36" Corner Build in Minnesota

[NCMan]

Targeting to get the first course sitting on top of floor. A couple of questions to verify the FB plans:

1) 1st course on the floor can be cut to fit, no mortar below or between
2) for the 2nd course and above, the bottom face should align and be placed directly on the course below (no mortar gap). Sides and back supported by mortar to keep the correct angle
3) if using a Chipster style jig with the dome spreadsheet dimensions for cuts, do I need to angle my first cut of start with the 2nd. I believe the spreadsheet assumes the 1st course is part of my floor.

looking for some confirmations before diving in.

As always, feel like I’m over thinking some things and overlooking important things.

Thanks,

There should be mortar in between the first course bricks, but not under.

[UtahBeehiver]

Look at JR Pizza's build, he did not to tapers(angles) only bevels, these bevels do NOT need to run the entire depth of the brick only where the two interior brick faces conflict. This is what causes the "inverted V mortar joint. I did full tapers(angles) and bevels on my build and it took a lot of time and set up. If I were to build another I would go the JR route and let mortar backfill the back side (it is your friend).

[JRPizza]

RandyJ
With this, my focus would be on the placement of brick and the brick shims to maintain the correct angle to the centerpoint....

You aren't going to need shims for dome brick orientation if you use a properly built IT. The tool will set the bricks at the proper angle - you can butter up the brick and press it in place with the inner and upper surfaces "indexed" against the IT. Shims would be an unnecessary step. The only time I used shims was when I was dry stacking bricks for an arch or something and they never stayed in place when I was mortaring.
Also, the spread sheet is a good tool, but I found I could go faster with the following method. Use a sliding t-bevel (cheap at the box stores) to determine the angle you need to eliminate the Vee, You determine the angle by placing the t-bevel on a brick and setting the angle 90 degrees to the horizon - then it is easy to transfer the angle to whatever you are using on your saw to hold the bricks at an angle. As for brick width, cut your bricks so the width at the bottom is the same as the width of the top of the bricks in the row below. If you do this you will be able to have perfectly (cosmetically) aligned joints as long as you start in the back for each row and don't use any odd size bricks where they can be seen. I don't know that you need to do this as my oven cracked right through a few bricks - the lack of alignment of joints did not mean no cracks.

[UtahBeehiver]

Plus one on a proper IT, no shims required,

[RandyJ]

Yes just use square bricks with a bevel on the sides. It is so much easier and produces a oven that is just as strong as the other.

As for the jig and exact angles i would think that is going to be very hard to get correct. I just took bricks cutoffs and used them tobprop the bricks i was cutting how i wanted them. Just did it all by sight and worked out great.

[MnDude45]

I made some progress this weekend. I got the inner arch laid out and the first course mortared down.

[MnDude45]

Another milestone as I got the 2nd course down and the first inner arch stones mortared in. Today was a good day.

[JRPizza]

You should be able to get in a course a day now. I was never able to do more than one in a day, but one seemed like just the right amount of work.
It's looking good by the way ;-)

[UtahBeehiver]

Here are a couple tips. Use your best bricks on the back half of the dome. Do interior joint space/alignment adjustment in the front half of the dome (this area is never seen after the dome is completed. Last brick of the day, lay one brick on the next course at center back. It becomes an anchor for laying that course and as you go higher it really helps. Finally keep the tapered arch bring install ahead of the dome course, easier to tie into.

[NCMan]

Here are a couple tips. Use your best bricks on the back half of the dome. Do interior joint space/alignment adjustment in the front half of the dome (this area is never seen after the dome is completed. Last brick of the day, lay one brick on the next course at center back. It becomes an anchor for laying that course and as you go higher it really helps. Finally keep the tapered arch bring install ahead of the dome course, easier to tie into.

Great advice.

[MnDude45]

Thanks for the feedback, I will take it. I was able to get the 3rd course down today. No pics but it was another good day.

[MnDude45]

UtahBeehiver or all - I’m trying to work ahead on the tapered inner arch and I’m stuck over analyzing again. Is there a magic formula for calculating the amount of exposure of the bricks making up the inner arch towards the center of the oven? I keep thinking it should be a consistent measurement (like 2.5 or 3in) but I’m not sure.

Any feedback is appreciated

[UtahBeehiver]

The IT is your guide as well as the previous brick, remember each brick is different and the angles are skewed from one side to the other. So to start, looking at the left side of the arch from outward from the center of the dome. The left side of the new arch brick will have the same angles and dimensions as the right side of the previously laid arch brick. The right side of the new brick angles and dimensions will be determined by the IT. Remember this not linear from left side to right side. The same procedure on the right side of the arch, just backwards. I attached a PFD to help you. I The only consistent dimension will be the angle from the ID of the dome to the OD of the dome which will be the half brick size, ie 9" brick will be 4.5" etc

Taper Arch Help.pdf

[MnDude45]

UtahBeehiver Thank you, I am WAY over thinking some of these steps.

[UtahBeehiver]

Remember that since you IT is offset at the base it does affect the true ID and OD of the oven at each course so you need to make adjustments. I think I mentioned this during the original IT construction.