New Build - 42" with Santa Maria Grill in So. Cal

[UtahBeehiver]

congrats on the plug

[Damer419]

Plugged the hole today. Felt really good!!
On to the next!!

[cobblerdave]

Gday
Congrats.
thats looking pretty neat work.
Worried about the joints starting to line up.... Don't be!
1. You've built one of the toughest structures on the planet.. A dome. Gravity means it's strong. Not the other way around.
2. None of us are going to tell. It's our secret!... Promise
regards Dave

[Damer419]

Thanks Nick......it has been fun!

[Brick Oven Nick]

Wow, that dome and brick work is really looking fantastic!! Congrats!

I am starting in on setting the oven floor and brick work this weekend! I'm going to refer back to your photos on the dome as a guide!

Nick

[Damer419]

Thank you Randy. I was able to attach a piece of 2x6 to the end of my IT and it was so easy to set the final course. Tricky angles but it is done!! Plug tomorrow! Pretty thrilled with the progress. Even with a few weather setbacks I am ahead of schedule

[RandyJ]

Congratulations. Looks like you are almost there. It seams like people have all kinds of different experiences when closing the dome. I was lucky and set the first and second brick very fast with help from my IT tool and they held in place. So I quickly finished the ring and started cutting the plug. Good luck I am sure it will go well.

Randy

[WarEagle90]

Almost there!! I feel your pain with the rain. I have been trying to pour my hearth slab for the last three weeks and the rain just won't let up. Hopefully this weekend will be dry and I can get it poured.

[Damer419]

Finally stopped raining in So Cal enough to finish my 2nd to last course. I got the first brick of the 13th and final course in also and man was gravity a nightmare. The IT was not enough to hold it in. Had to wedge a ratcheting vice grip clamp to press it in and hold it in place. Hopefully the next few bricks will grab easier because they will have mortar on one side and the bottom. I guess i could also mount a small piece of plywood on the end of my IT. I remember seeing that done on a build or two. More joints have lined up than I would have liked, but it got super hard for me to pay attention to that in the upper courses. With a lil luck I might have this this thing plugged this weekend. But there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Onward and upward

D

[Damer419]

Perfect Randy..........Thank you sir! Time to start sourcing

D

[RandyJ]

I don't know if it is the standard, but 18 gage is very stout. 25 gage is like tinfoil, 20 gage is a little stiffer than a beer can. Then 18 gage is roughly the same as a 2x4. You don't need to go with more than 18 they do make 16 and I think 14 gage, but they get very expensive. So if you have worries with storms or snow load then you need 18 gage. If not you might be able to go 20 gage. Although if you are going with a heavy cladding like stone on the enclosure then you still might want to go with 18 gage.

Randy

[Damer419]

Thanks guys.....so 18ga is the standard?

[RandyJ]

I agree on if you go steel then go to a pro building supply or drywall supplier. I built mine with 18 gage. Very stout and I was not at all worried about walking on the roof of mine and I weigh about 250#. I agree that the front needs to be steel and if you are very uncomfortable with it you can get away with wood for the rest.

Randy

[Gulf]

I'm more comfortable with working with wood myself. As long as you respect the insulation and two inch standoff requirements, you will be ok. For most enclosures that I've seen, the only place that you need to really be conserned with is the area in the very front nearest the entry. Had I of done a full enclosure, I would have used metal there. Actually, I did use that method on my outdoor fireplace which is buit into an existing wood structure. So,I think you would be very safe using a hybrid type of construction.

[deejayoh]

You can get the heavier gauge stuff at your local pro-builder lumber yard. It's worth it for safety, and not that hard to work with. I bought a metal cut-off blade that I installed in my existing miter saw (yeah, not great for it) which did the trick for cutting. Then you just need a decent pair of metal shears to make the tabs for corners and angles. Biggest tip is to get self-tapping metal screws for putting it together. It will all feel pretty flimsy until you get the siding on.