It's time to go Vertical

[RCLake]

Re: Bevel cuts necessary or not

RC, I've been watching your progress and am amazed. This is my 2nd post here ever so I'm quite new at this but it sure will help me build my 42" pompeii this spring. I have a few questions if you don't mind:

1)The FB downloadable free Pompeii plans don't really show beveling or tapering cuts. Are you doing this to reduce how much pricey Refmix is used?

2)Do I need to keep all the mortar joints at 3/8" or can they be as large as the 42" wide, 20" high dome naturally gives on the outside of the oven?

3) Is beveling recommended to keep as much mortar out of the design as practical?

I know I'll be making lots of interesting cuts at the keystone and arch but I'm curious about avoiding (yes, I'm scared really) of making tapered cuts.

Thanks, Dino

FOR SURE AND FOR CERTAIN read the advice offered on this forum and you won't go wrong. James has offered a tremendous place to convince everyone that they also can do this, including me.
To answer your questions all at once. I've done the bevel and angle cuts on the sides of the bricks to reduce the amount of mortar and also stay in the manufactures 3/8" limit. Another reason I felt good about, this should make each ring lock itself together for support. I use the word taper to describe when I cut the bottom of the brick at an angle - I've done this so I haven't had to raise the back of the brick up to much when I'm trying to get to a 20" ceiling height. Look at Acoma's thread and he has a tremendous build going on. He has used a larger gap initially and did question it during row 6. When he started to remove that row he found that the mortar had really set and decided to go on. I'm not that confident in the Heat Stop 50 I've been using so I'm thinking that RefMix may be a better mortar, though I haven't used it. If shipping wasn't such a factor I would have order it versus buying locally.

If you are getting a wet saw (10") you will find out that cutting these bricks at angles aren't scary at all. It's not like a wood saw at all, more like a grinder. Still be very careful - it is a motorized tool. Cutting the bevels through row 11 wasn't difficult at all, the last two rows being smaller bricks were interesting.

Be confident that you will be able to do all of this. So far the hardest physical part was pouring the hearth. The rest has been extreme enjoyment
Good Luck

[RCLake]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

I'd have to place mine in the rustic category.

Either or, but if I had a do-over I would have bought the HF saw, and tapered for a nice tight fit!

My 2 pennies!

Dave

I do have to agree, I started with my 7" wet saw and my miter saw, which worked ok but I took out the gears in the wet saw (lot of prior work). I got the 10" and it has really made things easier.

[Acoma]

Re: Bevel cuts necessary or not

Dino, I am not RC but I hope I helped with each question. See below.

RC, I've been watching your progress and am amazed. This is my 2nd post here ever so I'm quite new at this but it sure will help me build my 42" pompeii this spring. I have a few questions if you don't mind:

1)The FB downloadable free Pompeii plans don't really show beveling or tapering cuts. Are you doing this to reduce how much pricey Refmix is used?

Dino, the beveling is done to attempt eliminating the large gaps that you see with the inner face. You see these as upside down triangles. Also, it is done t bring in the gaps on the sides of the bricks as they meet. Some do it as well for the backs to bring down mortar use.

2)Do I need to keep all the mortar joints at 3/8" or can they be as large as the 42" wide, 20" high dome naturally gives on the outside of the oven?

Dino, your mortar joints can be whatever makes you comfortable. Many work to minimize joints and mortar, others don't care and just wish for functional oven. As for 20 inches, that is internal height, not external.

3) Is beveling recommended to keep as much mortar out of the design as practical?

This is for both mortar mimimizing and for looks. Less mortar, less gaps, more bricks.

I know I'll be making lots of interesting cuts at the keystone and arch but I'm curious about avoiding (yes, I'm scared really) of making tapered cuts.

What you want to do is get a hand full of your scrap bricks and practice with your wet saw when these moments come around. If this is your desire, but you are nervous, then patiently go through each step thoughtfully.

Thanks, Dino

[RCLake]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Well I consider myself moving on the Chapter 10 of the e-book. I haven't mortared the keystone in but I've cut it to shape. I'm thinking that should be the last item in the dome/vent build.

