Joe's 42 in Port Townsend

[Breadjunkie]

Hello to all from a new builder,
Thanks to all the builders who have posted their projects on this forum. It will make my project a lot easier than slogging through it alone. I have planned to build an oven for several years and finally got started on it.

I know there has been a fair amount of discussion regarding fire bricks, but after reading through it all I still have some questions and would appreciate any opinions or comments. Locally, I have a choice of buying either a "low duty" brick from Mutual Materials (16% Alumina/1800 deg F) for 1.45 each or a medium duty brick from another supplier (2700 deg F/ Alumina N/A) for 2.22 each. I would like to hear from anyone who has used the low duty brick from Mutual. How has it held up and would you recommend it?

Thanks again and I will try to photo document my project as others have so generously done.

Joe

[Capt]

Re: Joe's 42 in Port Townsend

Welcome from another new member! Looking forward to your build pics!

I am in the process of building mine too, I plan on posting a thread coming up.

[deejayoh]

Re: Joe's 42 in Port Townsend

I bought the bricks from Mutual Materials. They work just fine

[Breadjunkie]

Re: Joe's 42 in Port Townsend

Dennis,

Hi,

I thought you probably used them. So they seem to be holding up so far? I had one person swear to me that they would not hold up in an oven. Said they would crumble and fall apart. Maybe they just wanted to sell me the more expensive bricks........Do you think your oven ever gets above 1800 deg F?

Joe

[deejayoh]

Re: Joe's 42 in Port Townsend

I actually thought they were medium duty - but whatever they are, they will hold up just fine. The max heat you will ever see in your oven is probably ~1000F. You will never see 1800F or anything close to that. Most builders actually prefer the low-duty if they can find them as they are more than sufficient and easier to cut.

If I had to guess, I would say that the person swearing to you they wouldn't hold up has probably never even seen a pizza oven.

Plenty of people have used these bricks with no problems.

[Breadjunkie]

Re: Joe's 42 in Port Townsend

Thanks Dennis. After reading your comments and going through the other various threads and posts I went to Mutual today and bought the bricks. Glad to have that dilemma behind me! Now I can get back to work.

The base is finished and has a coat of Qwikwall all around the inside. Next comes a couple of little poured in place pieces for the BBQ pit so I can set the fire brick liner. then I will form for the hearth and counters on either side of the oven and around the BBQ.

Photos coming as soon as I figure out how to attach them.


Joe

[Breadjunkie]

Re: Joe's 42 in Port Townsend

Okay, here's the first shot. Corner oven, wide counter on left, and BBQ pit on right.

[Breadjunkie]

Re: Joe's 42 in Port Townsend

A little progress. Hearth slab poured. Once again I am reminded that concrete finishing is best left to the pros. Anyway, I am glad to have this part done. I expect there will be a bit of repair work after the forms come off.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Joe's 42 in Port Townsend

Nice start breadjunkie, looking forward to watching your build.

[texman]

Re: Joe's 42 in Port Townsend

Very nice! Your setup looks great and so does the concrete.
Welcome to the fun.
Tracy

[Breadjunkie]

Re: Joe's 42 in Port Townsend

Thanks for looking in Russel and Tracy. I am looking forward to the next challenge in the dome and arch. Yahoo!

[deejayoh]

Re: Joe's 42 in Port Townsend

Ooh. I like the BBQ pit. I kind of wish I had done that instead of gas BBQ. In the end I decided I wanted something that I could use on a moment's notice but seeing those Parilla grills in South America gave me pause...

[Breadjunkie]

Re: Joe's 42 in Port Townsend

Dennis,

Well it's not exactly a parilla so I hope it works. I do plan to make it so the cooking grill can be raised and lowered, though.

As a followup to my recent concrete work, I wanted to show some details that didn't turn out as good as they could or should have. We didn't vibrate or work the "mud" along the form edges enough to make the cream fill in all the voids so I have a lot of repair work to do in those areas. I have done enough concrete work to know better but it escaped me this time. Even though I mixed the concrete a little on the wet side it still didn't flow nicely along the form edges. So for those who are at the hearth slab stage and want nice clean edges, remember to "jiggle" the concrete and tap on the form boards to get the cream to flow nicely along the edges.

Joe

[deejayoh]

Re: Joe's 42 in Port Townsend

Joe -
Only show your successes, never your mistakes!

but really, is that edge ever going to show? Mine look like that too, but will be covered up with stone in the end.

[Breadjunkie]

Re: Joe's 42 in Port Townsend

Since my last post way back in September too many side tracks kept me away from my project. Finally, it has made it back to the top of the list, so here I go.

First of all it is now a 33 incher or thereabouts. I decided to start with whole bricks. By trial and error and a little math, the layout with an 18 inch wide opening came out to 14 bricks and the 2 arch starters. This size fits my hearth better than a 42 inch anyway. The full bricks will mean more overhang, but that will diminish with each course as the bricks get shorter.

The forum has been a great inspiration and a priceless resource in trying to visualize how this thing goes together. Thanks to everyone who chooses to participate. Hopefully I will offer something to others who are thinking of building an oven, too.