39/42” Corner Building in Brisbane

[Delta]

Hello Forum, again,
Yes, bumped in the great 2020 Hackaton but back for more.
Previous posts explained a 39” corner build in Brisbane Australia, and my concern as to the foundation dimensions. As I have seen time and again, Utah has put forward his expertise and once I have understood his build, with photos, I have unashamedly copied his foundation and most likely a lot more?
Photos will follow soon but currently the foundation is down, blocks have been core filled and the hearth poured.
Now the fun begins!

[cobblerdave]

G’day
Stuck a few cold Gold xxxxs in the fridge.... start the build thread
Regards Dave
Brissvegus

[UtahBeehiver]

Copying is the best form of a compliment. Mine was done in 2011 so there are a few things I would do differently due to innovations from the forum. First, the IT, I mounted on a piece a 3/4" ply which affected the dome dimensions, especially tying into the tapered dome. I would now lower the pivot point to floor elevation using the wood brick in the floor as a mount point (Gulf's idea), second, I would NOT spend all the time and effort to do full tapers and bevels on the dome bricks (lots of time and lots of saw blades) let the mortar due it's job. I would do what JR Pizza did by just beveling the area top inside dome bricks to knock off the conflicts points that cause the inverted Vs. Other than that have at it, Insulation priorities, 1. best amount of floor and dome insulation you budget can handle, 2. A good insulated door, 3. Thermal breaks if you so desire, lots of easier innovations out on the forum but not a deal killer.

[Delta]

Hi Guys,
Glad to be here.
Photos attached of current status, the hearth is laid and now collecting everything for the next stage.
I do have a couple of questions.
I have got three sheets 1200 x 610 x 50mm Calsil form TRM.
Will 50mm be sufficent?
I noticed on JR's build, the exterior of his first course was level with his Calsil base, whereas your's Russell, seemed that the Calsil base was about 25mm proud of the first course?
The reason I asked if it matters is that if I am building a 39" oven which is 1000mm then the overall OD of the first course is 1230mm, almost exactly the width of 2 x 610mm Calsil sheets, perfect?
If it is best to have the Calsil sit proud of the first course, then I my as well built it out a 42" then.

Might include some Sketchup plans next post.


Cheers

[Delta]

Few more milestones.

[UtahBeehiver]

Either flush or proud, as long as the oven wall and floor are completely isolated from the hearth. In the end the ceramic blanket and vcrete covers everything.

[JRPizza]

Yes I ran mine right up to the edge, as that allowed me to build the biggest oven with the smallest amount of board. I ran my blanket all the way down to the hearth, so my dome bricks are surrounded by insulation.

[Ronny82]

Gunna follow ur progress here. I'm also in Brisbane and am planning my own build. Good luck. U are miles ahead of me

[Delta]

Hey good to hear Ronny.
Once the foundation was down the rest just popped up in no time.
I’m currently moving the pool pump house and then will crack on after that.
Got my Calsil sheets and fire bricks and will loan a brick saw so am just about ready to go. Been doing some layouts in SketchUp which really helps.
Will keep this updated regular like I hope.
Cheers

[Delta]

I’m back!
Finally finished all the lead up work and ready to restart the WFO.
Hopefully some photos at the end of the weekend.
Does anyone know where to get fire bricks in Brisbane now that Claypave have closed down?

[Hatzi]

In brisbane you can get them from TRM
about $7 a brick exc gst, they have cheaper bricks at about $5 a brick exc GST. they do not always stock the cheaper ones.
have a look on gumtree - there is sometimes a guy who advertises on there - he is out at clontarf
I have bought bricks and mortar from both of these suppliers - have not been able to find anyone else in brisbane unfortunatley

[Delta]

Thanks Hatzi, I have enough for now but looks like I will need to cut all the arch bricks if I can’t source locally, not the end of the world.

[Delta]

Back on the job after a weekend of storms, need to get action happening.
I am awaiting getting my arch bricks cut but can at least get some construction happening.
So I have assembled a gazebo to protect from the weather which will unfortunately make it a bit hot during the day.
I found a box of unused ceramic tile from a bathroom upgrade so have stuck those to the hearth and drilled 12mm holes through the hearth for water drainage.
One layer of 50mm Cascil sheet for under oven insulation, I went for maximum usage of these sheets so my floor runs to the extent of the insulation beneath.
Assembled the floor in a herringbone pattern making sure I didn't have any of those small of cuts at the opening of the oven.
As I am constructing the dome header bricks directly on the oven floor, I did not worry about having a complete circular base, there are some small fillers missing that I am just going to "Mud" over with some homebrew.
I have mortored in the floor with a homebrew using the 3:1:1:1 ratio which went well but I didn't think that it went off rapidly at all. Actually even though I did wet the brick edges down slightly, I didn't think it stuck really well? I did check this morning and appears to be hard and cemented in place.
I am just going to keep building and see what happens, I do not have any plans once the dome is complete, I am hoping to attack the landing and chimney as I come to them, from my reading, a lot of people change their minds as they come to stage so it should be ok for me as well?

[Delta]

Well I’ve come home and checked the mortar around the oven base and a lot of the mortar has not taken to the bricks
The mortar seems hard but I suspect that the bricks will need to be given a good soak?
I did brush them with a wet brush but think that it was not enough?
My mix was 3 parts washed sand, 1 part fire clay from a potting store, 1 part hydrated lime and 1 part GP cement, can anyone see anything wrong that?
I am happy that this has happened now instead of later.
Happy to hear what the general consensus is.
Cheers

[david s]

Maybe your bricks were too wet. There should not be water on the surface or you won’t get a bond with the mortar. It should be somewhere between wet and dry.