35 inch Pompeii Oven Build Saga

[Bacterium]

Re: 35 inch Pompeii Oven Build Saga

Brett, nice work and some detailed photos
It's helping me decide if I should do the half round arch or the straight side. Yours look like you will get a good fit with a door.

[Mistertoy]

Re: 35 inch Pompeii Oven Build Saga

Some more pictures of my progress. Finished row 5.

Decided my indispensible tool was getting a bit hard to keep all bricks in the row symmetric and all at the right angle... I don't think I made the tool pivot as good as it needs to be.

I had originally planned to use a styrofoam support at the end anyway but thought I may have been able to get away without it. Anyway cleaned up inside and setup a shelf to support the styrofoam. Night before I cut the styrofoam and made an eight point template. Was pretty happy the way it fitted.

Starting now on row 6... feels like I am getting close now.

Brett

[Mistertoy]

Re: 35 inch Pompeii Oven Build Saga

Can't believe it has been so long since I posted progress. Had a big break because of a carpal tunnel operation and also have another reno project on the go.

Finished the firebrick outer arch and the chimney transition. Pretty happy with how the transition worked out. Did some niffy cutting to create interlocking - the drop saw with diamond blade is the best.

Now working when I get a spare time here and there on completing the dome - 4 rows to go. Now it is getting cooler, it gives you more time to work with the calcium aluminate mortar.

Brett

[brickie in oz]

Re: 35 inch Pompeii Oven Build Saga

Nice job with the outer arch.

I dont think there is much advantage scuffing the bed face with a grinder, if the bricks were to come loose they still will even with the scuffing.

[cobblerdave]

Re: 35 inch Pompeii Oven Build Saga

Gudday
Mate just take your time......you works real neat

Regards Dave

[ggoose]

Re: 35 inch Pompeii Oven Build Saga

Looking good...very clean. Some nice cuts too

[Mistertoy]

Re: 35 inch Pompeii Oven Build Saga

I cannot believe it has been 3 months since I last posted.

Well I won't hit my target of finishing by Christmas. May Easter

I have really noticed the difference in how fast the calcium silicate mortar goes off now it is summer in Queensland Australia. I have to work in the cool of the day - early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

The corner pieces of the arch were tricky and I used mouldable plastic which softens at 60-70 celcius to help get the shape right - happy with the outcome.

Will just keep plodding along in summer and might have more time once it starts cooling off closer to winter.

Have attached a few photos that I took before I started laying the 5th course today.

Brett

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: 35 inch Pompeii Oven Build Saga

Takes longer to cut angles on side of bricks and fit than laying the row of bricks

Brett,

I hear ya! Any level of craftsmanship takes time but when you're fininshed you can sit back and enjoy the results of your efforts. Fortunately, you do get better and faster at it the further you go. For each phase of my build, by the time I felt I was getting pretty proficient, it was time to go onto the next phase...

I say take your time, stay patient, and don't waver from the level of quality you've come to expect of yourself. Your build is looking gutandtite, and I love your arch transition
John

[Mistertoy]

Re: 35 inch Pompeii Oven Build Saga

Progressing slowly with only half day couple times a month. Plenty of cutting - the drop saw with diamond blade and hand grinder are getting a workout.

Pretty happy with inner arch. Had to move pretty quickly in laying as aluminate mortar goes off within a few hours. But was good as I could remove arch support and clean mortar from lower side of arch within several hours.

Row 3 finished now. Takes longer to cut angles on side of bricks and fit than laying the row of bricks !

Brett

[PizzaIdiot]

Re: 35 inch Pompeii Oven Build Saga

Brett,
It's looking good. I'm trying to picture the interior arch as you cover it.
I'll have to wait for more pictures.
Jeff

[Mistertoy]

Re: 35 inch Pompeii Oven Build Saga

I am progressing slowly with just part of Saturdays to work on the oven.

I have added a course of bricks on the the side of the main arch bricks to provide some extra buttressing. It is only a few extra bricks and will be covered by decorative bricks later anyway.

I have finally worked out the inner arch brick angles and cut most of the bricks but have to finish cutting the entry return. Only cutting of some outer bricks to go.

Brett

[ggoose]

Re: 35 inch Pompeii Oven Build Saga

Looking good Brett...a nice clean build

[Mistertoy]

Re: 35 inch Pompeii Oven Build Saga

Progressing slowly...

Onto the second course - I tapered the sides of each brick so there was no mortar gap (or minimal). I am starting to get quicker at setting down the bricks.

I am now using a calcium aluminate (ciment fondu) home brew mix that is a slight variation to the FB recipe (without the lime !)
2 parts fine sand, 1 part fine crushed firebrick, 1 part fireclay, 1 part ciment fondu and I use about 1 part water. This is more water than the ciment fondu technical data sheet recommends but I think that is because the fireclay and firebrick absorb water and the data sheet limits water for constrcution maximum strength. I am finding this mix is quite easy to work with.

I am starting to look at the arch transition and want to do as others have done and cut the arch bricks so there is a downward and upward cut on the inside of the oven to make a smooth transition. Quite a bit of thinking needed and may be a additional marking pen adaptor for the indispensible tool.

Door opening did work out to 17.6" (450mm) with a 1" reveal

More progress next weekend I hope.

Brett

[Mistertoy]

Re: 35 inch Pompeii Oven Build Saga

I said I would do a post on the home brew calcium aluminate mortar I am using. This post is largely a repeat of a post I made about calcium aluminate mortar at:
http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/51/c...tml#post117216

I am using calcium aluminate home brew mortar and have started with 3:1:1 crushed firebrick:fireclay:ciment fondu which needed 1 part water. The amount of water is much more than the 40% water to ciment fondu specified in the datasheet but it seems to be due to the firebrick absorbing water. The mix is more like a grout than a mortar and sets hard in about 2 hours (just under 20 Celsius).

I have done some trial mixes and as I substituted the sand for firebrick less water was required and the mix was more workable. I still needed more than 40% water to ciment fondu specified in the datasheet to get a workable mortar. To one of the trial mixes I added 1/4 part hydrated lime, more water was needed than the comparable mix without lime. The mix with lime though seemed more smooth and workable as a mortar but was solid in 20 minutes at under 20 Celsius.

I have started filling up the triangular gaps between the bricks in the first course of the oven but for later courses I will really need to use sand instead of the crushed firebrick because the mortar with firebrick instead of sand is not very workable at all.



Brett

[Mistertoy]

Re: 35 inch Pompeii Oven Build Saga

First course of oven

I have not used a soldier course as I am setting my first course on the oven floor and because I tied a few profiles of the dome and the one that worked the best did not have a soldier course.

The firebrick i am using are thicker than the plans at 3 inches thick.
Dome will have an internal height of 18.3" (465mm) with door opening 17.6" (450mm) and door height of 11.4" (290mm) ... that's the plan anyway.

I have read a few posts that have just sat the first course of bricks directly on the floor but to take up some slight level and size differences I decide to set the first course with a thin layer of 1:1 fireclay and firebrick dust (from cutting the bricks) made to a smooth paste. It was only about 1 mm thick in most cases.

I trying to build the oven walls with no mortar inside the oven and am pretty happy with how the first course worked out but I suspect it will get harder as I go.

Next job is to mortar up the triangle gaps in the first course...


Brett