Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

42 inch Michigan Oven

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • #31
    Re: 42 inch Michigan Oven

    No pics today but I was able to finish the 8th course and got a few 'starter' bricks on course 9 done tonight. Gravity is creating more of a challenge now and will probably slow me down a little. One thing I am pretty certain of....I will never get a job where I am paid by the hour to lay bricks!
    John


    Link to my build: 42 inch Michigan Oven

    Comment


    • #32
      Re: 42 inch Michigan Oven

      Join the club! But we can do quality work if we are left alone to do our thing. I have great respect for people who build big straight walls.

      The dome is a smaller controlled environment. I found it a satisfying piece of work doing the slow, careful work on the dome. There is nothing shabby about your work. Some are green (like me) others are green with envy.

      Enjoy the journey. Watching with interest.
      Cheers ......... Steve

      Build Thread http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f3/n...erg-19151.html

      Build Pics http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...1&l=1626b3f4f4

      Forno Food Pics https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=1d5ce2a275

      Comment


      • #33
        Re: 42 inch Michigan Oven

        John,
        apparently Winston Churchill laid bricks as a bit of a hobby.... he may not have been able to make a living out of it either but there are moments when you get "in the groove" when doing it and it's quite satisfying
        Cheers
        Damon

        Build #1

        Build #2 (Current)

        Comment


        • #34
          Re: 42 inch Michigan Oven

          Thanks Steve and Damon. It really is great fun. I too, find it satisfying and somewhat relaxing. It is interesting how some bricks seem to plop right in but there have been a few that I had to remove, scrape the mortar and retry several times.
          John


          Link to my build: 42 inch Michigan Oven

          Comment


          • #35
            Re: 42 inch Michigan Oven

            Ive seen brickwork done on this forum by weekend warriors that would put some so called professionals to shame.
            The English language was invented by people who couldnt spell.

            My Build.

            Books.

            Comment


            • #36
              Re: 42 inch Michigan Oven

              I've been able to get some work done in the evenings after work this week. Tonight I was able to get about 2/3 of the tenth course complete.
              John


              Link to my build: 42 inch Michigan Oven

              Comment


              • #37
                Re: 42 inch Michigan Oven

                looks great! nice job avoiding vertical seams!

                Comment


                • #38
                  Re: 42 inch Michigan Oven

                  John,
                  Looks great.
                  Nice progress.
                  It's pretty satisfying to get a complete chain above the inner arch, isn't it?

                  You'll be lighting curing fires before you know it!
                  Todd

                  Link to my build - http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f21/...ast-18900.html

                  Comment


                  • #39
                    Re: 42 inch Michigan Oven

                    Originally posted by boerwarrior View Post
                    looks great! nice job avoiding vertical seams!
                    Thanks Neil. I am finding, however, that it is getting more difficult to keep the vertical joints from aligning. The upper courses are requiring more frequent 'adjustment' bricks to keep on bond. Most of my oven was cut during the winter months and assembled dry inside so I could maximize my spring build time. But as I was doing so, I realized that some cuts would have to be made as I constructed. This became more evident in the higher courses so I made a few extra 'blanks' for each course to provide a starting point for my adjusting bricks. So far, the pre-build IMHO, has saved me a lot of time during assembly, AND it allowed me to think through some of the more complex geometry issues early on so as to not get bogged down too much now.
                    John


                    Link to my build: 42 inch Michigan Oven

                    Comment


                    • #40
                      Re: 42 inch Michigan Oven

                      Originally posted by boylanta View Post
                      John,
                      Looks great.
                      Nice progress.
                      It's pretty satisfying to get a complete chain above the inner arch, isn't it?
                      Yes, if you notice in my earlier photos, I avoided tying in the arch for a while as I placed the first few courses. It is nice to not have to deal with the more difficult cuts now and I was surprised and pleased at how well the course that cleared the arch ended up.
                      John


                      Link to my build: 42 inch Michigan Oven

                      Comment


                      • #41
                        Re: 42 inch Michigan Oven

                        Originally posted by jbruning View Post
                        Thanks Neil. I am finding, however, that it is getting more difficult to keep the vertical joints from aligning. The upper courses are requiring more frequent 'adjustment' bricks to keep on bond. Most of my oven was cut during the winter months and assembled dry inside so I could maximize my spring build time. But as I was doing so, I realized that some cuts would have to be made as I constructed. This became more evident in the higher courses so I made a few extra 'blanks' for each course to provide a starting point for my adjusting bricks. So far, the pre-build IMHO, has saved me a lot of time during assembly, AND it allowed me to think through some of the more complex geometry issues early on so as to not get bogged down too much now.
                        For what it's worth, I did end up with quite a few close alignments (my brickwork is not nearly as good as yours!) - but now that I am making "full throttle" fires and I can see the cracks - what is interesting is that the cracks don't necessarily seem to follow the vertical seams! In fact my biggest crack (which at 1/8 inch is not too bad) follows a zigzag pattern in an area where I have some of the best brickwork! So I have come to the conclusion that cracks are to be expected and are somewhat random. With your quality brickwork I don't think you have to worry about some of your seams getting too close.

                        Take a look at the attached not very attractive brickwork. The temperature of the bricks you can see is close to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit - and there are almost no cracks (as seen from the outside) that follow the vertical alignments.

                        Neil

                        Comment


                        • #42
                          Re: 42 inch Michigan Oven

                          Originally posted by boerwarrior View Post

                          Take a look at the attached not very attractive brickwork. The temperature of the bricks you can see is close to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit - and there are almost no cracks (as seen from the outside) that follow the vertical alignments.

                          Neil
                          Actually, I think it looks very good. Don't sell yourself short.
                          And, you have fire!
                          John


                          Link to my build: 42 inch Michigan Oven

                          Comment


                          • #43
                            Re: 42 inch Michigan Oven

                            Here's a couple of pics of my 'winter work' in the mock up stage.
                            John


                            Link to my build: 42 inch Michigan Oven

                            Comment


                            • #44
                              Re: 42 inch Michigan Oven

                              Tonight's progress. Completed course 10 and started 11.
                              John


                              Link to my build: 42 inch Michigan Oven

                              Comment


                              • #45
                                Re: 42 inch Michigan Oven

                                Couple of photos of this weekend's progress. Finished courses 11 and 12. At least the courses are getting small enough to fit in the frame now.

                                I didn't get time to get pics last evening as a thunderstorm was moving in as I rushed to get the last few bricks in and I had to button things up rather quickly.
                                John


                                Link to my build: 42 inch Michigan Oven

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X