36" in DFW Area - Building the Oven!

[Texas]

36" in DFW Area - Building the Oven!

For cutting the arch bricks on the inside of the dome, we used this information as a guideline. http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/8/ac...d-16501-6.html post #53 and http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/51/n...-18249-20.html post #194 (picture he references is in the top left corner of the post).


Here is my attempt at describing what we did, as I do not have pictures of this part.
1. Put next arch brick in place with "mortar" wood joint spacer (i.e. popsicle stick or balsa wood).
2. use IT to mark the dome curve on top of the brick and side facing the bricks of the oven wall.
3. mark bottom of brick by tracing along the top of the brick below. Measure the Front to Back (F-B) of the inside arch side of brick below and mark measurement on bottom of brick. Since the top and bottom marks don't totally line up, we just started using 4" as our cut off point and it worked pretty good.
4. at the saw, use "magic wedge" from when cut off the side of original arch bricks to prop up the brick such that the wide, uncut edge of the brick is 90 degree to the cutting table (on the TDC brick, this edge is the top, for the others, it is the outside of the arch).
5. line up the IT marks on the top of the brick and cut. The mark will be curved, so line up the ends and not the middle.
6. use bigger wedge to prop up brick to cut off the extra at the bottom. Place bottom of the brick facing up and line up saw with measured mark and tracing. It will be quite an angle in order not to cut off any more of the top of the brick which is now facing down on the saw bed. Feed the "point that matters"" into the saw first. Point that matters is the one that was measured and will be the exposed corner of the inner arch.
7. Using small 90/level/metal ruler thing, mark a line 90 to the top cut that is 4 1/2" long. The 4 1/2" should but up to the outside edge of the brick.
8. We have been laying the brick on the side with the top side up and cutting like this. Will have to see if cutting at an angle causes problems later. (We kept cutting like this the entire time - except the TDC, we propped up )
here is a picture of what shape they were when cut - shown in place at left and right of inner arch, on top of the form. This is at layer 4. I did not take any pics of us doing the cuts on the saw. Sorry.

I think the important part of above, is laying the brick perpendicular to the saw surface....step #8, it was not perpendicular, but just laid directly on the saw cutting surface.

The links above are more helpful than my description!

[Texas]

36" in DFW Area - Building the Oven!

Picture #1 - The inside edge of the arch ended up being 4" after the first couple of rows. We started out marking the bottom of the arch brick with the top of the prior brick and using the IT to mark the top, but decided to make the arch more consistent and straighter cuts.

Picture #2 - Shows trapezoid shape of inner arch bricks

[Texas]

36" in DFW Area - Building the Oven!

Picture #1 - We would stay an arch brick (or two) ahead of the oven dome rows. After tying in a row, we would set the next arch bricks so they would be dry when putting on the next dome layer.

Picture #2 - Bricks cut to almost finish left side of arch. Sometimes we finished with the brick against the arch and sometimes did that brick, then finished a few from that brick. Depended on where the grout joints were to determine where the partial block should go to minimize joints lining up.

Picture #3 - Mortared one side of arch in place of dome row #3 (looks like 5 because of floor level and sailor level). Very important to use the level with the IT... easy to have the side next to the arch droop with just the IT because you don't have the inside corner of the brick being set to help hold it up. On the right side of the oven (as looking at the front of the oven), we had a slight droop that we had to correct between layers #4 and #5. I think we had a small droop at layer #3, then a small droop at layer #4 that then became more noticeable at layer #5. We did use the level when dry fitting, but didn't always use it when setting the brick... should have.

Picture #4 - After dome layer #4 (#6 looks like from outside because of floor layer and sailor layer), we finished the arch because layer #5 will go over the top of the arch. We still need to cut the TDC.

[Texas]

36" in DFW Area - Building the Oven!

Inner arch mortared in place!

[Texas]

36" in DFW Area - Building the Oven!

At this point, we decided to put some of the Econolite (insulation castable), 3" high to cover the insulation board edge so it didn't get messed up or knocked around as we built higher on the dome, more standing with toes sticking in the insulation was occurring. We mixed 1 3/4 cup water with 1 pound Econolite. Made 1 pound batches for coating the insulation board edges and used 3 pounds.

Mixed in a bucket with the spoon from the thrift store and applied with a trowel.

[Texas]

36" in DFW Area - Building the Oven!

