36" Pompeii in Indiana, US

[GreenViews]

Inner arch work and Inner arch meet dome: Part 1:
I've reviewed many drawings and suggestions from others on other builds... and thank you all for these!!!!! I still am struggling a bit, but think I have it figured out now. I cut the first arch brick back now, but have to cut the rest of them.
Bottom back bevel: I think I know how to cut the bottom edge according to the dome. With my low dome build and my build technique, I will use my plywood dome template to make marks on the rest of these dome bricks (after adding mortar spacing wedges) I can do this by removing one brick at a time and putting my plywood template next to the adjacent dome bricks to mark.
Top Bevel: At first I was thinking I would try to match this to a single row and cut off all of the door arch brick required to match up with a specific dome row, but now I see that could result in cutting off too much or too little of the dome brick.... therefore I think I get what others were doing... they were cutting off an equal amount on each dome brick to somewhat match the angle of the dome at that level, then cutting back the come row bricks to match.... If I understand the drawings correctly. I'm going to lay the next course and the very base of the dome arch, then revisit this. I'll review the drawings and suggestions of others in the meantime. Thanks to all of you who have helped us understand this!!! A bit tricky to visualize properly.

[GreenViews]

Adjusting my length and brick face angle of my specialized low dome -length and angle adjust IT -LAAIT (lol).

A) Attach my newly cut brick which was made via the dome template.
B) Add 2 sheet metal screws to set length and angle firmly
C) Double check using plywood dome template

Done! IT is ready for action on 3rd course. Will repeat this process for each course, but takes just a couple minutes.

[GreenViews]

Planning next course plus horizontal bevel for next several if not all future courses from my arch template, center line marks and true vertical line marks. No math solution (and I like math, lol). See pics on how I did this in straightforward fashion. More details given in pic descriptions. I hope this can help others to take less time than I did... not that my method is best, but one option that worked well for me.

[GreenViews]

Yesterday's photos:
- Setting up the IT for 2nd course which entails using template and brick secured in place to set IT face angle and length. This worked like a charm for this course. It was the first course I used the stick for as my half soldier I just layed along a drawn circle and I layed them without radial bevels since gravity will not pull them into the dome. I needed to adjust my IT center just a fuz and readjust my length but will not need to do that again since I was just correcting for improper placement of my IT center on the first course I was using it for. I found out the need for this by testing brick placement radially around the dome.
- 2 pics show how I marked and cut the second row up of my doorway bricks. (one more course straight up, then an arch). I used a Kiss method. Yes my IT helped, as would have my plywood template, but no need for that now that IT is set to this corresponding dome course.
- Found the upside down V in the second half soldier course. Not sure yet if I will switch to compound bevel on 3rd course or if it will be much less pronounced since I am switching to normal placement from half soldier on next course. I'll do some test cuts before deciding. One error I made was not checking level on my bricks at first (more important with half soldier) and because of the upside down V (trapezoidal pattern of perfect face) issue, I started laying subsequent bricks at an increasing level, took me a bit to figure it out, so some of the first bricks are skewed off level. I'm thinking: good course to learn on, no real fears of failure from poor build quality on this course.
- finally, all cleaned up after the nights work. Was a long evening finishing after midnight, but I couldn't just stop partway through the course!

I'm feeling happy and proud. Had visions of doing more last night, but she's coming out just fine!

[GreenViews]

Video: Yesterday evening's build process: 2nd course of half soldier. A bit more work than the first course, but went well. Possible improvements next course: I had splits which will be visible from front door again and realized after 4 brick that I was lining up the vertical joints, so fixed at that point with a split. Without full bevel cuts, I don't see being able to avoid having thin brick visible on the back of the oven, so I'm making peace with having these visible.

[GreenViews]

Utah, thanks for the tips.

Bottom of first course: I did use a 1:1 sand:fireclay mix as suggested. Thanks for checking

Premix: I am using Akona medium duty refractory mortar which does not require heat to set. I see it has been discussed in the forum here. https://community.fornobravo.com/for...cement-menards I'm also uploading data sheets and msds for it. I am using it for ease of mix, but it looks like a proprietary blend of portland, calcium aluminate cement, silica sand, lime with a little calcium carbonate and polymeric binder. I also bought a bag of more expensive Heat Stop 50 from my brick supplier, which I will use, but don't plan on buying more because it is more expensive and doesn't have greater claims than the Akona product. After what I read, I'd be happy to use the home brew mix, which seems somewhat similar except that it uses fire clay rather than calcium aluminate cement. I find the Akona product very easy to work with. Nice bonding to brick and nice work-ability so far. The next morning, my first course has set up nicely. I may not have as much working time with this product over the homebrew, but it hasn't been a problem yet.

Last brick: Great suggestions at making these not so thin and putting near front so my oven looks neater!

Photo: First course done. I'll take more photos today of how I'm using my template and weird IT and the cuts I'm making. Maybe doing so will either help someone else or keep me from making mistakes in later courses that are more critical. Let's see what today and tomorrow bring.

[Jamie Dowdall]

Here is a timelapse video of laying my first course. I couldn't upload it here it seems. https://photos.app.goo.gl/R7T6Svt15dqyiTTV6

The timelapse is awesome! Looking good.

