42" build in Central Texas

[deejayoh]

Re: 42" build in Central Texas

I used a jointing tool on the backs of my bricks. A good $5 spend for an amateur mason IMHO.

You should cover up the bottom of your oven before you get too far. You will have a lot of mortar dropping there + other stuff that will beat up the bricks.

[texman]

Re: 42" build in Central Texas

GAC
Good Looking start. You definitely want to watch the stagger. Cut 4-5 bricks at a time instead of the whole course and adjust to avoid the line up of the vertical joints. I would fill the voids at the back as you go.

If memory serves, you want an opening height of 60% of dome height. So 20" height is 12" opening. I would also get a clamp to use with your IT to hold the brick, very handy.

Texman

[GarnerAC]

Re: 42" build in Central Texas

Thanks for the tips so far. I only had to trim a 1/4" or so Tom. May have to work tomorrow so I slaved away today. I felt a little sloppy as I began but improved as I got the feel for it. Made a jig to cut 5 degree angles. A couple of vertical joints lined up , will keep them to a minimum from here on out (hard!) Wish the bricks had cleaner edges but I know, it probably doesnt matter in the end.
Questions:
The small voids in the backside bug me. Do i plug them with mortar now or wait till its all done?
Any advice on inner arch height? It's a 21" dome (I may drop it to 20"),with a 20" wide entry

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: 42" build in Central Texas

GarnerAC,

Tscar gave me this exact same advice when I did my build. Dry fit never really fits once the mortaring starts. So it is really better to spread the adjustments over several bricks and avoid what Tom calls potato chip bricks. Everything is looking good. 4" of CaSi should make you golden. Good luck.

[Tscarborough]

Re: 42" build in Central Texas

It looks like the insulation was fine without a leveling mortar. What you will find, when you begin mortaring the first course down is that the keystone brick will no longer fit. Instead of making it smaller, since it is already at the 1/4 unit limit, cut the 3 adjacent units to fill the gap when you come to it. That is to say, begin laying on both sides from the entry and then cut to fit the last three brick. Normally, it is better to pre-cut all but the last 2 or 3 brick, then cut to fit. They never work on a total course pre-cut (unless you are Les).

A pleasure to meet you today, it looks great!

edit-Unless you need the excess brick at the front outside of the oven for structural support of the chimney, I would trim them down some, but still no less than 1/4 of a full brick.

[GarnerAC]

Re: 42" build in Central Texas

Made some progress today. Drove up to N. Austin and picked up some bricks from Tom (Tscarborough) at MPI. Tom really knows his trade! Im using Boylantas floor layout because I liked his angled entry and arch layout.
I decided to set my dome on the floor. Just seems more structurally sound. The weight distribution on the rather soft Insulation board is spread more evenly. Ive got 4" of insulation underneath, so I cant imagine much, if any heat loss. Thanks Tom and Todd for the advice.
Any advice or critiquing is welcome.

[Kemo]

Re: 42" build in Central Texas

thanks for posting! I really like the hardi-backer idea. I will find this usefull on my next build which I hope to do sometime next year in Wimberley.

[jbruning]

Re: 42" build in Central Texas

Looking good! Although it is usually possible to correct issues as you go, starting out level (or plumb) is a much better approach. This should be beneficial. How consistent is your FB? I used 2 inch material and found some variations which needed to be dealt with.

[GarnerAC]

Re: 42" build in Central Texas

Decided a few things over Saturday. I mortared down 1/2 Hardi-Backer to give me perfectly level real estate. The concrete top had some 1/4" low spots due to the concrete slowly settling into the block voids. I would have done a better job with this had I had a helper that day. I think this will be good and give me another 3/4" height on my floor which will be 43" after going with 3" of FB insulation. I also laid out the Oven just for my own envisioning.

[texman]

Re: 42" build in Central Texas

GAC
It did add some challenge while building. I spent most of my build standing on the concrete base bent over to lay brick and climbing up and down up and down, up and down (you get the point). Actually, the higher base was better in the build because I did not need to bend as far to reach the floor since my feet were below the floor level.

I would measure the height of your elbows to feet in a comfortable stance and see what that is. Should be close to comfortable. Many folks do the phantom pizza peel and decide what is comfortable by feel and use that as their height. I am not trying to make a BIG deal about this, but once you start setting dome, you are committed.

Also, get that saw and brick as close as you can to you base-less steps.

Texman

[GarnerAC]

Re: 42" build in Central Texas

Im currently at 37" to the top of my pedestal and was thinking a 43" oven floor. 3" of insulation plus a sandwiched Hardiboard 1" up from concrete is my current plan. Subject to change at any moment. I'll have to read that thread. 47" seems really high, especially while building it.

[texman]

Re: 42" build in Central Texas

the hardibacker might be ok sandwiched since it wont get the full heat of the floor. But i really dont think you need it. It isn't made to stand the heat and that FB board will work. I worried about it too and many builders assured me and they were right. I remember one guy stacked about 20 bricks straight up to see if compressed and it held.

How much floor insulation are you planning?

Have you given any thought to the finished height of your cooking floor ?
One of the things in the thread "what would you do different if you did it again?" was more floor insulation and higher cooking floor height. I am 5'11" and added vermicrete base on top of the slab and FB board over that to get a cooking floor height of about 47" (i think) Makes the oven really stand out and easier to work and more fun to watch since you can see easier plus the added benefit of more insulation.

Texman

[GarnerAC]

Re: 42" build in Central Texas

Welcome and thanks for sharing your build. Post lots of pics and tell your son thanks for his service from me.

I had the same apprehension about the FB board, but rest assured it is good to go. See Les's thread where he drove his truck over it. Great looking sight for your build and plenty of heat for you in Kyle-probably good for a hvac business!

Texman

I have a box of Insul 19 Fiber Board in 1". Any thoughts about sandwiching a slab of 3/8 Hardi-Backer board between 2 pieces of FB? Might spread the load around?
Thinking out loud.......

[texman]

Re: 42" build in Central Texas

That finish looks good-no worries. I bet you shed a couple pounds in the heat doing that. That will come in handy later when the cooking starts. That is deserving of some cold adult beverages.

texman

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: 42" build in Central Texas

A lot of mud for one person to pour and finish. Now the real fun start. Good luck.