K79 Oven Build

[Gulf]

Re: K79 Oven Build

i like the shape, but is anything stopping those bricks from dropping? They don't appear to be supported or tied in.

I have to agree with David on this. I try to think of every brick, arch, etc. in terms of support. Would that brick, or arch still be structurally sound if the mortar turned to dust?

just sayin'

[Les]

Re: K79 Oven Build

I've seen others that have done it this way and asked prior and nobody mentioned it was an issue

They may have not been reading your thread. I think Gulf and David have a point. I see no compressive load holding in your vent transition bricks. It looks awesome but what is holding them in place when the mortar bond is compromised?

[K79]

Re: K79 Oven Build

They may have not been reading your thread. I think Gulf and David have a point. I see no compressive load holding in your vent transition bricks. It looks awesome but what is holding them in place when the mortar bond is compromised?

There is 3.5" of brick in the front forming a full arch with all tapered brick creating the compressive load. If I got rid of that mortar right now that arch would still hold true. How could that brick slide down? Something would have to give on the front side of the brick.

[jbruning]

Re: K79 Oven Build

I think Ken524 did his very similar to yours and as far as I know has reported no problems. I would think that the compression on the one side should hold, provided the arch doesn't move away from the inner arch, it shouldn't be able to drop should it?

[K79]

Re: K79 Oven Build

I think Ken524 did his very similar to yours and as far as I know has reported no problems. I would think that the compression on the one side should hold, provided the arch doesn't move away from the inner arch, it shouldn't be able to drop should it?

Amen brother

[david s]

Re: K79 Oven Build

Creating the entry using bricks requires some complex brickwork and usually results in an entry way deeper and heavier than you would otherwise want. I don't know why more don't choose to cast it, or at least the top section, it's so much easier. I guess you guys are so into cutting and shaping bricks that you're on a roll when it comes to doing the entry and changing the building method does not come to mind.

Didn't the fourth little pig cast his house after the wolf rattled the brick one to bits?

[jbruning]

Re: K79 Oven Build

Casting would be a fun project. Maybe on my next oven.........

[K79]

Re: K79 Oven Build

uh oh.. .did i overlook expansion joints on my oven floor bricks between my walls. Mine fit a little snug. How much of an issue is this?

[boerwarrior]

Re: K79 Oven Build

K79,

my floor bricks are moving way less than I was led to believe. And I had my oven full of wood yesterday with temps way over 1,000 degrees.

Given that it is too late to do anything about it - I wouldn't worry! You will get some cracks and that is OK!

[K79]

Re: K79 Oven Build

K79,

my floor bricks are moving way less than I was led to believe. And I had my oven full of wood yesterday with temps way over 1,000 degrees.

Given that it is too late to do anything about it - I wouldn't worry! You will get some cracks and that is OK!

Well technically it's not to late my floor bricks have been cut so they can be removed I just don't want to .

[boerwarrior]

Re: K79 Oven Build

well in that case let's see if you get any responses from more experienced builders - I am still a newbie!

[Tscarborough]

Re: K79 Oven Build

The circumference of the oven will expand much more (relatively speaking)than the floor so it is not a problem.

[david s]

Re: K79 Oven Build

As the base of the dome is the last part of the oven to get hot, particularly when driving out the water, surely it is the last part to expand.

[rsandler]

Re: K79 Oven Build

My sense from reading the forum is that the notion of an expansion joint around the floor started out as a slightly-overkill precaution and has taken on a life of its own. One builder (I've forgotten who) had significant cracking in their dome and blamed it on a chunk of mortar falling in between the floor and the dome walls. Mind you, I seem to recall that the cracking in this case was mostly a cosmetic problem, as is almost always the case with these ovens.

Since then, a number of builders (myself included) have stuck cardboard or some other temporary and flamable buffer to both create an expansion joint (and probably an overly large joint at that) and more importantly to prevent anything else from falling into the gap. If your bricks are snug, you've probably prevented anything from falling in, and as David and Tscar note, you won't have any problems with the bricks themselves.

[Tscarborough]

Re: K79 Oven Build

Here are the approximate numbers from 80 degrees start to 1000 degrees:

42" dome will expand from 131.94678" circumference to 132.673953365", the floor will expand from 42" to 42.23146666. No problem.


My walls are always hotter than the floor, even at the bottom until it evens out after being doored overnight.