gianluca's 42" oven build

[GIANLUCA]

Re: gianluca's 42" oven build

Well I've been working on my oven here and there and I made it on top of the arch today it was bit of a challange the course diped about 3/8" so i just motared the brick up mainly because of the arch cuts were off no one will ever see it anyways also when I was using the wood form to lower the dome height I must have went off sphere somewhere about a 1/4" so I decide just to straigten it on the next row so far the next 2 on top of that were fine, I ran out of bricks so I will button up this course and hopefully do another tommorrow and definatly finish by the weekend. I was hoping to grind out the overlapping bricks about 3 of them where I went off sphere so it will not be so noticeble I'm wondering if I will do more harm than good. I removed the arch forms about 4 hours after setting the bricks didn't move a bit thank god you wont see the inner arch except for the reveal cutting the tapers on 9" bricks was just a disaster functional but not pretty

The most challenging thing is cutting the bricks with the chop saw it works but I have to use my eye for all the angle cuts very stressfull..

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: gianluca's 42" oven build

Gian,

Looks like you have figured out the tapered arch even if you feel confused. It will make like much easier for your tie-ins. Tip, keep your arch form to use as a template for your oven door. Also at this stage of my build I was having to adjust the length of my IT quite a bit to make everything fit. Good luck, you are getting close to clearing the arch.

[GIANLUCA]

Re: gianluca's 42" oven build

Laid another course today my diameter ran off a bit from using the wood form I relied a bit too much on it, I think I made it up on this course the IT is set at 19 1/4" I guess 2" doesn't really seem that much I think if I were to start over I'd just go low or high the mid point seems not worth the work to many areas to make mistakes. Overall I'm happy I'm trying to keep my mistakes towards the front where nobody will see I know the oven will work well regardless.

This is definitely not any easy task but a fun one!! As long as you can accept a few mishaps.
I think tommorrow I will just complete the arch now that I'm not moving the it any longer.

[jbruning]

Re: gianluca's 42" oven build

You'll probably be fine, I didn't think of the screws ..... Mine was shimmed up about a half inch, but I had stapled mine together because the air stapler was handy. It would have been very difficult to take mine apart. Screws will make it easy if necessary. Additionally, I figured with the hemispherical arch, I could remove the arch right away and did so right after I set the final brick. Too much movement would have messed it up but the mortar from the top bricks was fresh so that helped. I am enjoying following your build. Good work!

[GIANLUCA]

Re: gianluca's 42" oven build

The arch form is shimmed up by large paint sticks and the floor wood that is Al's cut right at edge and tape to the inner floor I tried to remove it in the mock up stage and it worked hopefully all will go well also I can always unscrew the two outer panels as separate them that way one inside and one out I plan on removing the arch after its completed of course after it dries.


I live in Shelton

[stonecutter]

Re: gianluca's 42" oven build

What part of CT are you located?

[jbruning]

Re: gianluca's 42" oven build

Hi Gianluca,
Your build is looking great. I noticed that your arch support is shimmed and has solid faces similar to the way I did mine. I had some difficulty getting mine out after the arch was completed on top because there was some squeeze out mortar between the plywood pieces that stopped the form from moving easily. It took some effort to knock off the little globs of mortar to get it free.

[GIANLUCA]

Re: gianluca's 42" oven build

More work today on the oven 1 more course and I woked on the arch a bit. Cutting the angles on the arch bricks so that they meet with the dome is definitly a hard task it gets very confusing as a matter of fact its been 2 hours since I cleaned up and I'm still confused!!!!
My plan is to close the arch as I lay the courses that intersect this way I can cut each one to fit as I go it is getting tougher with the low 19" dome i have to constantly measure with the it and wood template.

Here area some pics

[Gulf]

Re: gianluca's 42" oven build

GIANLUCA,
I am enjoying your low dome build. My original thoughts were to attempt to build one. I chickened out . I even built an adjustable turnbuckle IT. I built my arch first at it's longest setting to fit the inside of the dome. After clearing the arch I shortened the IT and played with one course. I found that it was too late to get any real benefit from it. Like Dennis, I think shortening the IT a little for each course would work fine. That is if the interior of the arch is scribed and cut to fit each course.

[GIANLUCA]

Re: gianluca's 42" oven build

I agree I think I will just shorten the IT about a 1/4 inch for the next two courses after then I will be at the 19" height.

Is the dust from the firebricks better than the fireclay I was thinking of given the dome a smooth cover of cement mixed with the dust b4 the blanket maybe a mixture of 2/1/1/1 instead of 3/1/1/1

[deejayoh]

Re: gianluca's 42" oven build

Yeah, I did the same thing you are doing with the wood form. If I had it to do over again, I would have built an IT with a turnbuckle, and shortened it by a crank or two for each course. It would require doing the math for angles separately for each course - but that's pretty easy with a spreadsheet.

[GIANLUCA]

Re: gianluca's 42" oven build

Climbed a little higher today it was very hot out and still is!! the IT is difficult to use without having a 1/2 diameter dome I had to use the wood form for the last row to put me back on track for a 19" high dome for a 42" oven I think I'll have to do a row with the IT then a row with the wood form.
Has anyone else ran into this issue???

[Gulf]

Re: gianluca's 42" oven build

Looking good!
I'm also thinking about how to keep the cal-sil dry? Maybe a coat of some kind of concrete sealer? But then again maybe I'm over thinking this, I tend to do that a lot...

Great point! I sweated tarps, tents, and roof overs to try and keep everything dry. I have seen where some have used cooking oil to help in keeping the CalSil from soaking up water from the brick mortar.

GIANLUCA,
From your last post, I am sure, that you have just given me and many other future builders a way to help justify the time and costs of the the build .
But, for me that means that I will have to crawl inside one more time, and carve a quote from the movie [B]Forest Gump[/B]

[GIANLUCA]

Re: gianluca's 42" oven build

Made some progress today here are some up to date pics,

oven is sleeping for the holiday!!

[Steellearning]

Re: gianluca's 42" oven build

Well the rain let up so I decided to push forward the tent goes up and on we go I laid the ceramic board squared the floor and transferred the floor so far so good. Maybe later I'll lay the first course

Looking good!
I'm also thinking about how to keep the cal-sil dry? Maybe a coat of some kind of concrete sealer? But then again maybe I'm over thinking this, I tend to do that a lot...