so far. The finished result should be worth it though! had a quite weekend watching the F1 in Melbourne. With Daylight saving on the way out there goes the evenings!! Ive taken lots of photos so will update my picasa album for those interested in the greater project.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Alex?s Pizza Kitchen (APK) build, Central Coast, NSW Australia

Hi Bert,

I used Picassa for my photo album. Looking forward to seeing you build.

[Gulf]

Re: Alex?s Pizza Kitchen (APK) build, Central Coast, NSW Australia

Thankd Gulf!

Would it work with a link from picasa?

I am sure that it would. You just need to size them before hand. Or use Picassa's eiting software. Picassa uses flickr (I think) for photo editing. I was just too slow in learning this step .

[Bert]

Re: Alex?s Pizza Kitchen (APK) build, Central Coast, NSW Australia

Thankd Gulf!

Would it work with a link from picasa?

[Gulf]

Re: Alex?s Pizza Kitchen (APK) build, Central Coast, NSW Australia

Any body know how to place the pictures in your post instead of thumbnails?

Don't know about the rest but I prefer to see the pictures in the content of the post.

Cheers Bert

I use photobucket. As long as you size your pics, when you snap them or before you post them to photobucket, you can use their direct link.
Enter that link to the FB's Insert image icon. Note: If the pics are to large, they will run off of the page.
Hope this helps .

[Bert]

Re: Alex?s Pizza Kitchen (APK) build, Central Coast, NSW Australia

Cheers Deejayoh! Will give it a go next time!

[deejayoh]

Re: Alex?s Pizza Kitchen (APK) build, Central Coast, NSW Australia

Any body know how to place the pictures in your post instead of thumbnails?

Don't know about the rest but I prefer to see the pictures in the content of the post.

Cheers Bert

After you attach the pictures, click the paperclip icon again. You'll see each of the files you uploaded there. If you click the file name, it will insert the picture into the text of the post wherever your cursor is.

[Bert]

Re: Alex?s Pizza Kitchen (APK) build, Central Coast, NSW Australia

Any body know how to place the pictures in your post instead of thumbnails?

Don't know about the rest but I prefer to see the pictures in the content of the post.

Cheers Bert

[Bert]

Re: Alex?s Pizza Kitchen (APK) build, Central Coast, NSW Australia

Hi Folks

Well after 2 + years and getting side tracked by building a pool and undertaking some rather intense hard landscaping I will soon be in a position to commence the WFO block work. The pool has taken the position of the existing WFO and the wife got her way with the pool?so now it?s my turn.

I will be utilising a solid existing iron rock as a foundation and like the other walls I have built with my wife they will have 12mm starter bars drilled down 400mm with 200mm center?s.

We have had some good practice with the block work (we?ve laid about 230 bricks so far) and my wife has laid a good portion of them. Im lucky to have her support with this monster.

The side walls will also double as a retaining wall. The wall will be waterproofed with 300mm of blue metal 10mm and 100mm ag pipe, geotech etc. we have had a lot of rain and it?s given us the ability to see where the water comes from and where it goes to. Although wicking is a concern I believe if I can spend the time waterproofing it will be ok!

All materials so far have been carried up a steep driveway with buckets?so needless to say we are quite fatigued but with the cooler weather upon us I should be able to gain some momentum. We have been doing 12 hours days with the walls and pool and the weather has been against us since the beginning 2 years ago.

Once started I hope to have the foundations and wall done fairly quickly?the WFO on the other hand may be another story. This project has sucked up all of our money so we need to complete projects as we can afford them.

Here are some pictures showing the cabana and WFO area.

[cobblerdave]

Re: Alex?s Pizza Kitchen (APK) build, Central Coast, NSW Australia

Gudday Bert
Good to here you still out there with pizza ovens on your mind....mind you you have had a busy time....

Regards Dave

[Les]

Re: Alex?s Pizza Kitchen (APK) build, Central Coast, NSW Australia

Bert - sounds about right. I wanted to put a pool table in a room we never used. Ripped out trees, sidewalks, and 45 grand later - I get to shoot a 25 cent game. Don't lose focus on the oven - it's bigger than the rest

[Bert]

Re: Alex?s Pizza Kitchen (APK) build, Central Coast, NSW Australia

Hello Folks

It?s been a while as I got side tracked?We were initially going to build a swimming pool then decided against it (enter post) and then changed our minds again.

After a false alarm in January with another pool builder. We now have a DA submitted to council, as we are a sloping block and unable to do complying development. 2 months now and counting, so hopefully not much longer.

WFO still very much on the cards and will be attached to a cabana and outdoor kitchen area. Since my last post I have:

? Built an engineered block (Alan Block) wall with 6 + tonne of crusher dust behind it;
? Removed approximately 8-9 cubic metres of sandstone and rubble;
? Moved 8+ tonnes of pavers and wall up a steep driveway (9 pallets);
? Built a dry stone wall;
? Moved ~ 15 tonnes of soil;
? Transplanted numerous large shubs;
? Gained 8 kilos from re-hydrating with beer.

I will post some updated pictures of ground zero - as I currently call it.

Therefore this post has now turned into a complete backyard re-construction or deconstruction as its currently stands.

I?ll get there?deep breath!