I have the WFO out in the open and I'm thinking I should have a good draw without a high chimney. Thinking about going with terra cotta flue liner but they seem to be pretty big. Who has gone that direction and what size was it?

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Thanks everyone for your great advice and I plan on taking all of it. I checked out HD website and I plan on getting a 10" wet saw. For $400 and a better job with less hastle, I can drink Two-Buck-Chuck for 1 month instead of $30 Pinot and buy the saw. It's all good with Pizza anyway, no? Off to read more Forum notes, Thanks everyone, Dino

[CanuckJim]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

RC,

Admittedly, mine is a barrel vault design, but I went with 7" round flue tile. I liked it from the start because it's male/female lipped and goes together snugly and quite a bit on the stable side. However, it can be hard to find and should not be confused with drain tile. The chimney, as I've said elsewhere, draws like a locomotive on steroids.

Jim

[RCLake]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Thanks everyone for your great advice and I plan on taking all of it. I checked out HD website and I plan on getting a 10" wet saw. For $400 and a better job with less hastle, I can drink Two-Buck-Chuck for 1 month instead of $30 Pinot and buy the saw. It's all good with Pizza anyway, no? Off to read more Forum notes, Thanks everyone, Dino

My brother's father in-law says it went to three-buck chuck in Arizona but he is a believer. You quote the HD website, I'm assuming it is Home Depot, I as alot of members have gone to Harbor Freight an bought one. I got mine with a two year warranty for $280 with blade. I won't say it is a top quality saw, but I've had no problems at all. I believe HD also has a chinese mft. making theres.

[Acoma]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Yes, Dino should save his money that he would spend on the HD wet saw, go buy the HF wet saw, and use that difference on the Refmix

[mfiore]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Dino,
Buy the cheaper saw and drink better wine than the two buck (three buck in my state) chuck. Life is too short for bad wine (as it is for bad pizza).

[gjbingham]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Hey RC,
I was just thinking (yes, I know, a rare of often ill-fated activity).........
I think you need to rename this thread "Its time to go horizontal" Is that keystone in yet?
G.

[RCLake]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

The keystone is cut and ready, I'm thinking I'll mortar that in when I'm done with the vent area. But you are right the thread is almost up. I was thinking either It's time to Cure or It's time to burn food. We'll see.

[gjbingham]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

The arch only takes a day, unless you haven't yet built a form for it yet, or the vertical arch walls. The hard part is letting it sit for a week before you take the form out. I only lasted 6 days.

[RCLake]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

The arch only takes a day, unless you haven't yet built a form for it yet, or the vertical arch walls. The hard part is letting it sit for a week before you take the form out. I only lasted 6 days.

The week will work for the time to let the mortar hydrate. I'm still thinking about the vent, I think I'll go with a flue. Our kids have Monday off from work so we'll be in Dallas until then. Maybe I can find a flue that is not to big.

My guess is that the arch vent opening will be 6"x10" and I'll want a flue a little bigger. So far what I've seen are a lot bigger. Wish me luck shopping.

[dmun]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

The standard refractory flue tile sizes are 8*8 and 8*12. The former is what you want for an oven, the larger is for fireplaces. They make a 12*12 flue tile, but I don't know what for, hunting lodge size fireplaces, no doubt. The sizes are exactly wrong: code calls for a half an inch of space between the outside of the flue tile, and the inside of the masonry structure, and that means lots of brick cutting to get the chimney to the right size. (Or a much bigger chimney than code calls for).

I built an elaborate funnel out of the flue tile material:



If I did it again, I think I'd just fudge one up out of firebrick, splits if I was short of space.

[sarah h]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Hi RC - great work on that oven - is it just me or does it seem to have gone up fast?! Maybe it seems that way if you're not the one working on it !
I'm way behind on your and everyone's progress but I'm glad I haven't missed the keystone. I see you have it cut tough - does that mean you've now completed all the rows? It looked from the pics I saw like you still had a row or two to go but maybe I missed something ... either way, won't be long now!

Sarah