Imperfect Dome

[hubert_s]

Re: Imperfect Dome

I second that. If you can copy the gorgeous arch Hubert built into his oven, you're golden. If you plan to skip building an arch completely and just rely on the dome bricks to maintain the opening, you're playing with fire.

Thanks for the compliments. I learned most of what I know about oven building from reading your fantastic build thread, along with the many other detailed threads explaining how to do this.

[SandySpringsPizza]

Re: Imperfect Dome

Thanks for the advice. For some reason can't upload a pic of my current state of progress. If you have any pictures of how you tied the dome and arch together, I'd like to see them.

Did you use angle iron or just a flat lintel? If so, did you mortar the arch brickes to the dome bricks over the opening?

Thanks,

[hubert_s]

Re: Imperfect Dome

Mark,

I do not have any close up pictures. I did not use a lintel but built the arch with a form made of two pieces of half inch OSB spaced apart by 2x4s. You can see the start of the arch in the attached picture. The arch brick on the left side should give you a good idea of how they are tied into the dome. I believe GianniFoccacia's build thread has some details.

The procedure sounds complicated, but is quite simple. Set the full brick in place and find the point where the outer radius of the dome intersects the brick and draw a straight line from that point to the center of the dome. Then, trace the inner radius onto the face of the brick. This gives you two cut lines. Repeat on the other side of the brick. Depending on the orientation of the brick, the cut lines might be quite a bit different on the two faces if you draw them out like that. In that case, you need to cut them at an angle to the face of the brick. That was only required for one pair of bricks in my case, all others were within 1/4" between the two faces and I split the difference.

After you build your arch that way, you just cut the dome brick that will meet the arch brick at whatever angle the arch brick requires for a tight mortar joint. I used the saw for one pair of bricks and the angle grinder for the rest of them since they did not need much material removed.

Good luck.

[SandySpringsPizza]

Re: Imperfect Dome

I may be closer than I thought. I have built the arch frame just as you have. Where I got hung up was using the lintel. You're using the arch to support the dome bricks above the arch. That answers my question.

Thanks

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Imperfect Dome

From GF's thread, pic worth a thousand words

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/8/oc...tml#post119582

[SandySpringsPizza]

Re: Imperfect Dome

You've helped me, again.

Thank you.

[hubert_s]

Re: Imperfect Dome

I may be closer than I thought. I have built the arch frame just as you have. Where I got hung up was using the lintel. You're using the arch to support the dome bricks above the arch. That answers my question.

Thanks

That's correct. The picture Russel linked to explains it much better than everything I wrote.

Make sure you have a way to drop the arch form when you are done with the arch. I propped mine up with a 2x4 and a few shims to level and then put a couple shims on the sides to secure it in place.