I have been working on my oven stand and preparing for the build. I poured 2.5 inches of Vermiculite concrete (vermicrete) into my form this morning and it is already firming up.
The FB insulating board, refractory mortar and insulating blankets are on their way. I ordered from one of the FB dealers and the shipping was quite a bit less than fro California. Check out this link High Quality Barbecue Grills and Accessories at Wholesale Patio Store - Manufacturer Products.
I will be putting 2 inches of FB board on top of my Vermicrete.
Here is what has happened so far,
1. First I had to remove about 10 yards of dirt and clay to make room for the oven, there are still about 4 yards still remaining on my patio. I have been donating it to others via Craiglist and have had about 6 takers thus far. ne guy took about 5 trailer loads but all the others only a pickup load or two.
It is fun running a Toro Dingo (mini walk behind skid steer). Rental with trailer, bucket and 8 inch auger bit $400
2. Because I live in Minnesota the frost line is 48 inches and we need to have 52 inch footings to guarantee no frost heaving so I put down 5 Sonotube concrete forms under a 5.5 inch slab reinforced with rebar.
Forms and rebar $100.
3. The slab was poured using a local mix by the trailer load ready mix at Broadway Rental in Brooklyn Center. Easier than hand mixing a yard of concrete but quite a bit more expensive. $185
4. Built up my block for the oven base using 8x8x16 standard block and filled each core also put in horizontal rebar to provide retaining wall support to hold back the hill. Lots of concrete and rebar.
I did pour all of the blocks full. Now I have a place to go in a tornado.
Block for oven and prep table, rebar, 1/2 inch concrete board and 45 sacks of concrete mix $250.
5. I the process of the build I decided to put the brick veneer on before pouring the oven floor due to the cantilever at the oven entry.
Veneer brick is St Paul Street brick 900 ea. purchased a year ago for $300.
6. I supported the Concrete board with the blocks I will be using for the prep table with 2X4 and 4X4 sections with shims that were easy to remove. Lumber was salvage from a friend $0 (nice).
6. Formed and Fitted the Aluminum sheeting to waterproof the oven level from the surrounding ground.
7. Built the form for the insulating layer under the oven and poured the area on the outside with an additional 4 inches of concrete.
8. That brings us up to today, I poured the Vermiculite concrete and began cutting the brick for my oven floor.
I was able to pick up a 14 inch Norton Clipper block saw last year for $350 and got 3 - 14 inch diamond blades with it.
Cutting the firebrick with that saw is like cutting cheese.
Oh Buy the way the water pump on the saw was missing so I rigged up a standard sump pump inside a large trash bin and use that to recirculate the cooling water, I had to put a diverter valve on the pump because it pushes to much water so I needed to take some off before it got to the blade.
I will be posting more photos as this thread develops.
Last photo is of Today's vermiculite concrete holding up 6 bricks. I am sure it could have held more but why chip such nice bricks.
Chip
The FB insulating board, refractory mortar and insulating blankets are on their way. I ordered from one of the FB dealers and the shipping was quite a bit less than fro California. Check out this link High Quality Barbecue Grills and Accessories at Wholesale Patio Store - Manufacturer Products.
I will be putting 2 inches of FB board on top of my Vermicrete.
Here is what has happened so far,
1. First I had to remove about 10 yards of dirt and clay to make room for the oven, there are still about 4 yards still remaining on my patio. I have been donating it to others via Craiglist and have had about 6 takers thus far. ne guy took about 5 trailer loads but all the others only a pickup load or two.
It is fun running a Toro Dingo (mini walk behind skid steer). Rental with trailer, bucket and 8 inch auger bit $400
2. Because I live in Minnesota the frost line is 48 inches and we need to have 52 inch footings to guarantee no frost heaving so I put down 5 Sonotube concrete forms under a 5.5 inch slab reinforced with rebar.
Forms and rebar $100.
3. The slab was poured using a local mix by the trailer load ready mix at Broadway Rental in Brooklyn Center. Easier than hand mixing a yard of concrete but quite a bit more expensive. $185
4. Built up my block for the oven base using 8x8x16 standard block and filled each core also put in horizontal rebar to provide retaining wall support to hold back the hill. Lots of concrete and rebar.
I did pour all of the blocks full. Now I have a place to go in a tornado.
Block for oven and prep table, rebar, 1/2 inch concrete board and 45 sacks of concrete mix $250.
5. I the process of the build I decided to put the brick veneer on before pouring the oven floor due to the cantilever at the oven entry.
Veneer brick is St Paul Street brick 900 ea. purchased a year ago for $300.
6. I supported the Concrete board with the blocks I will be using for the prep table with 2X4 and 4X4 sections with shims that were easy to remove. Lumber was salvage from a friend $0 (nice).
6. Formed and Fitted the Aluminum sheeting to waterproof the oven level from the surrounding ground.
7. Built the form for the insulating layer under the oven and poured the area on the outside with an additional 4 inches of concrete.
8. That brings us up to today, I poured the Vermiculite concrete and began cutting the brick for my oven floor.
I was able to pick up a 14 inch Norton Clipper block saw last year for $350 and got 3 - 14 inch diamond blades with it.
Cutting the firebrick with that saw is like cutting cheese.
Oh Buy the way the water pump on the saw was missing so I rigged up a standard sump pump inside a large trash bin and use that to recirculate the cooling water, I had to put a diverter valve on the pump because it pushes to much water so I needed to take some off before it got to the blade.
I will be posting more photos as this thread develops.
Last photo is of Today's vermiculite concrete holding up 6 bricks. I am sure it could have held more but why chip such nice bricks.
Chip
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