Versachi's 42" oven!

[Versachi]

Ok here is the official start to my oven. I posted a couple of pics a while ago but I decided for a new thread to keep in line with what others have done.

I am fortunate enough to have a brother in law with some equipment (bobcat and a plate compactor) who came over and did the excavation and left me the compactor to use. Wish he had a cement truck!

The soil in my yard is quite sandy so we just took the topsoil off and then I added a few truck loads of granular A. I took a couple of laps around the pad each time I put 6-8 inches of gravel to get it good and solid. In total I have 16-18 inches of granular with plenty of sand below it. With the frost we get in my neck of the woods I definitly need the ground around the slab to be free of water when winter comes.

The photo's don't show it very well but the form is above grade by a couple of inches. I used some spare 2X6 across the top to keep it square when I move it around and stake it.

Yes that is my garden in the background! When people ask me why my garden is so big I tell them that " when you rent a tiller from home depot for 4 hours and you have an italian wife, she wants you to use it until it runs out of gas or you run out of time." Heaven forbid that it go back to HD with some gas in it or 20 minutes left on the clock

Cheers, John

[Versachi]

Re: Versachi's 42" oven!

Got my slab done this weekend. Did it the lazy way. Lafarge and a bobcat. Nice day. Can't wait to start laying some block!

Cheers, John

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Versachi's 42" oven!

Excellent start! I want a garden that big! And a gardener to weed it for me!

Drake

[ihughes]

Re: Versachi's 42" oven!

Drake you're right about the gardener. I have a garden as big as that and wish I could afford a gardener every day, although a brother-in-law with a bobcat is pretty good.
John, nice work on the slab. A good foundation is the perfect start.

cheers,
Ian

[Versachi]

Re: Versachi's 42" oven!

Got my block stand up this weekend and filled the cores. Poured the hearth slab yesterday (no pics of that yet). Tommorrow will be the vermiculite pour. I am just wondering if I will be the most northern Forno Bravo member or is someone here from the north pole

Cheers, John

[Versachi]

Re: Versachi's 42" oven!

Going up with some recycled brick that I got off an addition that we did last fall. I figured I would practice my brick cutting skills on the outside brick before I started the dome. My number one helper doesn' understand what we are building but he does know that when it's done pizza will come out of it.

John

[wlively]

Re: Versachi's 42" oven!

Great looking brick work so far. Look forward to seeing the finished product.

[Ken524]

Re: Versachi's 42" oven!

My number one helper doesn' understand what we are building but he does know that when it's done pizza will come out of it.
John

How long did your helper have to hold up that arch before the mortar set??

Thanks for posting the pics! I'm getting so fired up, I'm going to get my tiller out tomorrow and start digging my foundation.

Ken

[Versachi]

Re: Versachi's 42" oven!

Layed out the dome floor. I was able to set them faily level with few ridges or gaps. I am planning on using camarina's oven as a template for mine. I like the arch he build for his opening. I plan on trying to make a double notch in my arch to allow for both an oven door and an outer draft door as it gets cold here in the winter.


Cheers, John

[james]

Re: Versachi's 42" oven!

Very nice. This looks like a round floor, with the dome set direct on the hearth, around the floor. Eccellente.
James

[Versachi]

Re: Versachi's 42" oven!

Just posting a few pics of my progress over the last couple of weeks.

Cheers, John

[RTflorida]

Re: Versachi's 42" oven!

nice work.....keep it up, your on a roll.

[Mr_Steel]

Re: Versachi's 42" oven!

John

Looks great very nice work, very insparational to see a fellow Canadian making an oven. I'm planning a spring start to my oven since fall is comming and don't see me having time this year. But very much looking foreward to seeing your's and getting some idea.

Mark

[dmun]

Re: Versachi's 42" oven!

Just out of curiosity, what's the dark gray mortar? Are you using Ref-mix?

Great looking work, btw. It's good to see the pre-built entry arch idea being adapted.

[Versachi]

Re: Versachi's 42" oven!

I figured it wouldn't take long before the sharp eyes around here asked what kind of mortar I was using. I must confess to using a premix mortar . I know that it is taboo but I talked it over with my supplier and I tried a pail and was happy with it. Time will tell how good the bond is but 2 days after building my arch I was able to stand on it without any hesitation. The mortar is made by Vesuvius in Canada and I can get it in a 55 pound pail.

I felt making the arch first and letting it set would allow me to work around it without bumping into it or moving it while trying to set the dome bricks. I took that idea from Carmarina's build.

Cheers, John