[UtahBeehiver]

Looks like you are making headway, couple questions and one tip. The gray bedding, is it sand/clay mix or mortar? Looks like a premix was used on the half soldiers. Typically the bottom of the first course is not mortared to the floor so the dome and floor can expand and contract independently. But if it was mortared, it is what it is. Just to confirm, the premix is airset, Some builders, by mistake used heat set, the oven temps do not get high enough to set mortar. Tip, on the very last brick, this is getting close to what we call a chip, spread the adjustment over a couple bricks and do all you adjustments on the front half of the dome with your best bricks and work on the back half of the dome. Once the dome is done people really can only see the back half of the dome when cooking.

[GreenViews]

Here is a timelapse video of laying my first course. I couldn't upload it here it seems. https://photos.app.goo.gl/R7T6Svt15dqyiTTV6

[GreenViews]

I just read this from the FB plans v2.0.

Because the Tuscan design has a larger oven space above the door opening, it is more efficient at holding heat, and uses less wood.

Higher dome more efficient at holding heat and uses less wood. I guess I was so focused on building the best pizza oven I overlooked this aspect. I'm pretty committed to the low dome now though. I hope I don't regret it. Anyone know if they are talking about another log or two or if it is a huge difference?

Edit: I did find this discussion that says you will love what you build. Sounds true. Still, didn't find reference to comparison of fuel needed: https://community.fornobravo.com/for...olitan-profile
Then there is mklingles discussion of Mathematical analysis of dome geometry, which I t hink is missing a couple of images referenced. https://community.fornobravo.com/for...ometry?t=15292

Thoughts on extra fuel needed for low dome?

[Jamie Dowdall]

I'm planning a low dome elliptical design as well. Will be following closely to see how your IT design works. The swinging hinged design is what I have in mind.

[GreenViews]

This evening I was able to:

• install wood floor that can be removed after build, but used to protect my subfloor and to anchor my IT to.
• Calculate cut then cut down my true radius pattern to blocked height. This pattern will be used to set the angle and height of my IT for each new course. (vs math which I have skills for, but not the experience to plan for mortar joints and unknown variables)
• Planned then cut all the bricks for my first course. I am cutting the tops a bit to have about 2" of straight joint and cut at a steeper angle so the second course (also a half soldier like the first course) will bring the dome back into the semi-circle that the first soldier threw off by going staight up rather than up at an angle.
• Planned for cut on top of the second course brick.

Tomorrow (I hope)

• mortar in first course
• cut second course and mortar in place

[GreenViews]

[GreenViews]

Update on my project: (I was taken away a few days from other life issues)

1. 4:1 non-standard perlite:refractory mortar layer and only 3/4". Even though I had seen this mix referenced as option in other locations online, it is not standard here and I was concerned about it's ability to hold together under the weight of the dome. I added it out of concern for stibility of my CaSi board, but perhaps this was worrying too much since I have not seen others here discussing issues with CaSi board structural integrity outside of moisture issues. This is to say that maybe one of the following steps was too cautious, but since I was using non-standard mix, I wasn't sure.
2. Dome support: To be sure I had good dome support, I removed 2.5 to 3" of the outside edge of the 3/4" layer and mixed up some castable refractory that I had purchased at Menards and didn't have a specific purpose in mind. I crumbled up the perlite layer I removed and added 1 part of this crumbled perlite to 1.5 parts of the castable refractory. I also added a little heat tolerant basalt fiber reinforcement. I didn't need the insulating value of this layer and I feel much more confident in the stability of my dome base now. I also found that the refractory mortar & perlite I took out would easily support the floor of the oven, so didn't go further. This will teach me for straying too far off the guideline But now good.
3. I assembled my saw and cut my sub-floor firebrick. This is the lower floor layer. I still have a split brick layer to go on top and will use herringbone pattern there. Thanks for the suggestions all!!
4. With my plan for neopolitan (low) dome, I needed a complex IT or needed to leave sub-floor out since my dome radius was below the floor level. I came up with a design for a complex IT that allows me to change angle of brick face and length of tool with each course. Other designs I saw had a hinge in the center and allowed you to adjust length of tool along floor and length of tool from floor to dome. Let us see if my design idea will work well but I'll show picture here of my early model.
5. Having come up with an IT design I was happy with I decided to lay the sub-floor. The dome and inner arch will all sit on this. I installed this over a bed of 1:1 fireclay: silica sand. I applied this wet and found that the moisture was being sucked out of it so fast from the lower layer that I needed to add more water for any workability with the tile trowel. I did my best to keep bricks level and tight, but I also have one more layer to further correct any discrepancies.
6. I set up a tarp cover and a work light for the nights I want to work later.
7. Completed other patio work yesterday.
8. Hope to start on first course today.

[P3 Stoaker]

G'day Tom,
I've had a look at your previous diagrams and I think I see what you are saying about the brick course alignment. So in theory it would work to simply shorten the IT each course but the gaps would be a lot larger towards the top of the dome. Hmm I think I'm understanding the issue, but I don't really know of a solution. I do wonder though, talking to this local oven builder, his method is simply lay 4 courses, using a tapered brick but only side tapers. He lays with a 20mm (25/32) gap at the outside join (horizontal) of each course, including between the floor and the first brick. From there he transitions to a sand mould as I described earlier. I'm not necessarily saying I'm doing that or that I believe its the best thing. It is however an interesting method worth consideration and would eliminate the IT issues towards the top of the dome.
Apologies but I don't know what 'buttressing' is so can't comment. Glad to head your floor is hardening!! that would be concerning.
I had similat thoughts about covering my casil, 2 layers casil board, 2" with 1" of perlite but I was concerned that thickness of perlite was thick enough to, well hold together i guess??
Kind Regards
Greg