A New Journey

[the_dr_masuess]

Re: A New Journey

Well I finally got the block for my base out to the house. It took a long time and the stars to align so I could borrow a truck strong enough to haul and a trailer that could take the weight. Finally got it though. I've got the blocks layed out and my hammer drill ready to make some holes in the corners for all the rebar. Once the rebar is hammered in I'll stack the rest and start looking for a place that can do cement counter tops.

My friend that does cement has a pretty good hookup with counters and then I will stain them myself. I'll need them for the flanks of the Oven and the grill island and the bar. The pizza oven part I'll do on my own since I know it has to be able to withstand the weight.

[the_dr_masuess]

Re: A New Journey

Totally forgot to add these pictures of my block layout all assembled. Did it in Late Nov - early Dec. Haven't done anything since then. Too much snow out back. Hopefully I'll be able to fill a bunch of the cores and then begin forming the tops.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: A New Journey

You ever get those Americran Metalcraft peels I emailed you about at NPS?

[stonecutter]

Re: A New Journey

Those look like 6" cmu...is it? Looking good, you must be anxious for the thaw.

[the_dr_masuess]

Re: A New Journey

The blocks are 8x4x16 I didn't want to get 6" cmu's cause I didn't think they were quite wide enough for the stucture... and I always made all my drawings with 8 so it would have thrown my dimensions off if I used 6's... no I didn't get them... don't rub it in. If you see them again. Let me know I want them.

[the_dr_masuess]

Re: A New Journey

Alright guys so yesterday I decided that I have room for a bigger oven so... go big or go home right? Russell gave me his templates so those will not go to waste as I have convinced a friend to build an oven but... that means that I need to make larger templates. So yesterday I created my 48" oven templates. Russell has been nice enough to text with me about the dome but I was still confused. So I took another look at the dome Calculator and have some questions.

I realize that the height of the door should be about 15 3/4" according to the Dome Calculator but how wide does the inner arch door need to be?

Other question is about the inner Arch length... I'm trying to figure out what exactly the value means which the calculator document gives to me. It says it is 36.3. Can anyone explain this in more detail to me?

I have the IT created and the right length and my dome template is good it is just the arch that I am questioning.

My last question probably doesn't make a big difference either way you do it but I thought I would get everyone's opinion. When laying the first course of the dome should I put that course on top of the oven floor or should I cut the floor like the template and allow the first course bricks to lay on the insulation floor but stick above the oven floor? so pretty much sit on top or sit below?

[deejayoh]

Re: A New Journey

I realize that the height of the door should be about 15 3/4" according to the Dome Calculator but how wide does the inner arch door need to be?

That's really up to the builder. you can make it as wide or narrow as you like. The height is what will affect the performance of your oven - needs to be 60-65% of the dome

Other question is about the inner Arch length... I'm trying to figure out what exactly the value means which the calculator document gives to me. It says it is 36.3. Can anyone explain this in more detail to me?

That's more of an FYI than anything else, used for other calculations in the spreadsheet but not needed by the builder. FWIW, it's basically 1/4 of the circumference of your oven if it was a sphere. (48*pi/4)

[V-wiz]

Re: A New Journey

Bigger is not always better, ask yourself if you will be cooking alot of food and if you need all that room. You wont be able to make more than 3 pies at a time. My oven is 40 in, but if it was smaller i wouldn't mind

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: A New Journey

Loren,
If you put an enclosure around the oven, imo, put first course on top of floor and leave floor bricks proud. It will save alot of cutting.

[the_dr_masuess]

Re: A New Journey

Thanks for that definite info Deejay! I think then I'll use Russell's large template and and just put some 2x4's underneath to get me up to 15 1/2".

I will be enclosing it Russell, so I guess I'll just put it right on top so I don't have to make as many cuts.

V-Wiz I do understand what you mean. The biggest apple in the bunch doesn't always have the best flavor I do love to cook and entertain so I think I will go with the bigger even though I know it will take a bit longer to heat up and more to fire it probably. I guess for my first oven it is a risk I am willing to take.

Thanks Guys

[V-wiz]

Re: A New Journey

Sound good to me. Hope you enjoy it. I wish i could use my oven move often

[the_dr_masuess]

Re: A New Journey

Checked the 10 Day forecast and even though it is only January I'm going to set up the 20'x10' Canopy I picked up at NPS and get working since weather is set to be 40+ for the next little while.

