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

[lwood]

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

"I have sourced a possible brick to use as an alternate to firebricks, given they are so expensive here in OZ ($4+). They are a pressed clay that come in an assortment of colours, they are fired to between 1200 and 1500 degrees Celsius with no Portland cement or gravel."

Let's see those firebrick Bert. I used pressed red-clay brick in my oven and yours sound like a lot better quality than mine. Red-clay bricks work just fine but are softer than the standard firebrick and will crack...I can attest to that. But I actually like the feel of them and look of them. They are kinda rounded on the edges and uneven now and looks and feels more old-world. Like I was cooking in 1,000 year-old oven....if you like that sort of thing.

Yours are fired at a much higher temperature than mine, I think mine were sun baked. But a year later they are doing just fine. I found one cracked brick and they are easily replaced.

[cobblerdave]

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

Dear Bert
Yep why not use the 150mm block especially if you are planning a center wall. I have a center 1/2 block pillar (just in case). Please don't forget to core fill at least every secound Hole in the block as well for strenght . Again over kill... I filled every secound one first then ran a row of bricks around the top to contain my slab, Ran the steel down the remaining holes which were then core filled as I poured the slab. That puppy an't going to fall down in my lifetime

On Insulation...your brick is the mass in the oven that stores the heat from the fire the insulation goes on the other side of this to stop this heat from leaking away. If you have read the Jeavens book on ovens it probable talks about ovens which are a lot larger than a backyard oven and have a fire full time to keep the heat in the large thermal mass. If you dont insulate under the hearth bricks your going to be using a lot of wood to heat up the slab underneath and not your tucker in the oven

Regards Dave

[Bert]

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

Hi Folks

I need to buy some besa blocks for a retaining wall and was thinking od using 390*140*190 for the WFO base, they come 144 on a pallet.

I remember reading on the forum that using a 150mm block was okay but cannot locate it now. I was going to run a centre wall as well.

Can I get away with not using 200mm deep blocks?

[Bert]

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

They will be useless for insulation all they will do is add more thermal mass.

Thanks Brickie in Oz.

Bert

[brickie in oz]

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

i also plan on using them for the insulation layer and the floor layer.

They will be useless for insulation all they will do is add more thermal mass.

[Bert]

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

Heres some pictures of the brick I plan on using. i also plan on using them for the insulation layer and the floor layer. They have nice straight edges.

Bert

[brickie in oz]

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

Solid pressed bricks are fine for on oven or fireplace situation, they are more prone to thermal shock and will crack where as fire bricks tend not to crack as easy.

Even cracked they will still perform well enough.

[Bert]

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

Alternative to firebricks????

I have sourced a possible brick to use as an alternate to firebricks, given they are so expensive here in OZ ($4+). They are a pressed clay that come in an assortment of colours, they are fired to between 1200 and 1500 degrees Celsius with no Portland cement or gravel. The suppliers have sold them to fireplace builders before, as they actually sell fireplaces and word stoves?now I know where to purchase my flue from.

I?ll post some photos of the brick but they appear to have no gravel or cement and what looks like a petrified terracotta or clay. They also split like a breeze which will save my lungs a bit.

I would be interested to get some feedback from people who have used home brew and clay bricks as an alternate to the more expensive products?

Cheers

Bert

[Bert]

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

Bert next time you have stumps to remove try using a "turfer" style hand winch like in the attached pic. It will make it much easier and you need to do far less digging.

Tie one end to a nearby solid tree and the other end to the stump and start winching. If it is a small stump you can generally pull it out without any digging. For large stumps, as the tension starts on the roots you can see where you need to dig or which roots you need to cut.

I have pulled out lots of stumps with this method after first trying to simply dig one out.

It doesn't work so well if you haven't got anything solid to tie the winch to.

Wish I had posted a few weeks ago!

Bert

[Alter ego]

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

Bert next time you have stumps to remove try using a "turfer" style hand winch like in the attached pic. It will make it much easier and you need to do far less digging.

