Starting over

[thesharkbar]

Started all over against after not being happy with the big spacings between bricks as I got up further on my dome I've started all over again after being inspired by some of the great oven builds by other members pulled it all down and got the first course up today

[Novaslo]

Re: Starting over

Well I applaud your effort and desire to create a masterpiece. In the end gaps and extra mortar might look bad but they cooking assuming that the build is done right, should still be awesome.

Having said that, the part that you will look at and the part that your friends will be very awestruck about - is the inside of that dome. That is and will ultimately be the masterpiece.

Here are a few things that you should know about if if you are going to try and go mortarless for the inside of the dome or gapless. Its very hard to do but worth it in the end in my opinion.

You will need to learn about the angles on each course. Check this thread out:
Search the forums for DeeJayoh Spreadsheet Calculator
For some reason I can't paste the URL.

Next you will want to build a Jig -
Search for "Chipsters Jig"
This is a method utilizing a 2x6 to create a movable jig to help you get the angles on the brick that you will need to minimize mortar.

Finally check out this thread - 42 in Biuld underway in Central Alabama
This guy built a really fine dome. He used a series of hand made metal clamps to hold bricks in place as he climbed the dome. If you look at my build, I used fishing hooks and bricks as weights to hold my bricks in place.

Good luck and I hope this helps you.
Darin

[Toomulla]

Re: Starting over

Started all over against after not being happy with the big spacings between bricks as I got up further on my dome I've started all over again after being inspired by some of the great oven builds by other members pulled it all down and got the first course up today

I achieved a constant joint of less the 3 mm ( eighth of inch). I did start with taped bricks and set the diameter of the oven to suit that taper, this meant that I only had to cut the sides on a compound angle, which I then fitted by hand grinding with a diamond cup stone on a angle grinder. Generally I set a row a day

Cutting a taper both ways would be more difficult due to the width of the brick

[thesharkbar]

Re: Starting over

I'm still having mortar on the back just cutting once and getting the join with no gaps
Also only doing one course a day I don't have access to a brick saw
Will there be any problems with the wedges of mortar behind the bricks?
I can't seem to upload pics keeps telling me it failed

[thesharkbar]

Re: Starting over

Navaslo I've looked at the pics of your build well done looks great

[deejayoh]

Re: Starting over

I'm still having mortar on the back just cutting once and getting the join with no gaps
Also only doing one course a day I don't have access to a brick saw
Will there be any problems with the wedges of mortar behind the bricks?
I can't seem to upload pics keeps telling me it failed

You can get the join with no gaps on the first course. After that you need to taper if you want small mortar joints. You need to do a compound taper on each brick. My dome spreadsheet is linked in my sig but you will need to rent or buy a brick saw.

But as Novaslo points out, it will cook the same no matter how you cut the bricks. It's really just aesthetics.

[thesharkbar]

Re: Starting over

Thanks deejayoh
I really cant hire a saw for the price they want and the time I need it for, I working on a budget lol.
I'm managing to get no gaps on the inside of the dome so far so I'll just have to keep going like this.
I'm just concerned of the wedges of mortar in between each brick and under each brick wish I could post pics, posted one but keeps failing when I try and post them same pics of the same phone of the one it did post
By the way your outdoor area turned out great

[deejayoh]

Re: Starting over

Thanks deejayoh
I really cant hire a saw for the price they want and the time I need it for, I working on a budget lol.
I'm managing to get no gaps on the inside of the dome so far so I'll just have to keep going like this.
I'm just concerned of the wedges of mortar in between each brick and under each brick wish I could post pics, posted one but keeps failing when I try and post them same pics of the same phone of the one it did post
By the way your outdoor area turned out great

Thanks for the compliment

Wedges work fine. I used them on my first canted course, then tapered after that.

As far as the gaps go - you will start to get triangle gaps like this post talks about once you start canting the bricks inward.
http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f28/...html#post17629
They are not a big deal, but also unavoidable.

to post photos use the paper clip icon and upload them. Thats the easiest way to do it.

[thesharkbar]

Re: Starting over

Thanks again deejayoh
I have been using the paper clip icon but when it gets to uploading it, it takes a while and then says it failed

[Les]

Re: Starting over

Thanks again deejayoh
I have been using the paper clip icon but when it gets to uploading it, it takes a while and then says it failed

There is a limit to the size of pic you can upload - rescale until you make the limit.

[thesharkbar]

Re: Starting over

Finally I think I've sorted out the pictures
Thanks for the help guys
The first picture shows the wedges I'm talking about and the second one shows the inside joints
I've never did anything with bricks or cement before, but Im pretty happy so far
Ive noticed on most builds that the floor is layed and then the first course of bricks is around the floor, where as mine the floor is over the whole base and the first course of bricks on them is this ok to do it this way?

[Novaslo]

Re: Starting over

There is a limit to the size of pic you can upload - rescale until you make the limit.

On a Mac you can export out of iPhoto and resize to a smaller size. I am sure you can export in Windows to a smaller size and then it will work.

[deejayoh]

Re: Starting over

Finally I think I've sorted out the pictures
Thanks for the help guys
The first picture shows the wedges I'm talking about and the second one shows the inside joints
I've never did anything with bricks or cement before, but Im pretty happy so far
Ive noticed on most builds that the floor is layed and then the first course of bricks is around the floor, where as mine the floor is over the whole base and the first course of bricks on them is this ok to do it this way?

Its OK to do it either way but.. If I am looking at your pictures the right way I think I see an issue. Your oven floor looks to continue all the way out to the edge of your base. If that is the case, then you are going to have heat migrating out of your oven into those bricks that are outside of the oven. It's a big old heat sink. Not good for pizza, or for retaining heat in your oven. It's fine to build the oven on the bricks, but you need to cut them off at the edge of your dome and then insulate all around to retain heat

By the way - might I ask what you used for insulation under the floor bricks?

[thesharkbar]

Re: Starting over

Thanks Deejayoh for being the bearer of bad and good news, Just kidding glad you pointed it out to me
The bad news is that my floor does go out to the edge of my base and the good news is that thanks to your good pick up I caught it early enough to fix it before its too late
Under the floor tiles is a thin slab of concrete and under that is about 170 mm of decomposed granite compacted
I took your advise and today I cut and lifted the floor around the base
Very very scared that the vibrations would crack the mortar between the floor and the first course of bricks, luckily it didn't
what would you suggest as insulation?
I was thinking of forming it from the edge of the base and pouring a concrete and vermiculite base up to the and the same height as the floor bricks, does this sound all right?

[thesharkbar]

Re: Starting over

Deejayoh would the decomposed granite work or am I wasting my time
What should I use around the floor bricks now that I cut them?
Sorry for all the questions but I'm really confused now
Originally i was going to build a cob oven and the plans for that said to use decomposed granite and once i got the floor down then changed my mind and decided to use brick, I assumed that it would be the same lol
Im guessing that its too late now as I have already pulled it down once and running out of bricks i will have to soldier on