BA's Dome! Let the games Begin!

[Bandrasco]

Re: BA's Dome! Let the games Begin!

Very nice and thanks. I feel much better and confident that I can make this work. I was keeping myself awake trying to calculate the opening vs chimney ratio to create the low pressure and proper flow...

I think I'll press onward and upward! I hope to have the arch and next two courses completed by Sunday...

You know you're spending a lot of time on a project when your kids automatically come to the build site to look for you

Thanks again,

Bill

[Les]

Re: BA's Dome! Let the games Begin!

You know you're spending a lot of time on a project when your kids automatically come to the build site to look for you:

Bill,

When my son was a four guy, I had him trained to fetch me a "daddy juice" (beer). In the hot sun, it saved me countless hours on any given project.

Les...

[Bandrasco]

Re: BA's Dome! Let the games Begin!

Thanks Dino!

I'm on a fast track build in hopes to have it done for my 6th annual Christmas party. I'd like nothing more than to cook pizzas along with the twenty or so guests I have coming.

The wet saw is definitely going to make it easier but until tonight I was using a standard MK-101 10" wet saw. I have a good amount of experience from my old tile and stone setting days so cutting and angles kind of in a weird way just make sense.

I started by cutting my bricks in half, not all, just what I was going to use for each row at the time. Since some of my bricks seem to be a little different in length I gave them (the ones that needed it) a very quick trim to get them close. I made sure that the soldier course I set on my floor was as close to round as humanly possible. Once you have a round foundation and you make sure that each course that goes on top of each other are flush with the ones below it, you just can't get that far out of round. I'm cutting the sides of the bricks (where they will touch) from front to back so I will not use a lot of mortar; just enough to take the large gap out. Up until tonight I have not cut any of the sides to prevent the 'V', I just made sure that my cuts were good and that I could push the bricks together so they are almost touching in the front (facing inside the oven).

Yes what you see is all I'm using, it's simply a mason string tied to a masonry screw that's screwed in the dead center of my floor. I've seen many builds that use the string with a mark on it showing the length from center. 42" inside dimension, half of that is 21", I made a small mark on the string at 21" but to tell you the truth I don't even use it for that reason; I use it to show me the angle each brick needs to be at once set. I found that if I applied mortar to the row I'm about to set the next course on and trowel it close to the angle that the bricks need to be then I only have to flat trowel a small amount of mortar on each brick bottom and then a small amount on each side to achieve both full coverage and proper angle. I set each brick pushing the inside face side down first until it hits the brick below and mortar oozes out. I then take the string and pull it tight against the top of the brick and then while holding down the face I force the back side down until the proper angle is achieved. Wow...My brain hurts now I then take the excess mortar from the back of that brick (that got squished out) and apply it to the next one I'm setting. It goes so fast it's scary. So far I have not had to use any forms or braces. I mix the mortar a little on the thick side(will hold on a margin trowel without sliding off), let it slake for about 3-5 minutes and then remix it but do not add any additional water. This gives the mortar a nice work time and I haven't had any cook off before I was out. I'm mixing mine in a small one quart paint bucket about 3/4 of the way full. I'm sure that gravity will start winning soon but until then I'm going in without forms .

Thanks for the kind words and I hope in some way this helped. I'll take a few shots of how this looks when applying.

Bill

[Bandrasco]

Re: BA's Dome! Let the games Begin!

Ha! That's great. My kegerator is approximately 42.5' from my build just across the deck (but who measures that anyway); I too had my son fill my glass a few times with more liquid motivation! A balmy 34 degree draft just seems to make it all better. Of course it completely removes the clean up motivation

Thanks Les,

Bill

[egalecki]

Re: BA's Dome! Let the games Begin!

I used the string in much the same way- (without the accurate cutting and tidy mortaring, of course ) I would place my brick, "feel" the front corners into place next to the previous brick, and then measure with the string to see how much I had to shim the back to get the right angle. Works great.

Your dome is looking really good and your clean as you go work ethic is greatly to be praised! I'm afraid I'm just not made that way.... I'm continually amazed by how much better my oven turned out than it should have, given my lack of masonry skills and tidiness!

[Les]

Re: BA's Dome! Let the games Begin!

I'm continually amazed by how much better my oven turned out than it should have, given my lack of masonry skills and tidiness!

Elizabeth! Don't sell yourself short - you (and Wilson) did a fantastic job. Be proud!

