A New Journey

[the_dr_masuess]

Re: A New Journey

Well guys with my front yard and sprinklers everywhere done, I started on the layout this last weekend. Got everything leveled out, went and picked up 2 truck bed loads of gravel (I have short bed Tacoma so it took 2 loads), Picked up a few 2x6's at various lengths and if everything goes well I should be able to have my foundations poured on Saturday. We are also doing a housewarming party that day so it is perfect timing to show people the project I've been working on and talking about. All I have to do before the pour is re-route the electrical to the main structure and then put a junction box so I can run another conduit back in to the grill island.

It is exciting progress for me. Next week (after I get paid) I can probably get my block ordered. So far the best price I have found is $1.84 for an 8x8x16 paint grade cinder block from a local place called buehner block. I don't know what the difference is between paint grade and standard. Does anyone know?

So I've included my sketch up drawings (these include the exact block number I will need) and my concrete pour prep pictures. Tell me your thoughts and Ideas/suggestions as always but so far I think I'm on the right track. (the concrete will of course be rebar reinforced when I pour) My truck is dirty from offroading last week... another fun hobby

[the_dr_masuess]

Re: A New Journey

There will be a fridge in the grill island. I've been trying to figure out how to integrate a sink. I'd have to add on to my grill island or put it on one of the sides of the pizza oven. I ran a main line out there when I ran the sprinklers so I could have a sink... but I'm not sure where I would drain to. I will have to look in to that a little more.

[stonecutter]

Re: A New Journey

Fridge and sink?


Looks like a nice layout!

[deejayoh]

Re: A New Journey

Your back yard is bigger than my whole lot!

[the_dr_masuess]

Re: A New Journey

Here is the idea with the Pergola and the built in table ... I'm planning to do a large rectangular farmhouse table but this round one had to do.

[the_dr_masuess]

Re: A New Journey

Well it's been a while since I have dedicated any time to this but it has been for good reason. I was able to do all the sprinklers in my yard and lay the sod in my front, plant a few trees, build a boulder retaining wall and fill all the holes in the back yard (.5 acre) so now I'm ready to start the project.

During my relax time I threw together a 3D rendering of what I'm looking to do. This picture is missing the pergola over the whole thing but what are your thoughts of the plan?

For those following me... I decided to put the oven a bit away from the house in the far corner of my lot and integrate my grill island and create an entire space for outdoor entertaining.

I'd love to hear some thoughts and suggestions.

Thanks

[the_dr_masuess]

Re: A New Journey

Well I have put the oven on hold for now. I hope to do the base before the winter but I probably can't start the dome till next spring. I have too much to do in the yard with sprinklers and what not right now but I'll post updates for all my oven related activities.

[the_dr_masuess]

Re: A New Journey

Loren,

That's alot of cutting. Before you cut too many, see how many lower courses you can just cutting the 9.5" depth in half. The angles are less severe on the first few course and you may not need to do alot of fancy dissecting of the "big bricks". The darker brown bricks I gave you I believe are 3" thick so maybe work them in the second phase of the course then you can see how many big bricks you need to rework to the 2.5" thickness. You can also use smaller taper bricks (the light tan) as well in the upper course IMHO. It is like a jugsaw puzzle, sometimes you need to step back a few feet and look the the big pic.

Yeah I was thinking about just doing the first 2 courses by just cutting the large bricks in half and using that and then using the Smaller ones we'll see... I have quite a lot more to do before I even start thinking about the dome so these really were just tests to see if it could be done. the option of a large chop saw is good. I have a friend who is a professional mason so I might hit him up to see if he has a 14" chop saw that he might let me use for a day or something.

[the_dr_masuess]

Re: A New Journey

Did you consider renting a cut-off saw for those big brick? You could really rip through them faster than with the table saw.

Thats a good Idea. I'll have to look in to that

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: A New Journey

Loren,

That's alot of cutting. Before you cut too many, see how many lower courses you can just cutting the 9.5" depth in half. The angles are less severe on the first few course and you may not need to do alot of fancy dissecting of the "big bricks". The darker brown bricks I gave you I believe are 3" thick so maybe work them in the second phase of the course then you can see how many big bricks you need to rework to the 2.5" thickness. You can also use smaller taper bricks (the light tan) as well in the upper course IMHO. It is like a jugsaw puzzle, sometimes you need to step back a few feet and look the the big pic.

[stonecutter]

Re: A New Journey

Did you consider renting a cut-off saw for those big brick? You could really rip through them faster than with the table saw.

[the_dr_masuess]

Re: A New Journey

MK blades are great and you should get through the whole build with only one. Let the saw do the work and don't push the brick through too hard....#1 mistake I see during wet saw use.

I've heard great things about them. The black blade was a bit pricey and is supposed to be for refractory brick and the other blade was a $25. Of course I started with the more expensive blade and it cut very nicely. Didn't have to force it at all.

The only issue I've seen is that I have monster blocks so it takes about 4 passes to get the bricks to their intended use size which is about 4.5x2.5x9.5 or half of what they currently are. If I remove the water guards on the saw I could probably do it in 2 passes which would save a considerable amount of time and block turning.

Here is a picture of the half size blocks next to an uncut monster block.

[stonecutter]

Re: A New Journey

The blades just got here today. I hope they perform well I may cut a few today just as a test. More to come...

Is the one one the right a dry cut blade?

EDIT: Nevermind,...I see that it is a gen purpose, wet/dry.

[stonecutter]

Re: A New Journey

MK blades are great and you should get through the whole build with only one. Let the saw do the work and don't push the brick through too hard....#1 mistake I see during wet saw use.

[the_dr_masuess]

Re: A New Journey

Had to edit the code of the website within Chrome to remove the picture... Looks like it is back to normal. I'll have to adjust the image size if I want to imbed the image again.