Simmental Farm 36" Pompeii and 48" Rumford Style Fireplace

[Gulf]

Most of the weep holes were easy to find from the top. The rest were easily unplugged with a long screw driver from underneath the form. Each weep hole was scored with a star pattern. We used a skill saw and masonry blade set to about 1/8th" depth.

[Gulf]

Check out the wheelbarrow on steroids Don has lots of cool tools that made this project a lot easier!

We poured all cores on this stand. The form got one final screeding after the last pic. But no floating due to having to cover for a storm front.

[Gulf]

We used two layers of 1/4" plywood for the curved form. So when we scribed the form 1/2" was allowed for the final dimensions.

We installed 1/2" rebar in all cores and also for the monolithic arches.

7 weep holes were formed by installing 1/2" pvc pipe in the form. The weep holes were cut to fit just under the top of the finished concrete.

[Gulf]

The form cantilevers over the stand 6" to either side and 12" to the rear of the oven. I had been mulling over a stand designed or an oven which stood out in the elements with no cover. Cantilevering and rounding the hearth slab at the back lets the water shed directly off a finished dome and eliminates the water pooling at the corners of the protruding hearth stand. The back of this oven will not be under roof.

[Gulf]

I really like using templates. Just about every measurement for an oven and entry can be drawn in full scale on an easy folding poster board. I have found that you can use the same half of a drawing to include the foot print and also the side view. You can even include the arch brick placement. We used this template first to find the center point of the oven to scribe the curved form. The yard stick that Don using to scribe the form was also used earlier to scribe the radiuses on the template. So, the holes for the pencil are already there if needed.

[Gulf]

The oven stand is two 48" block walls that are tied together by monolithic arches front and back. The blocks were mortared so this forms a true 48" by 48" oven stand. The 32" wood storage area will later be fitted with heavy duty tracks made from old garage door rails for a sliding drawer/shelf. The intentions are for the drawer to be loaded with wood from outside the screen room and unloaded inside the room. It will be used to service both the oven and the fireplace.

[Gulf]

This has been a lot of fun for me. I have been helping a couple of old friends build their WFO and an outdoor fireplace. The oven and fireplace will be part of a huge screened in patio and an outdoor kitchen. We have gotten a good start on the oven and I will try to bring this thread up to date as I get time to post.

The plan is for Don to build an identical oven later for his daughter and son in law. He will be using the same IT, templates, and jigs that were used to build this one. With the experience Don is getting on this oven the next one should be a breeze for him