36" vs. 38"

[Mahootna]

Re: 36" vs. 38"

I actually made up the templates so I could work out a pattern where I don't have to cut the floor bricks, or at least minimal cutting. My plan is to have them hanging out a bit and then just cover the corners with insulation.

[gjbingham]

Re: 36" vs. 38"

You can just let them hang out without cutting them if you're going to put your soldier course on top of the floor. That's what I did. When you get around to insulating the outside of the dome, you want the insulation to go all the way down to the bottom of the ragged floor brick edges.

[maburton]

Re: 36" vs. 38"

do I need to cut the bricks on the floor? can the first course of wall bricks set on top of the floor bricks. and have some of the floor bricks sticking out from the walls? I could break the longer ends off that are sticking out. this would save making round cuts on floor fire bricks.

Or is it more thermally efficient to cut the floor bricks and have the floor inside the walls?

[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.

[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.

[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

[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

[james]

Re: 36" vs. 38"

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

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"

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

[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?

[gjbingham]

Re: 36" vs. 38"

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

[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"

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!

[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