Picture #1 - When we went over the arch, we ended up cutting off about half of the brick so that the bottom matched up with the top of the arch and the top was level with the rest of that layer. The top of the arch doesn't line up with an exact row, so by making the layer over the arch level at the top, the bricks over the arch need to be thinner. This layer (#5) didn't line up as well with the arch because we were adjusting for our droop. We got a little bit off on the top right corner of the arch, but it worked out for the next level. When setting the bricks next to the arch, be sure to use your level with your IT. Since the inside corner of the brick is not there, the IT can tilt some and still look right, until you go to the next layer. You can see what I mean about the layer over the arch being about a half of the height in the sketchup model http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f6/3...tml#post184276 layer #5 (Indigo - more like light blue!)

Picture #2 - We are over the arch (layer #5) and ready for the next layer (#6)!

Picture #3 - After layer #6 from the inside. You can see where we had to make an adjustment between layers #4 & #5 to re-level due to a small droop at layer #3 & #4. Layer #3 didn't quite line up with the arch on the left side of the picture as it did on the right side of the picture. Rather than have a large mortar gap, we trimmed a bit of the arch with the angle grinder. The picture makes it look like more that what it really seemed like.

[Texas]

36" in DFW Area - Building the Oven!

Picture #1 - Layer #7 - still using 4 1/2" for the bottom out side dimension. We did set the anchor brick, letting it dry overnight, as mentioned in several posts. We did use the wooden props, but found we could only do so many before there were too many sticks in the way. The last brick for the day just remained clamped in the IT. Not sure would use sticks if did another over.

Picture #2 - Layer #8 complete. Layer #8 used 3" outside bottom dimension and the original end to our IT. First brick of #9 mortared in place to dry to serve as an anchor brick. Layer #9 went to 2 1/2" bottom outside dimension and the IT end with 0.875 width.

Picture #3 - From the outside. Layer #8 complete, #9 anchor brick in place. Bricks for layer #9 cut and set on the base ready to be installed.

[Texas]

36" in DFW Area - Building the Oven!

Picture #1 - Layer #9 done - used 3" for the outside back measurement, with a couple of smaller ones to space out the joints.

Picture #2 - #9 from outside.

Picture #3 - cleaning and filling in from the inside. As additional courses were put on, the hole got smaller and it got darker inside to clean. Started taking a flashlight inside! I don't remember after which course he started cleaning from the inside because it was too difficult to reach in from the outside. My guess is around #7 or #8. We used one of the multi-position type ladders, set as a scaffold, topped with a board supported with a couple of 2x4's or such to angle the board closer to the oven entrance height. The board was supported by a 6"x 6" scrap piece of post laying on the oven base in front of the vent area so that it wasn't on the firebrick floor.

Picture #4 - #10 partially done, before cleaning.

[Texas]

36" in DFW Area - Building the Oven!

Picture #1 & #2 - Used a compass to measure opening and mark the brick to fill in the last brick for the layer.

Picture #3 - Layer #10 complete!

Picture #4 - Layer #10 from the outside.

[Texas]

36" in DFW Area - Building the Oven!

Getting ready for the plug! We cut two bricks in half and HeatStop50 the two halves together. We let these dry for about a week before cutting them. We actually cut them before layer #10 was complete, because we knew the hole was going to be bigger than one brick width and thought it would be easier to fit the final blocks as one unit than to try to fit two. We marked one side with O's to indicate the outside of the oven, so that when we were doing our markings it would be easier to keep track of the inside and the outside.

[Texas]

36" in DFW Area - Building the Oven!

Picture #1 - We took the bracket off the end of the IT and put on a weld nut and an extension from the cut off part of the rod. We put a piece of clear plastic over the IT and lined up the IT so that it is straight up from the floor. We then traced the hole opening onto the plastic with a marker. We identified two joints at about 90 degrees from each other to use as line up spots for both the top and the bottom of the plug, and marked those on the plastic.

Picture #2 - Here is another angle to show the plastic better.

Picture #3 - We used a magnetic level to help line up the vertical position.

Picture #4 - On the inside, we put a piece of cardboard (think cereal box) on top of the weld nut and marked the inside of the plug opening from the outside of the oven. Did not get a picture of that, but here is the weld nut on the end of the rod.... still at 18" distance like the brackets were.

[Texas]

36" in DFW Area - Building the Oven!

Picture #1 - copy of the tracing on plastic for the outside of the oven (the three colored holes can be ignored....) The hole in the middle is where the IT extension went thru.. when we used it, I had cut an X so that it fit tight over the threaded rod. I cut a circle when I put it in my scrapbook.

