36" Corner Build in Minnesota

[Sixto]

Congratulations MN dude, you're way ahead of me, looking forward to following your progress. I just unloaded 260 fire brick and am digging my own foundation pit in Minneapolis. It'll be a while before I'm ready to start my own thread, in the meantime, reading as much as I can to learn the do's and don'ts shared by other builders like yourself.

Sixto - Seward neighborhood, Minneapolis.

[Baza]

MnDude45 - you've really laid out quite a start, mate! Looks good - Utah has given you great advice (he always does!) on some key elements of your build. I will say, though, I toiled over the complexity of IT's on this forum (people welding and such) - couldn't do it and favoured something simpler (BUT - at floor level!!). Depends on if you are flattening your dome as you go up or making a consistent hemisphere. If flattening - then you have to find a way to make it adjustable, if not and you keep a consistent radius - the IT can be pretty simple.

Great build start! Plenty of wonderful moments to come - excited for you!
Barry

[MnDude45]

Baza - Thanks for the comment. I tend to agree with you on the “keep it simple” part. There’s already enough complexity in the build. I've been toiling away on the base and hope to share some progress soon. I’m working on designing and building the forms for front arch of the base.

[UtahBeehiver]

Nothing wrong with a simple IT but it must have several key design components built into it to be effective, ie pivot point at floor level and not offset either horizontal or vertical, adjustable, line from pivot point to center of "L" bracket must hit mid point on dome brick. Randy J in Maplewood? is a good resource for design and material resources. He is on oven number two

[MnDude45]

I’ve messaged with RandyJ a few times and he has been very helpful. The people in this forum have always been very open and helpful. I will lean on them greatly in the coming months.

[MnDude45]

I was able to get the arch on the base poured today. Any feedback on when to try to remove the plywood forms?

[david s]

I’d be giving it 48 hrs before stripping the moulds.Also try to keep it covered for a week to hold in the moisture. This will enhance the strength.

[MnDude45]

david s - Thanks, I was thinking 24-48 hours based on what I read but wanted to here it from the forum. I’ve got it covered with a pop up now and plan to keep it covered until I can complete the hearth/counters.

[MnDude45]

I pulled the forms from the base arch on Monday (after 48 hours, Thanks David). They turned out better than expected. Moving on to laying out the hearth/counters.

[JRPizza]

I like the arch! Just wondering why you blocked off your potential wood storage area? I didn't start out keeping much wood under the oven but now I really pack it full and it really reduces those trips out to the wood shed, especially when the weather is crappy.

[MnDude45]

JRPizza - Thanks for the question and attention to detail. I had a couple of reasons. 1) I figured that, over time, some of the wood and kindling would get pushed further and further back and didn’t want to end up crawling way back in there to clean it out 2) i wanted to make sure i over built and supported the main mass area under the oven. To your point, my main wood stack is directly behind where i took the pic so its not a long haul to restock.

Coincidentally, i was just reading your post from “Dreamer turning to do-er” re: figuring the placement of the front arch and template. I may have further questions on that subject as I'm trying to figure out the final layout before pouring the hearth/counters. I’m having trouble figuring out the distance from the center of oven to the front of the landing. I may need to cantilever the hearth/counter out from the base by 2-3 inches.

[RandyJ]

Your base is looking good. The arch looks a tremendous amount like what i had done on my oven. I also wound up cantilevering the entry off the front of my base. That worked out well for me.

[MnDude45]

RandyJ You might see some similarities, I did like your layout

How far did you feel comfortable coming out from the base? Also, I’m not planning a horizontal support for the countertops on either side of the oven. Any concerns with that? They will not need to support any mass other than the concrete and rebar to form them.

[RandyJ]

Hey MnDude45 , i don't remember exactly how far i went but i was not at all worried about the lip falling off. I drilled several 4 or 5 i don't exactly remember droop-in anchors with threaded rod comming out and tied the rebar to it. I believe the anchors were rated for like 2500# each or something like that. So after it cured it wasn't going anywhere. Then to top it off my entry way/flu was sitting on the extension once built. If you have any questions just let me know.

Randy

[JRPizza]

RandyJ , I think you are talking about how you added an extension to your hearth after it cured, where Chris is talking about pouring his hearth a little proud of the base to create more space. With his substantial arch acting as a support in the front he should be able to overhang as much as he wants as long as he gets a proper amount of rebar in there. I don't have any base under my opening and I am sure i could have extended the overhang several more inches if I wanted to.