36" vs. 38"

[thebadger]

Gang,

Layed my bricks down for my 36" - looks smaller than I thought. I might be able to squeeze a 38" on my hearth - any real benefit? Can I still get by with a 6 inch duravent on a 38"? I' ready to start cutting for the 36 if I switch gears to the 38 I'll have re tool my layout etc...

Also, my firebricks chip pretty easily on the edges - is this normal?
Even on my garage floor they are very uneven I'm going to have to level/grid the edges a bit...

Thanks

Dick

No "funny" comments about he extra 2 inches

[dmun]

Re: 36" vs. 38"

When I laid out my oven on my workshop floor as a dry run it looked tiny. (mine is a 36) When I crawled into it afterwords, to scrub the mortar off the joints inside, it seemed as big as Grand Central.

Is an inch on each side worth re doing your plan? Maybe not. If it's at the expense of insulation on the sides and back, you may not want to.

[thebadger]

Re: 36" vs. 38"

Thanks Dmun.

Any concerns about my firebrick or is that pretty standard.

Also, I've been following your progress and look forward to the complettioin. I got to admit that I'm overwhelmed by the complexity of it.

Can't wait to see it.

Dick

[Dutchoven]

Re: 36" vs. 38"

I agree...don't re-tool!

Also, my firebricks chip pretty easily on the edges - is this normal?...firebricks are pretty soft so chipping will occur even if you are pretty careful...you can smooth off the egdes once the floor is laid using a angle grinder...
Even on my garage floor they are very uneven I'm going to have to level/grid the edges a bit...

Thanks

Dick

No "funny" comments about he extra 2 inches ...Why not?!!!

Best
Dutch

[gjbingham]

Re: 36" vs. 38"

Dick,
Do it like I did. Plan on 36, measure an 18 inch string, tie a pen to it to form the circumfrence on the floor of the oven. If you screw it up enough, it will end up being 37 inches. Perfect!

[Frances]

Re: 36" vs. 38"

Hey Badger, its not the size that matters but what you do with it!


...don't you find that jokes, like wines, improve with age?

[gjbingham]

Re: 36" vs. 38"

That's a woman's point-of-view Frances. Size counts! 38 inches is better.

[maburton]

Re: 36" vs. 38"

I was planning on building a 42-40" oven. is that too big for just backyard grilling and cooking? having 10-20 guests over. I am not running a business or trying to bake 20 loafs of bread, just normal family cooking?

[james]

Re: 36" vs. 38"

I think 40" is right in the sweet spot. It's the Goldilocks syndrome. Not too big, and not too small. :-) An inch or two either way is not very important.

James

[dmun]

Re: 36" vs. 38"

I think 39 3/8 (one meter) is about the right size for the home oven, if you are planning to entertain.

[james]

Re: 36" vs. 38"

The Casa100, Premio100 and Artigiano100! They are 100cm :-)

James

[Mahootna]

Re: 36" vs. 38"

I've been mucking around with MS excel to work out floor plans for various oven sizes. The attached file (hopefully it works) has templates for three dome sizes based on the standard 9" x 4.5" brick, along with floor plans for three brick layouts. You can copy the dome templates and paste them onto the various patterns, and move them around until you find a nice fit. I'm hoping this will help me work out how many bricks I'll need for the floor, and how many will need to be cut.

The three dome sizes are 36", 40.5" and 45" (based on 4, 4.5 and 5 bricks wide) with wall thickness of half a brick. These dome sizes equate pretty close to a bottom course with circumference of 25, 28 and 31 (half) bricks (although there will be less because of the opening, of course).

There's also a template for an 18" opening.

I quite like the floor pattern I've called 'circular'. It's like a modified herringbone with a central half brick keystone. Would require a very fine cut to make sure it all fit together, however.


Paul

[thebadger]

Re: 36" vs. 38"

FYI

I just decided to stick with the 36. When I layed it out it seemd a little small but doesn't seem to bad as I get ready to lay my soldier course!!!!

I think the 36 will work out well for my needs.

Thanks
Dick

[beaglestorm]

Re: 36" vs. 38"

Nice templates Paul. I did a similar thing to optimize the cuts for the insulation floor boards. Yours are much fancier and nicer to look at.

[Xabia Jim]

Re: 36" vs. 38"

I would always go a llttle bigger than a little smaller. Easy to have the extra room when you don't need it but impossible to have more when you want it!

That said, Dick, be happy with your oven ...it will serve you well.