Another Minneapolis WFO

[Sixto]

Russell, you read my mind...after cutting he next row, i was wondering the same thing. The plaster firm is good for layout, and even then I ended up with 15 bricks instead of 12 as the drawing shows...

So I may go back to using the IT. Also the plaster form is close, but not perfect, i can do better taking my time as you suggest.

Sixto - Minneapolis

[david s]

It sounds like your wife must be a potter. Be careful you don't damage her nice plaster mould with a brick or you'll be in trouble

[UtahBeehiver]

In addition to the notched sticks I also made a narrow "L" bracket for my IT for the smaller bricks.

[Sixto]

It sounds like your wife must be a potter. Be careful you don't damage her nice plaster mould with a brick or you'll be in trouble

Love it! And She IS! , i asked her very nicely and she said "OK", she uses the wheel mostly, and rarely uses the plaster form. Still, I'm being very careful. . Based on Russell's note, I probably won't use it the way I originally thought I would.

Sixto - Minneapolis

[Sixto]

In addition to the notched sticks I also made a narrow "L" bracket for my IT for the smaller bricks.]

I have a similar IT with a wood face screwed to the metal angle, to position the bricks closer to their centerline. i could always go narrower with the wood if needed.

Thanks! Sixto - Minneapolis

[david s]

Love it! And She IS! , i asked her very nicely and she said "OK", she uses the wheel mostly, and rarely uses the plaster form. Still, I'm being very careful. . Based on Russell's note, I probably won't use it the way I originally thought I would.

Sixto - Minneapolis

That's nice. You may want to consider supporting the flue the way I do it then. It has the advantage of allowing the insulation space to breathe, elevating steam pressure build up. Although it involves making a plaster mould (taking into account the shrinkage of the clay on drying and firing to get the correct diameter.) I use a press moulding technique to create the castings. It's probably not worth the effort for just one oven, but is an effective and elegant solution.

[Sixto]

That's nice. You may want to consider supporting the flue the way I do it then. It has the advantage of allowing the insulation space to breathe...

I haven't figured out the gallery layout yet, but I like the idea of venting at the flue, and I like your carved terra-cotta ring. Thanks for sharing!

Sixto - Minneapolis.

[Sixto]

So as I get closer to finishing the dome, instead of getting better at cutting and mortaring bricks, I'm actually worse. Maybe it's the perfectionist in me rearing its ugly head. Maybe it's a month of little else going on, or the fact that I'm probably at least another month away from actually cooking pizzas, but I totally get why some people just buy a ready-made pizza oven. This is A LOT of work, and the light at the end of the tunnel seems light years away.right now... Maybe I need some liquid perspective to get me in the mood, but I wonder - does everyone hit a wall somewhere along a long process like this?

I am certainly stubborn enough to see it through, but it's starting to feel more like a chore than an exciting project... Little things like re-cutting or re-mortaring a brick get me easily frustrated.... Sorry if this is a bummer post for some, and I'm not looking for cheers or symphathy, just wondering if Im the only one that gets these feelings as the finish line gets closer?

Sixto - Minneapolis

[Gulf]

I think we all have had those feelings at certain times during long projects. I certainly have. It‘s time for us to take a break when the project starts feeling like a chore. Usually after a little break from a large project, I can’t hardly wait to get back to it.

Take a break and recharge

[fhausback]

I treated mine like it was a hobby. Worked on it when it felt fun, skipped sessions when I was feeling frustrated. Thats why it took 2yr before i Cooked my first pizza though.

[Sixto]

Thanks Gulf and fhausback, I think that's what I need... So I'm taking a few days off to smell the roses and recharge my batteries! Be back in a few!

Sixto - Minneapolis.

[Giovanni Rossi]

Sixto, I have a difficult site to manage. Now over 3 months and just started working on the stand so it took forever to see any real progress. I've changed the plan probably a dozen times. I certainly wondered on numerous occasions why I thought it was a good idea to build a WFO. Engaging friends and family was the ticket for me. All the guys and many of the gals want one. It's makes for great conversation about the process and level of difficulty and especially about what it's going to produce down the road! Having an interested group of cheerleaders keeps me motivated. Your build is looking good and you are certainly in the home stretch.

[UtahBeehiver]

Take a deep breath, this is point where many builders start to get impatient, hurry things along, make errors or accept work they normally would not. You a getting close to closing the dome. gravity slows down the work as well as tedious small cuts. These ovens are labors of love, so take a step back and chill.

[Sixto]

A simpler method would be to use brick units for the sides of the gallery with a cast top piece. In this case the anchor plate has been bothered and cast into the top of the casting.
.

Ok, so I'm taking a break from working on the oven, but apparently I can't stop thinking about it. ... david s had posted the clip above on one of my early posts, and now I'm wondering if I can still do a shallow castable top like that but on a much wider and deeper gallery, like what is shown below? (instead of having a hood fabricated out of stainless steel?)



What would be the structural implications if the inside dimensions of the brick rectangle are 30" wide x 19" deep? Bottom of the castable "hood" would be 24" above the floor.
A) Are stainless needles enough reinforcement, or would I need to add a steel angle along the bottom edge of the 30" opening span?
B) Would the DIY castable recipe work in this situation, or am I better off using a pre-mixed castable refractory?
C) Would the castable simply be grouted to the bricks below? or should it be cast around the bricks with enough material to maintain dimensional stability over time, and keep the top from shifting off the walls?

I would still slope the top, and tile over the whole thing to tie-into the look of the oven and provide some added weather protection.

Thanks! - Sixto.

[david s]

There won’t be any flame impingement on the casting. Homebrew reinforced with AR glass fibres would be quite sufficient. Easiest if you cast it in situ. Maybe set up in position some polystyrene suitably shaped and cast over it. You’d be wasting money using castable refractory there, with the casting so far away from the flame, it won’t get particularly hot.