42" in the Upstate of South Carolina "Southern Hospitality"

[NCMan]

Thanks NCMan! I️ really like the stonework on your build. Did you build a second oven/fireplace at the new place?

We haven’t broke ground on our build yet. We have had a ton of rain over the past few weeks. I️ have been working on gathering all of my materials to one location. The plan is for me to be out of the office next week. We hope to start then.

We had hoped to use slate tiles for the roof of the doghouse, but the sticker shock had me planning asphalt or metal. Last week, I️ ran across a deal on some old blue slate tiles. I️ had to take them all, way too many for this build, but I️ have less in all of the slate tiles than I️ would have spent for either of the other alternatives. I️ will post a picture below.

With being blessed with two saws, I️ thought it wise to set up a brick cutting station. I️ have a large rolling cart from an old junk deal, so the plan is to have both saws set up side by side on the cart. I️ still need to build the jig, but the thought is to use one saw for straight cuts and the other for angled cuts, All of this planning may fly out the window once the build starts. I️ have fabricated rubber washers and nylon spacers to allow some plumbing fittings that I️ had to form a drain to five gallon buckets that will be housed on the lower shelf of the cart. I️ haven’t bolted the saws down yet, but I️ will post a picture of the progress.

The rebar has been purchased, and we will get the concrete the day before the pour. We are looking forward to getting started!

Because He Calls,
Miles

I haven't had the time to get it going, but I'm getting closer and closer. I thought I was retired, but you know how that goes. I'm just as busy now. Looking forward to following your build. Best of luck and you came to the right place!!

[Doodbird]

We had a last minute change of heart on the location of the oven. We decided to build it up against the garage instead of at the other end of the patio. Being able to cook everything on one side of the outdoor space trumped being able to see the oven from the driveway.

Monday
The final decision was made on the location. We made a template (we haven’t fully decided on the oven entrance, so that isn’t to scale yet), laid it out to make sure enough space was available, marked off the area, and started digging. After finally getting to the bottom of the original patio pad (9 1/2” thick), we backfilled with some gravel/crush and run that I️ had from the driveway project. We are blessed to have a small Kubota front end loader, but because of where I️ had the gravel stored, I️ had to shovel it into the bucket. After that, it was off to Lowe’s to pickup the concrete. Moving the fifty 80 pounds bags to the patio was made easier by using the Kubota. It could handle 7 bags at a time. I️ also had to cut the sidewalk to add a drain. With the slope of the additional wing that connects the oven slab with the walkway, the slope would have pushed water onto the main pad. Digging the fiber reinforced concrete out of a 3” cut was a pain. Did I️ mention that Monday was not only Valentine’s Day, it was also my wife’s birthday. She chose to start the project over a day trip to the mountains.

Because He Calls,
Miles

[Doodbird]

Tuesday
We laid the vapor barrier and started drilling holes for the rebar. I️ added rebar to the 4” deep wing while I️ was at it. This area will be used to house the Big Green Egg and table. I️ was on the fence on buying a Harbor Freight mixer. With the plans to do a fireplace as well, we decided to go ahead and get one. The included instructions, which were worthless by the way, were filed to use with our first fire in the oven. After building the mixer, we decided to put it to work. Maybe we got a dud, but the Harbor Freight 2 bag mixer can’t handle an 80 pound bag at a time. We worked out a system where I️ cut the bags open on the pad and then slowly shoveled the concrete into the mixer. This added time, but we worked steady into the night. We made a game out of walking back and forth on the sidewalk to keep the flood light on. I️ also made a miscalculation on how many bags we needed. I️ forgot that the guy that laid the concrete for our sidewalks used 4” boards, not 3 1/2”. As we neared the end of our pallet, my wife went back to Lowe’s and picked up 4 more bags. The pour used 52 1/2 bags. We finished up around 10 PM. By using the mixer, we had to use more water than I️ wanted, so I️ came back out at midnight and 4:30 AM to smooth things out as it thickened up.

Because He Calls,
Miles

[Doodbird]

Wednesday
We didn’t do too much on the oven today. Most of the day was spent getting the garden area marked off and plowed. We did clean up the things that we missed in the dark and cleaned the slurry mix that had accumulated in the drain.

Because He Calls,
Miles

[NCMan]

Nice progress, Miles.

[Doodbird]

Thanks NCMan!

Dry stacked the base a couple of times today until I️ settled on 5 block square. I haven’t cut any half blocks yet, so I have some stacked sideways to get up to full height. We will have a long drawer on the side to store wood and two smaller drawers on the front to store tools.