[the_dr_masuess]

Re: A New Journey

It has been a while but the weather has been so nice the past couple weeks I have made some good progress on my big project. I've been helping friends with their projects too so it isn't going as fast as I want but helping others helps my budget stay on track. I finally got up the Canopy and it barely covers the whole entire width of my oven with the two counter top flanks. It has also been holding up to the high winds out in my neighborhood very well so I am very pleased with the canopy purchase at NPS. I paid $90 and it retails for $600.

I built the form for pouring the floor which the oven will sit on.

2 weeks ago I bought my cement mixer. I got the one at Lowes and it took about 40 min to assemble. It cleans out very easily and I heard since it isn't a steel drum the cement doesn't stick to it as easy and it works really well. Much better than mixing by hand. I poured about half of the cinder block cores.

This past weekend. I prepared all the arches with angle irons which will allow access underneath the counters. I put the form I made back in to place and stabilized underneath. I decided to use 3/4 inch flooring material and just run it all the way over the top of the cinder blocks when I pour the counter. I will have to cut off some of the wood with my sawzall when the concrete is set but I think that the extra stabilization of the cinderblocks is necessary when I'm building such a large oven. The dimensions of the middle slab will be about 79x79. I have been scavenging the new home sites in my neighborhood for rebar and luckily I haven't had to buy any new rebar since I bought rebar for my pad. I would have probably needed to buy $200 so thanks to them for discarding a lot of rebar.

Wednesday I'll be meeting back up with my concrete friend and we will mix and pour the main slab. That's when we will really be in business. I will be able to get everything else (the dome) started once we get to that point. Here are a couple pics of the progress...

Can't get my pictures attached right now... I'll do it later.

[ATK406]

Re: A New Journey

Hello Loren,
It sounds like you are planning to build a semi hemispherical dome (i.e a dome with a diameter of 48" and an internal height of 24"). I would recommend that you seriously consider lowering your dome height to around 21" (or less). This will help to brown the top of your pies (because the ceiling is closer to the floor).

If you look around at some of the really big ovens (I think there are a couple 60” & 80” ovens on this site), they are not hemispherical but have a “low dome” so the height of the dome is not the same as the radius of the floor. Your 48” oven isn’t as big as all that but I think you are pushing the limits of the hemispherical dome in terms of cooking efficiency. Lowering the dome will require an IT that has an adjustable length and a slightly smaller door opening but I think you'll find that isn’t a problem.

You wouldn't think it would make much difference but that is one of the mistakes I made. I started to build a 42” hemisphere on top of a ? bat rowlock course (I know I’m going to get corrected on this – I think this is sometimes called a soldier or ? soldier course). My dome would have been 25.5” high (21” hemisphere on top of a 4.5” ring) but I flattened it out and ended up with a 22.25” dome. Even with a live fire, I find myself lifting my pies up to the ceiling for the last 5-10 seconds to brown the top. I wish my dome were 2”-3” lower, I suspect that would make all the difference.

My only other advice is to put at least 3” of insulation under the floor and do lots of research on this site (look for a thread called “If you had the chance to rebuild your oven, what would you change” – that will give you somemore ideas to think about). Pay particular attention to the inner arch to dome transition. Good Luck with your build.

Regards,
ATK

[the_dr_masuess]

Re: A New Journey

Hello Loren,
It sounds like you are planning to build a semi hemispherical dome (i.e a dome with a diameter of 48" and an internal height of 24"). I would recommend that you seriously consider lowering your dome height to around 21" (or less). This will help to brown the top of your pies (because the ceiling is closer to the floor).
Regards,
ATK

Thanks for the suggestion ATK. You are right, I am planning on a 48" interior diameter oven. I haven't thought too much about lowering the dome from 24. My IT is adjustable if I need to come in a few inches that shouldn't be a problem.

What does everyone else think? Should I Lower the dome height? Would this cause any structural integrity issues for the dome if I go up to about 17" height at the 24" radius and then change the angles and only go up an additional 3-4" but span the rest of the dome? I would think this could cause weak spots in the top of the dome but I'm not the expert.

This also makes me think about the interior door. I believe the height of my inner arch for my dome size needs to be about 15.5" high (24*.63). Would I also lower the height of the inner arch?

Thanks for all your help and suggestions.