Randy's dreams do come true oven build

[RandyJ]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

Well I got a few more hours today to work on my base. I got my form for my arch done and installed. I also got my supports and cement board put in place. I also got the form boards for the slab in place as well, but it was to dark to get a picture. My slab is going to be 5" thick to help make up for the fact I dry stacked my block and I am sitting a little low. If I add a 8x16x1.5 then I will be about 43.5" to my cooking floor. I now need to get to bed as I volunteered to work a shutdown tomarrow after I work all day. Nothing says tired like a 16hr day. But I will have Wednesday off so I am hoping to get my slab poored then. I just need to get my rebar in then to be ready.

Randy

[Gulf]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

Same here I think I could use the area under the oven as a tornado or bomb shelter should the need arise. And if someone wants something else where the oven is (in the future of course) they may need a bobcat mounted jack hammer to break it up.

My dog is very smart. Or at least as afraid of the weather as I am. When it thundered, that is where he went. Until, I enclosed the wood storage .

[Gulf]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

Randy,
This is my two cents. After adjusting for inflation, I know that is not very much . The older that you get, or the more hours that you spend in front of the oven, the more you will appreciate an "Ergonomic" heighth for your oven floor. Mine is a little higher than elbow heighth.

Get some cardboard boxes, do a mockup, (of your intended floor heighth and arch opening) and test for yourself what is your "ergonomic heighth".

just sayin

[mrchipster]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

Yes I wish we could send smells and maby samples through the net that would be great. Yes I too tied my base in to the slab with rebar. I figured it would not hurt. I feel bad for who ever decides to tear it out in the future. It will be pretty tough with all the rebar. I will shoot for around 44 to 45 inch hight on the cooking floor. I am 5' 11" tall so that should be about right I think.

Randy

Same here I think I could use the area under the oven as a tornado or bomb shelter should the need arise. And if someone wants something else where the oven is (in the future of course) they may need a bobcat mounted jack hammer to break it up.

[RandyJ]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

Yes I wish we could send smells and maby samples through the net that would be great. Yes I too tied my base in to the slab with rebar. I figured it would not hurt. I feel bad for who ever decides to tear it out in the future. It will be pretty tough with all the rebar. I will shoot for around 44 to 45 inch hight on the cooking floor. I am 5' 11" tall so that should be about right I think.

Randy

[DavidApp]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

Hello Randy

My cooking floor is at 43.5"

The 8" x 16" x 1.5" sound fine.
I did tie my base to the slab with rebar but that is probable overkill.

I have a pork shoulder cooking at the moment. A pity it is not possible to share the smells as the oven is opened. It is not like opening a regular kitchen oven.

David

[RandyJ]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

Hi David are you saying that the cooking floor is at 43.5" or your slab top is that high? I could always just get some of the 8"x16"x1.5" patio blocks and space up a little and poor an extra inch on the slab to bring it up a little or does that sound like a bad idea. I need to get some real numbers as I just dry stacked my bas and core filled it. Just got it done yesterday.

Randy

[DavidApp]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

Hello Randy

My hearth is 43 1/2" and I find that a good height to work for me. I am 5' 9" but I do find that I have to duck down or step back a bit to see to the back of the oven as the entry arch obstructs my view. The entry way arch is 57"at the center. The entry way comes to within 5 1/2" of the front of my stand so that has a bearing on my view.
I agonized over the height for some time, In fact I bought some 1/2 blocks to use for the stand but I thought that would have been too much. I ended up with 4 blocks, 1/2" mortar joints and spacing the slab up about an inch.
Hope that is some help.

David

[RandyJ]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

Good point David. How high is yours?I am figuring that mine will be about 42.5" to the oven floor do I need to did another inch or two if I go this route?

Randy

[DavidApp]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

Hello Randy

Remember that if you go with 4" of Fiber board instead of 2" Fiber board and 4" of vermiculite your hearth will be lower.

David

[RandyJ]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

Hey Joe thanks for the response. I am sure there is not much to worry about on the squish factor. I sometimes pick obscure things to worry about. I also know that I will be going into the zone of diminishing returns. That is fine with me. I want to make sure that I will have good heat retention. So I think I am going to do the 4" of ceramic board insulation. I do have time constraints. As I have a 9 month old son and I don't want to miss out on him growing up. So if I can cut out a few weeks for $100 dollars then I feel that is a good trade. And will be well insulated.

As for the lazy Susan I am going to do some more thinking about that. I can definitely see the advantages of it. So I need to try to figure out what all I want to keep out at the oven and just how to store things to make sure that everything does not get affected by the weather.

Randy

[Gulf]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

Steve,
Yes, the lazy susan does have a lot of potential. I have built several from scratch, and installed a couple of kits. But, all have been in kitchen cabinet corners or island bars. They help turn a hard to reach area into a very handy space. I have been giving that idea a little more than a casual thought. Though, it would be much easier to build it in to the origional stand construction, one could be retrofitted. Octagan or round, either would be more space efficient, than the drawer style that I built.

Randy,
I have only noted one builder relating to vermiculite "squishing out" if it is not properly contained. Though many, including myself, have advised to protect it's brittle corners during the build. And, it is commonly accepted that two inches of ceramic fiber board or calcium silicate are equal to about four inches of V or P crete. If time is a factor and money is not, doubling the board is fine. I did not coin the term but, there is a point of "diminishing returns" when it comes to insulation. If money is a factor, you may not get all that much more performance out of two layers of 2" board insulation, than two layers of 1?” board insulation.

just sayin

Joe

[DavidApp]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

Hello Randy

I do not know about the vermicreete squishing out but the edge is fragile so it need some protection during the build as does the Fiber board. I cast 2 vermicreete blocks to go under my entryway pillars. I found that they were about 1/4" too high and I had to use the angle grinder to cut them down to size. I used a 5:1 ratio and cast them in a wooden form.
I gather that the fiber board has a higher insulation value than vermicreete.

David

[RandyJ]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

Thanks David and Greenman I appreciate your knowledge and experience. I do understand that the week is not a huge deal either way. But I know people have voiced concerns about the vermicreete wanting to squish out from under the oven if you don't have it properly contained, and if that is the case if I did 4b of ceramic board insulation if it would be as good or better than that seams like a good plan. I thought I heard that the board was twice as good a insulator as the vermicreete. So it would take less time and be as good or better and more stable.

Randy

[Greenman]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

This Lazy Susan conversation has a lot of potential! How about an octagonal one with wedge shaped removable bins (with or without lids) to cater for various grades of burning material and bits and pieces of equipment. A shallow shelf under the slab could hold the longer things.

Might be a lot more potential than a casual thought reveals.

With the insulation, if money is no object then there are plenty of shortcuts. The reality is that a week here or there in the construction of something that is built to last a very long time is nothing much.

Good luck with your build.