Worked on the template this afternoon. Unless these dimensions sound out of whack, I️ think I️ will go with 13” to 13.2” high and 20” wide on the oven opening. I️ don't have a picture of the updated template. I️ will try to get a picture tomorrow.

Looks like rain is forecasted all week, so I’m not sure that we will get to lay block for a while.

Because He Calls,
Miles

[Gulf]

I don't envy you on building the right side of the dome. That is going to be a tight place to work. My back won't let me get on my knees to work anymore. Also, you will have to get very used to where that bottom step is when working the oven imo.

[Doodbird]

I don't envy you on building the right side of the dome. That is going to be a tight place to work. My back won't let me get on my knees to work anymore. Also, you will have to get very used to where that bottom step is when working the oven imo.

I️ should have mentioned that I️ dry stacked the block on the original pad. I️ wanted to give the new pad a few more days before I️ put weight on it.

Because He Calls,
Miles

[mongota]

I️ should have mentioned that I️ dry stacked the block on the original pad.

I had the same thoughts as Gulf, but your explanation makes sense.

[NCMan]

Will that be as high as you plan to go w/your block?

[Doodbird]

Will that be as high as you plan to go w/your block?

The plan is to add a 4” solid block to the top plus the following:
4” reinforced pad
4” insulation
2 1/4” firebrick floor (I️ think they actually measure 2 3/16”)

That should put me at 46 1/4” floor height. I️ ‘m 5’8”, and this gets me 3” or so above my bellybutton. Another 8” block, which I have plenty of, would put me too high… I️ think. I️ know there are differing opinions on floor height. I️ have zero experience working with a brick oven.

Just to be clear, the oven will be built basically 7’ to the left (away from the door/steps) from where the photos show the dry stack. This stack was both a test layout and getting the block close to where I️ need them.

[NCMan]

I think the floor height is best left up to the comfort level of each builder, no doubt. I think most users like to try and avoid having to bend over too much when using it.

[Gulf]

The plan is to add a 4” solid block to the top plus the following........:

The way we just tackled this, on a recent 36" build, was to cut full 8" blocks in half and use them on the bottom course. We wanted rebar in the cores poured monolithic with the hearth slab. Placing solid 4" solid block at the top would not have allowed that. Granted, we did not have near as many block to cut as you seem to want and we elected to mortar (not dry stack) the block stand.

Just to be clear, the oven will be built basically 7’ to the left (away from the door/steps) from where the photos show the dry stack. This stack was both a test layout and getting the block close to where I️ need them.

Sorry for the misread, That will do nicely for the clearance behind you while working the oven. But, building that close to an existing wall is still going to make building the dome a little more difficult. However, others have did it. It wouldn't have been a problem for me when I was younger. The older I get, the more ergonomics I design into my projects

[Doodbird]

[QUOTE=Gulf;n444702]

The way we just tackled this, on a recent 36" build, was to cut full 8" blocks in half and use them on the bottom course. We wanted rebar in the cores poured monolithic with the hearth slab. Placing solid 4" solid block at the top would not have allowed that. Granted, we did not have near as many block to cut as you seem to want and we elected to mortar (not dry stack) the block stand.

That could work. I️ was worried about structural integrity by doing that. The blocks that I️ have Are the old super heavy ones. I️ will cut one to see what it looks like.

The base will be mortared. The dry stack was just to get a feel for the drawers. I️ am Building the base out to the edge because we will put brick or rock as a wall. Lots of block, but we will have a vertical wall at the end.

We are planning to put rebar from the walls to the upper slab as well. If we use the solid blocks, I️ plan To drill through and push the rebar down in the wall..



Sorry for the misread, That will do nicely for the clearance behind you while working the oven. But, building that close to an existing wall is still going to make building the dome a little more difficult. However, others have did it. It wouldn't have been a problem for me when I was younger. The older I get, the more ergonomics I design into my projects

I’m not young, but I’m hoping the extra 8” (for the block that will go against the brick wall) will give me enough space as we build the dome.I will try to get a drawing together to show this.

Thanks to everyone for the questions. They are helping me rethink things.

[fhausback]

I use zipties for everything, but it never occurred to me to use them for tying rebar until i saw your pic Gulf. That would work so much easier/tighter than wire.

I mean, it's not like i want to pour a slab ever again, but it's a good trick to know just in case.