Another Minneapolis WFO

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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

[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

[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.

[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]

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

[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

[UtahBeehiver]

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

[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

[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

[UtahBeehiver]

I tried laying the final courses being supported from the bottom but abandoned this method because you cannot clean the inside until the everything was mortared in place so I would of ended with too much mortart oozing through or not enough making mortar gaps. I just took my time and used notch sticks from the inside of the dome to set the last two courses so I could see what was happening,

[Sixto]

30 BRICKS TO GO TO FINISH THE DOME!!! omg, if feels like this has taken For-e-ver!!! (Well, just a little over one month for the dome and arch.... but I still don't have a final design for the flue gallery)

Lucky find: my wife has a plaster mold for making platter shapes that is a shallow dome of just the right size (and radius!) to fit inside the top of the dome and support the last 30 bricks... I laid out a pattern, covered it in plastic wrap, and now to cut and make them all fit together! (the 4 shown have to be recut, since the bevels were for the previous course, plus I'll want to avoid stacking joints in the next course)

Sixto - Minneapolis.

[Sixto]

If you search the forum for "tuscan grill" you will find many ideas of what most folks are doing...

Thanks, will do! Also love the photo of the coals pulled up to the front. I am currently building cardboard mock-ups of various flue gallery configurations... I'm realizing that my height is the cause of my problems.... my wife is 5'-6" tall and perfectly fine with the bottom of the outer arch located 20" above the floor. For me, anything below 26" will hit my forehead making me bend at the waist when I reach into the oven. (But the extra height makes the gallery look out-of-scale, so I am searching for the right compromise).
Photos below:
Sixto - Minneapolis

Arched gallery (16" above oven floor, approx 30" wide) up close and view from living room window...



Rectangular "Box" gallery (24" tall, 30" wide, 19 deep - 3 straight walls with a stainless hood above)



The sweat stain at the top of the cardboard arch is a mark left by my forehead. (it's been hot) The 24" height of the rectangular design clears my head since I'm leaning forward about 8" from the concrete edge. I like the vertical side walls, because I could eventually add an Argentinian style parrilla in the gallery to adjust the height of the items on the grill...

Of course my wife thinks the rectangle is too big, so I will try something in between next.