39 inch Corner Build

[JRPizza]

Yes, I tapered bricks for all my arches. It was kind of a pain but I think it just looks better. See my post #130 for how I cut the and some more discussion back I think in post 23. I have a 10" saw and had to make two cuts per side, but when I set up my jig, I made two cuts on each brick, fat side towards skinny side, then reset my jig and made two more cuts, skinny side towards fat. I can help walk you through it more if you want.

[Larry P]

JR, did you taper the bricks for your outer arch? I was just looking at doing that and my 10" wet saw is not nearly big enough to taper the 4.5" edge of the brick. I guess you raise the blade and do multiple passes?

[George_M]

I saw your photos from the begining.
Good job!

[JRPizza]

Spent a little time cutting the inside radius on some bricks to frame in my vent transition. I highly recommend buying a large compass for doing oven layout. I bought what Harbor Freight calls a 12" locking wing divider (7.99) which has a means to attach a pencil. I used this to lay out my forms for inner and outer arches, and to lay the curves for any bricks I needed to cut, except the floor bricks where I used my IT. I found if I mark the radius on both sides of the bricks, I can cut (with my 10" saw) from both sides in multiple passes, and get very close to a net cut, This leaves a triangular high spot in the middle due to blade curve, which I knock down with a masonry disk in my 4" grinder, while I am cleaning up any deviations along the outer edges. This might be overkill, but I wanted a uniform mortar layer. I just hope I can get them placed where I want them to go. I wish I had started earlier last year so I could have completed my brick laying without an extended break. My mortaring skills got rusty over the winter but I'm starting to get a feel for mortar consistency and technique for laying it down in uniform layers (sort of).

[JRPizza]

Mortared in the rest of the serpentine vent arch, so now need to cut bricks for the transition to the chimney. I think it came out pretty well, not counting my poor mortaring skills...
The vent is about 9.5 by 6.5 at the top, giving me a little over 61 square inches. This is plenty big enough to feed my 8" pipe, and quite wide at the bottom, so I am hoping it draws well.

[RandyJ]

Jr I used the same pipe you are. I also cut round notches in to the vent transition to make it fit. I can't wait to see how your vent is going to turn out.

Randy

[deejayoh]

Deejayoh, I have debated doing any buttressing, as I was hoping the hemispherical arch design mitigated some of the thrust loads. When I do my shell however I might see if I can work something in like you did. Are you ever up for giving a tour of your oven? I live up in the Martha Lake area, and drive my Son to school at the UW a few times a week so I am in town often.

I worried that since the arch wasn't connected across the bottom, it could spread. As I said, might have been over kill!

I didn't realize you were in W. Wa. I'm happy to show off the oven any time! I'm on Queen Anne - so either a short, or a long drive from the UW - depending on the time of day! PM me if you want to find a time to drop by.

[JRPizza]

Deejayoh, I have debated doing any buttressing, as I was hoping the hemispherical arch design mitigated some of the thrust loads. When I do my shell however I might see if I can work something in like you did. Are you ever up for giving a tour of your oven? I live up in the Martha Lake area, and drive my Son to school at the UW a few times a week so I am in town often.

[JRPizza]

Thanks Russell and Larry!
Larry, I'm using a double wall product called Supervent - it looked like a pretty good product and the price was right. Made by our neighbors up in Canada, bought from Menards. I had trouble getting pipe that was not dented, but that is detailed in previous posts. I'm attaching a few sketches - the adapter plate, bricks below and above adapter, and side view of the "assembly". I'll have to make some slight semi-circular cuts in the top layer of bricks to clear the adapter - it's 8" on the bottom so no cuts necessary, but 9.75 where the double wall "threads" to mount the upper pipe are.

[deejayoh]

I don't know if it was absolutely necessary, but my arch was built pretty similar to yours - on top of the entry bricks. I ended up putting a buttress on either side to make certain it was supported from downward pressure to flatten out. I mortared a concrete block down on either side, and then used a IFB between that and the arch to provide the support. I wanted that IFB layer in there to prevent heat leaching out. It was probably overkill, but I haven't had any issues to date.

[Larry P]

Nice looking oven JR. I can see why you said my corner build looks a lot like yours. I'll be watching your entry arch really closely as it looks a lot like what I'm planning. Are you putting an 8" Durvent on that?

[UtahBeehiver]

Arch way is looking good.

[JRPizza]

I'm finally out of my winter hibernation and back working on my oven. Got a pretty good start on the vent/landing over the weekend. Laid down my GF rope and mortared in my inner (with heat break) and outer vent arches. Next up is the serpentine vent arch and transition to my square chimney.

[JRPizza]

I posted this question late last year before I shut down for the winter, but don't think I ever got a response. I am planing on starting to mortar in my vent arch tomorrow, and was going to lay the first course on top of what is essentially an extension of the floor bricks (with a small heat break) without mortar, similar to how the dome bricks sit on the floor. Is this what most builders do or are these bottom arch bricks mortared down? I didn't size any of the cuts for an extra mortar layer so I hope it is not needed.

[Gulf]

I wasn't very sure just how long either. I had kept opened bags of Portland for about six months with no problem. Of course they went into the sealed buckets the same day that the bag was opened. Today, I remembered that I had a small amount of white Portland left from my polished landing and shelves. Looking back at my build thread, that was October of 2012. I was amazed that it was in pretty good shape. It had some small clumps in it. But, even the clumps easily turned back to dust between my fingers and thumb. I wouldn't use 3 year old white Portland on concrete counters, but I wouldn't hesitate to use it lawn statuary. I'm not sure if regular Portland would last that long. But, two more months, (if it is sealed) should be no problem.