Les...

[Bandrasco]

Re: BA's Dome! Let the games Begin!

I'm continually amazed by how much better my oven turned out than it should have, given my lack of masonry skills and tidiness!

Hi Elizabeth,

I agree with Les,

Yes true brick mason have many skills that would be an advantage with one of these ovens but the patience and passion that must be present to actually commit and complete one is truly unique. Your oven is absolutely fantastic; I hope mine looks as good as yours when complete.

Thank you for the kind words

Bill

[drogers]

Re: BA's Dome! Let the games Begin!

The discussion of technique is so much better than only having photos and wondering, how was that done? I am envious of your very crisp looking build.

[egalecki]

Re: BA's Dome! Let the games Begin!

Thanks, guys. My husband (Les calls him Wilson, but his name's Mark) never doubted I could do it. I feel better about mine when I can bake something without incinerating it!

Just think, Bill, once you're finished with building it, you get to learn to cook in it! Pizza is actually easy- you just stay with it and turn it. It's the bread I'm struggling with. Patience is not one of my virtues, but I'm trying to learn.

[exceloven]

Re: BA's Dome! Let the games Begin!

Les,
Did you get your flue pipe at a masonary supply. What were the dimensions of the pipe before you cut them. Thanks for all your help.

Mark

[Les]

Re: BA's Dome! Let the games Begin!

Mark,

They were 19 x 8 x 12 inches (outside dimensions). I bought it at Basalite in Reno - they sell pretty much anything concrete.


Les...

[Bandrasco]

Re: BA's Dome! Let the games Begin!

11-16-08

Ok, I've completed my objectives this weekend and even had time for my 'other love' (pizza oven) as my wife calls it. Work, yard work, and a very disappointing loss of the world heavy weight UFC title that my man Randy 'The Natural' Couture endured when he had to battle the Freak-of-Nature Brock Lesner last night all got in the way of my oven build. Despite all that I managed to stay on task.

The arch entry came out good I feel. Not perfect but I am trying to remember that a lot of this will be covered up.

I had to place blocks to hold up a tarp since it decided to rain yesterday as the cold front moves in . I hear that areas close to me may have frost tomorrow morning... The next row should completely take the arch out of the picture and allow me to finish it up.

Blimp shot of the arch and chimney opening. I made a template and pre cut the bricks to have the right size opening ahead of time. I also have a full brick pad that will sit between the chimney and this opening. It will give me the extra couple of inches needed to get over the top of the screen enclosure along with reducing the amount of heat that directly hits my chimney. I still have to mortar the pcs on each side of the arch but I was tired and had enough fun for one weekend.

Close up shot of the entry showing the vent design. Hopefully it will be good enough as it is. I can always grind away at the bricks to make the opening bigger and encourage the smoke to cooperate.

I took the advice of Les and Mike and cut my clay pipes. It went very quickly and was way too easy. I simply found the center of my pipes, measured 4" from both sides (inside), marked the lines and cut them with my grinder. Next I took my grinder and made about a 3/16th" deep groove all the way down the center of the edges that were going to be mortared together to give it kind of a biscuit joint if you will; mortar being the biscuit. I took the other one and just made it 8"x8" ID square.

Oh yeah; that's the new Rigid wet saw. I must say; it's not built as well as the MK and if and when it ever needs a new motor it will be a huge issue. The MK is belt driven so the motor is easily replaced and not that expensive and has way better water spray wich makes the blades last longer. The MK blade is over 3 years old and has seen much use (it belongs to the place I use to work and it's seen a ton of abuse). The Rigid blade is just days old and is already 25% gone. I like the compound miter capability but at this pace it will cost me $$ in blades. I may go back to the MK... Sorry guys; I cant stand paying that much for something that just wont cut it... no pun intended.

Tomorrow night I hope to have the next row done. Three days of business travel and then on to the next few rows. Who knows; I may be lighting fires over Thanksgiving weekend!

Stay tuned!

[drogers]

Re: BA's Dome! Let the games Begin!

It will be interesting how you handle the screen enclosure and the chimney in the area near it.

[mfiore]

Re: BA's Dome! Let the games Begin!

Your entry way and flue tile looks great! Really quite professional. I'm enjoying your build.

[exceloven]

Re: BA's Dome! Let the games Begin!

Everything you've done looks great so far!