36" Pompeii Build, West Lafayette, IN

[dakzaag]

Re: 36" Pompeii Build, West Lafayette, IN

I doubt the epoxy rebar is necessary, just some block, or a few brick would be more attractive. I have a similar arch with no additional support and I have had no problems, but I am not sure I would recommend it for anyone else.

Inside the oven at the arch intersection, you can leave this area pretty rough because; A. the turbulence inside the oven will assist with more complete combustion and B. No one will ever see it so looks is not as critical. I see a lot of builds where they owner spends a bunch of time getting this to be a perfect intersection which is fine if that is what they want, but again it is not visible and does not help the function of the oven.

[Cubslover]

Re: 36" Pompeii Build, West Lafayette, IN

Hello all, I haven't updated in a while.

Between 60-65hr weeks at work and the sporadic rain, I haven't had much time to put towards the oven.

I have finished the rear landing arch and have tied the first 5 courses into the dome. I'm trying to figure out how I want to go about buttressing the landing walls without having a huge entrance.

For now, I will continue to work up the dome.

[DavidApp]

Re: 36" Pompeii Build, West Lafayette, IN

Hello

I see you are getting some more done.

This is how I did my entryway.

David

[Cubslover]

Re: 36" Pompeii Build, West Lafayette, IN

Hello all, it's been a while. Dakzaag, I saw your trailer oven tonight.

I accepted a promotion 6 weeks ago, which shoved me right into the flames of a massive expansion at work. I'm glad to be doing it, but it's cost me precious time on the oven. I want it done by the 4th which at this point doesn't seem attainable.

In any event, I've buttressed the arch opening. Framed up my flue, I need to shave bits and pieces to accept my chimney (8"X12" clay).

I've also tied in my 7th and 8th courses to the arch. The 9th should be the last of the "custom cuts".

The 9th course is well on its way as well.

[dakzaag]

Re: 36" Pompeii Build, West Lafayette, IN

Unless you were at my house, you didn't see my oven. Perhaps another oven?

[Cubslover]

Re: 36" Pompeii Build, West Lafayette, IN

My fault then.

I was at the softball fields on Salisbury and saw a truck with one on a trailer. Figured you were at kitchen art again.

[dakzaag]

Re: 36" Pompeii Build, West Lafayette, IN

Softball fields?

NINE
NINE
NINE...

no time for leisure when the oven build awaits...

Just kidding.



I have no immediate plans to have the oven out, but maybe this fall.

[Cubslover]

Hey everyone, I figured it's time for an update. I've closed in the dome (a week ago today) and lit a small paper fire to check the draw. I may have to extend the chimney or work on the inside of the flue a bit more. It was somewhat breezy when I checked the draw. When it was still or just a slight breeze you could watch the smoke swirl right up the flue, but when wind hit the chimney, it would smoke a bit out of the front. I'm going to call it a win and work on controlling the wind a bit. It must be the angle of the photo, but the chimney looks like it's angled back, it is pretty level, don't know why it looks that way. if I were to have to add another chimney section, how would I go about doing it?

I did use my IT, but not nearly as much as I thought I would. I pretty much checked the face of every 3rd brick with it and only had to use it to hold a brick a few times. Once I got to the 10th course or so, I used one of my daughter's toy balls to support the remaining courses, which went really quickly.

As far as finish work goes, I'm collecting materials now. We've completely changed our minds on how we want the finished product to work. We will be using reclaimed brick to finish the base with a stucco dome. A friend of mine has a 72x14x2 slab of limestone that was his mantle. I am going to try to set it down as my oven entry/counter-top. I reclaimed about 50-60 oversized "Boston Brick" stones from a friend's house last week. When I stopped by, he had also found a large carbon steel sheet. It's 51x31x 1/2" thick and weighs a couple hundred pounds. I'm currently planning on having a shop cut and square two doors from this sheet and I will mount them as doors to my wood storage. Combined with the reclaimed brick, I think it will look very cool.

[Cubslover]

My opening got a little oblong towards the vent landing, but I was able to shape it back in. Keystone turned out to be a strange shape, but it did the trick. Mortared it and tapped it home.

[Cubslover]

Here is a pic of the steel "Door" I picked up.

[Cubslover]

We had our first full firing/party Friday night. 3 pies and a 2.5lb salmon fillet.

turned out amazing and was so much fun to finally reap the benefits. I planned on getting the insulation set today, but just got called into work.

[Gulf]

Congratulations Cubslover,
It's great to finally enjoy the first food that comes out of all the hard work that you have put in to an oven, isn't it. The pies look delicious, and this is only the beginning .

[Cubslover]

Well, we've done 5 pizza parties, not a single pie has turned out less than amazing.

I laid the insulation a couple weeks ago and will be tidying it up and wrapping it in mesh today. Depending on how that goes, stucco may go on this evening.

I'm ready to be done covering it each night....

[gastagg]

Great job cubslover! You're just ahead of me...and I'm looking forward to finishing! This has gone on long enough!

[Cubslover]

Well, the oven is done. The Stucco I applied came out a couple different shades of white, so I may paint it this next spring if the colors don't blend together. I also, might stucco the inside of the wood storage opening....

It was a long, laborious build, but it was fun. If one were to ask if I'd build another; absolutely. The finishing has been the most fun. I've re-purposed some different materials for the finishing. Arch bricks are old Belgian bricks, the keystone was a couple POSTON BLOCK bricks I got from a friend, and the countertop was a limestone slab that served another good friend as a hearth to his fireplace.

We've used it many, many times now and it looks great on the patio.