Picture #2 - copy of the cardboard tracing made by tracing thru the hole from the top onto the cardboard on the IT on the inside of the oven.

Picture #3 -
The markings were transferred to the prepared plug block. The center was marked with lines connecting the corners. The top/bottom templates were lined up with the identifying joints, one on a line, and one near a line. We cut off as much extra as possible with the saw, starting with straight cuts with the outside markings (widest part of the plug) up. It was then turned with the inside markings (narrow part) up and propped, so that we could cut off some more with the saw. The angle grinder was then used to shape the plug.

Picture #4 - The plug was then dry fit and the tight spots marked from both the inside and the outside of the oven. It was removed and the angle grinder was used to cut it down to the proper size, allowing for a mortar joint.

[Texas]

36" in DFW Area - Building the Oven!

Picture #1 & #2 - Finished plug! Left picture (#1) has the inside up and the outside down. The Right picture (#2) shows it with the inside of the oven down and the outside up (like it will go into place).

Picture #3 - The last dry fit of the plug before mortaring in place. My husband wrote a special message on the outside of the plug!

The dome is now done!!! On to the vent arch.....

[Texas]

36" in DFW Area - Building the Oven!

Vent arch - ours has a 1.5" reveal - cut 20 bricks into wedge shapes - wide side 2 3/8", narrow side 1 11/16". Then cut 10 of these wedges into 3" and 6" pieces (not exact, as bricks were not exactly 9" long, and varied a little in length). Vent arch dimensions are width = 22", radius = 11", total height = 13.5". Arch sits on a 2.5"x4.5"x 9" base brick to get total height (arch height = 11" +2.5" = 13.5"). The first brick is the regular 2.5"x4.5"x9" brick, then next 5 bricks are full length (approx 9") and are cut with the wide/narrow dimensions given above, with narrow side to the inside. Starting with arch brick #6, the front part of the arch is formed with the 3" deep bricks, narrow side in, forming a normal arch. The back part (closest to the oven) is formed with the 6" deep bricks, orientated with the wide side in and the narrow side out. This forms the vent opening. The vent (back) part of the arch uses 20 bricks total and the front arch portion uses 19 bricks total (including the first 5 bricks in the count of each part of the arch. Mortar joints were 1/8".

Picture #1 - Vent arch form test fit (actually made and tested it before the dome was finished)

Picture #2 - Vent arch form from another angle. Dimensions and information given in the jigs and forms section for the vent arch form. http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f28/...tml#post184289 post #6

[Texas]

36" in DFW Area - Building the Oven!

Picture #1 - Arch brick jig to help with angle mounted on a rented 14" saw. The larger saw can cut the brick at the desired angle in one pass per side..... way easier than with the 10" saw.

Picture #2 - To help line up the bricks in the saw, a center line was drawn on each end of the brick and the top and bottom of the brick. A template with the dimensions for the vent arch brick (2 3/8" wide side, 1 11/16" narrow side. 9" long) were traced on each end of each brick. 20 bricks were cut to these dimensions. We used the same technique for cutting the vent arch bricks that we used for the inner arch, except with the 14" rental saw, we could cut the entire side of the brick with one cut instead of half way then flipping over to cut the other half. After the center lines and template was marked on the front and back, the lines connecting the outside edges of the template were marked on the inside and outside of the bricks. We then propped up the brick on the saw and used the square to check that the cut was going straight thru the marking on the brick. This is done by holding the square against the side of the saw blade with the square on the top of the brick with the brick pushed up to nearly touching the saw blade. The square should lay right beside or on the marking the entire distance of the brick to be cut. To check that the brick is at the correct angle, the combination square was put on the deck of the saw and the 90 leg going up perpendicular to the saw bed would be parallel with the saw blade. We would make sure that the line marking the edge of the template was also perpendicular to the cutting table, so we knew the blade would cut at the desired angle. The tricky part is that adjusting in any direction requires all of the markings to be checked again. At least this time, we only had to line them up once for each side of the brick.

Picture #3 - Purple template on right is the one for the vent arch. We knew this was the correct size because of the foam core one made when doing the design. http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f6/3...tml#post184271

Picture #4 - The cut bricks were dry stacked, using balsa wood and popsicle sticks for mortar joints to make sure they would work for the vent portion of the arch. the bricks were moved into various locations to determine which order works the best. The first brick in each stack is un-cut (2.5"x4.5"x9"). This picture shows them as they will be forming the vent. We dry stacked them like this first to determine what order they fit the best. We then cut 10 of the bricks into 3" and 6" sections.