Tie one end to a nearby solid tree and the other end to the stump and start winching. If it is a small stump you can generally pull it out without any digging. For large stumps, as the tension starts on the roots you can see where you need to dig or which roots you need to cut.

I have pulled out lots of stumps with this method after first trying to simply dig one out.

It doesn't work so well if you haven't got anything solid to tie the winch to.

[Bert]

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

Pictures of some of the stumps I removed and the subsequent mess I created.

I'm borrowing a chainsaw this weekend to remove the Queensland firewheel tree. I have an electric one and its crap (not powerful enough for stumps). I had the chain sharpened and subsequently hit some sandstone so it was blunt after one cut.

Picture of me and she who must be obeyed levering the Robinia. Very lucky she is very supportive of the project and helps me when she can. Handy hint if you ever want to remove stumps make sure you leave plenty of stump this was of great benefit.

Picture of my stockpile of Gosford sandstone and rumble to be used under the footing.

Also I've figured out how to attach the thumbnail but does anyone know how to place the actual picture in the post??

Cheers

Bert

[Bert]

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

Some before pictures of the area!

[Bert]

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

Thanks for the encouragement Mike!

Brickie, ash tray is a new idea after I read 'Your Brick Oven' by Russell Jeavons. I see your point, I thought it may make a good feature at the front of the oven but it will take quite a bit of extra work to form up the hearth so that idea isn?t set in stone yet. re pix resizer, thankyou but I was one step ahead as its one of my standard programs on my PC.

Lee

Insulation will be 75x230x115 refractory insulation bricks placed over the oven footprint?similar the what Karangi Dude used on his build. He seems to be getting good results. This will replace the vermicrete layer I guess.

Tools ? I will hang them up in the garage which is close by. I may make some holders on the side for when I require them by the oven. Thanks for the suggestion?I hadn?t thought of that.

Cheers

[Lburou]

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

Here goes nothing!

Hi Alex aka Bert from Central Coast, NSW Australia. I plan on building a 1100mm or 43inch Pompeii Oven with sandstone veneer, preparation counter and possibly a spit or grill. I broke ground 16/04/2011 or 04/16/2011 for our American friends. Like many others I have caught the bug and now obsess over the WFO and this forum.

I have had a challenging start, I needed to remove 4 Lillypillies (Australian Native), 2 x Callistemon roots (Australian Native ? cut down some 4 years ago), a Queensland Fire Wheel Tree (Queensland Rainforest tree) and a Robinia (bloody awful tree with thorns).

The Robinia took me 4 hours and the Lillypillies came out fairly easy. The Queensland firewheel tree on the other hand is a nightmare I have given up on removing the entire root ball (I have spent about 4 hours with a mattock, crowbar etc trying to remove it) and will be cutting it down (below final ground level) this weekend weather permitting.

My current train of thought:

 1100mm diameter dome
 150mm footing
 400x200x200 Besa block stand in filled with reo
 150mm hearth
 Refractory insulation 75x115x230
 Refractory floor tiles 300x300x50
 Insulated with FB blanket
 Clay bricks (if I can find them) 75x115x230
 Homebrew mortar brick sand, fireclay, Portland cement
 Sandstone veneer
 Ash drawer
 Lighting recessed into hearth
 Brick chimney
 Hose
 Speakers
 Electricity socket

Current costs= $10.00 chainsaw sharpening and several $100 is beer supplies.
Weight loss = 5 kilos

I plan on attaching plenty of photos but they are currently 18 megapixels so I will need to reduce them.

Looking forward to lots of constructive guidance as I continue.

Cheers

Bert

Hello


It sounds like you have done a lot of good planning. I have one question and one comment:

• How much of what kind of insulation are you planning under the oven floor?
• Several people have commented that they should have done more planning for tool storage -long handled peels, brushes and the like. You may want to consider that.

Good luck

[brickie in oz]

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

I plan on attaching plenty of photos but they are currently 18 megapixels so I will need to reduce them.

Try this
PIXresizer - Download