Mark's WFO

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Mark's WFO

Hi Mark: Really great looking oven! Excellent craftsmanship. I love the plug at the top. But I've got a few questions:

1: Regarding those compound cuts, in your picks on post #89 it appears many dome bricks actually have NO mortar at the inner end facing the oven. I can see the mortar at the middle and rear of the blocks (the larger rear gaps) but almost none to the inside. Is that just what you get from good, compound cuts where the bricks fit really nice? Or is there always SOME mortar all the way in?

2: Are your arch walls ON the herringbone floor or outside of it?

Thanks and your wine cellar looks great. It's nice to go in there and choose something special to celebrate every pizza oven milestone you hit.
Cheers, Dino

[exceloven]

Re: Mark's WFO

David,
Yea I did cut the sides with an angle and a bevel. My saw cuts compound angles so it made it easier. None were perfect, but it did make for smaller mortar joints.

Mark

[Les]

Re: Mark's WFO

Les,
Are you saying I would have to clean soot if I cure before, or after the entry.

Mark

If you cure before. There will be some build up of soot. How much of an issue it is, I don't really know. Worse case, it may give you a natural slip plane. Anyway, my approch was to wait until I finished the entry. Then again, I didn't do any cure - I went nuclear right out of the gate.

Les...

[larrya1049]

Re: Mark's WFO

Beautiful cellar Mark. I wish I had the room for one. Thanks for posting the pictures.

Regards
Larry

[exceloven]

Re: Mark's WFO

Les,
Are you saying I would have to clean soot if I cure before, or after the entry.

Mark

[Tolar]

Re: Mark's WFO

Mark,

Quick question, when you said that you cut the bricks for each row, did you cut the sides so you would have less to fill between and make a better fit? or was it just on those small areas that you had to custom fit the brick?

just wondering as I am planning my oven here soon.

Thanks
David

[Les]

Re: Mark's WFO

As for the curing fires, I was planning on waiting til I finish the entry. Any thoughts?


Mark

We used to go to Napa monthly - it was an easy day trip from the bay area. In regard to the cures - the only down side I see is that soot may compromise the bonding of mortar if you were to to the entry later. If you don't mind cleaning it off - no harm.

[exceloven]

Re: Mark's WFO

Thanks Les and Amber,

As far as keeping the cellar stocked, we've been trying to drink some of the 4 or 5 year old bottles and I'm just restocking with bottles that can lay down for awhile. Which means more are going out than coming in! We went to Napa last year, I just wish we were closer.
As for the curing fires, I was planning on waiting til I finish the entry. Any thoughts?

Mark

[Les]

Re: Mark's WFO

Mark, your cellar is awesome. I don't think I could keep one that well stocked though. When I moved to Nevada I brought along around 10 cases of wine (we spent a lot of time in Napa). The drastic change in humidity caused the corks to bleed. It was like ?well, we?re having hamburgers for dinner, should I open that great bottle of cab we were saving??

[amber]

Re: Mark's WFO

Wow, your build is really nicely constructed. Very smooth! Have you tried to cook in it yet, or are you still curing it?

[exceloven]

Re: Mark's WFO

Larry,
Here are some pix of my wine cellar I built a few years ago.

Mark

[exceloven]

Re: Mark's WFO

Thanks Les,

I had a good one to copy.

[Les]

Re: Mark's WFO

Nice plug dude! It's a great feeling to drop that puppy in there, isn't it?

Les...

[exceloven]

Re: Mark's WFO

The dome is DONE! Downhill from here, I hope. Thanks to everyone for there help and support.

Mark

[Justin]

Re: Mark's WFO

wow, looking great! The hard part is almost over, keep up the good work and don't rush it (like i did)