Mark's WFO

[exceloven]

Re: Mark's WFO

I may be wrong but I think I cut my last firebrick today! Now the patience has to kick in (leave the form in for a few days). I am thinking of using 2 one foot sections of flue, does that sound right?

Mark

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Mark's WFO

Wow Mark! Congradulations. The arch is beautiful. So is your vent opening exactly 1/2 brick deep or a little more? I'll let the experts tell you about the flue pipe length.
Congradulations, Dino

[mfiore]

Re: Mark's WFO

Mark, Really a great looking oven. You should be proud. Great pizza and great times around the corner! I love the entry.

Your wine cellar looks great. I build myself a cellar a few years ago. I think a new, empty wine cellar is perhaps one of the most dangerous things to own. Hard on the wallet. Is it climate controlled? I don't know how hard it is to keep good storage conditions in Southern California. In Michigan, most homes have a cold basement with concrete floors and block walls. Makes for a perfect cellar. I insulated mine and put in a cooling unit, but it doesn't kick in very often.

Nothing better than a great bottle of wine with some nice pizza and friends!!

[exceloven]

Re: Mark's WFO

Thanks Mike,
Its starting to get exciting. My wine room is insulated, vapor barrier and the whole nine yards. Its built into part of my garage and does have a cooling unit. You are soooo right about the expensive part of wine. Looking forward to pizza and wine.

Mark

[larrya1049]

Re: Mark's WFO

Now that you bring it up. What wines do guys prefer with your pizza? Is it Chiantis, Zins, Rosso di Montalcino? I'm always looking for something unique and different.

Regards
Larry

[mfiore]

Re: Mark's WFO

I hate to steal the thread, but since you asked...

For me it depends on the pizza. For traditional margarita with tomato, basil, mozz, I actually prefer a nice white. I like to stay regional and drink a white from Campania, like Greco di Tufo or Falanghina. For red wines, I like Barbera or Dolcetto from Piedmont, or Primitivo from Puglia.

Of course the fore-mentioned zin, chianti, rosso di Montalcino are always great standbys.

I think there is a thread somewhere on this forum polling people what to drink with pizza.

[Justin]

Re: Mark's WFO

wow, your cellar is amazing, i've dreamed of having one like that!

[exceloven]

Re: Mark's WFO

My patience lasted exactly ONE day. I took out the form. It seems pretty sturdy,and long as no one touches it.
I've seen discussions on the outer (decorative) arch being held down to help draw the smoke up the chimney. How far down should I hold it. My concern is ease of getting the door in and out if I hold it down too far. Will angleing the door side to side make that not an issue. Thoughts?

Mark

[christo]

Re: Mark's WFO

looks really nice.

I'm one of the ones that let my decorative arch hang about an inch below the entry arch. I did it to conceal my lighting moreso than for smoke abatement but I'm glad I did.

So far no smoke stains (knock wood). I can see some discoloration on the side that faces the floor of the entry but none on the faces.

I tilt my door when I install it so the top goes in first and then swing the bottom in. No problems so far.

Christo.

[Les]

Re: Mark's WFO

Mark - I pretty much did what Christo did, dropped the arch 1 inch. The only down side I see is that I am making my door 1.75 inch thick instead of the 4 inches I wanted to. You mentioned angleing the door side to side - not sure what that will buy you. Angleing the top on the outside edge would help.

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Mark's WFO

Mark, Your last picture, straight on almost, is great! It looks good and will help us newbies a lot but I see something I don't see in most other pics like that.

I'm seeing 3 arches: The out and inner arch of-course. But I see an arch in between against the inner arch and it is making your reveal at the top of the entry arch. The brick seams don't line up so it's not a reveal cut in to the inner arch. Did you mortar a 1/2 brick against it or just short 1" or less brick so that it makes an "L" shaped reveal to match your side-arch reveals.
I hope this makes sense to you.

Your work looks just great. And thanks for the detailed pictures again.
-Dino

[exceloven]

Re: Mark's WFO

Thanks Christo and Les,

Les the thought I had on angling the door was that I was only planning on holding the decorative bricks on the sides going up to the arch in about an eighth (thinking it is only the top that matters as far as smoke draw goes) which I thought might allow me to get the door out. My entry arch is only about 3/4" higher than the inner arch. Holding the outer arch down 1" would it smaller than or close to the same size as my door. Now that I have confused everyone...............

Mark

[exceloven]

Re: Mark's WFO

Dino,
I think I understand what you are asking, but there are only two arches. My outer arch (which is above my 14" landing area) goes from the inner arch to the outside. If you look at the third pic on post #136 from above it might be clearer than I can explain.

Mark

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Mark's WFO

Hi Mark, I'm a little dense and don't get it. I'm sure by next month when I'm cutting my bricks it'll make sense. But did you do what Les did in the picture below? Is it just a 1/2" notch in a single arch brick that creates the reveal at the top?
Thanks again for helping me out, I know you've got that vent-opening-transition thing to work on so I really appreciate you going over this.
Thanks, Dino

This is Les oven opening pick of the reveal at the top:

[exceloven]

Re: Mark's WFO

Hey Dino,
I took another pic from underneath, hoping that might help. Basically it is a 14" arch built 3/4" taller than the inner arch and attached to it. Let me know if that helps, if not may someone else (Les) could help explain.

Mark