4 years in the making - 42" dome

[John French]

Re: 4 years in the making - 42" dome

Hi
My build is at a similar stage and your dimensions of arches and vent are also. I have picked up a couple of comments observing that the outer arch will collapse over time unless i buttress the vent walls.
Have you ( or others experiences ) got any concerns in that regard?

I can build either and enclosure instead of igloo or put in place another set of bricks around the vent to create a double wall.

Ant thoughts from anyone - thanks.

[C5dad]

Re: 4 years in the making - 42" dome

Man o man

I considered it and am still thinking.

I will need to pull out the ol Standards Handbook for Civil Engineering to make a quick determination. A gut feeling says no, but tossing a few bricks up wont hurt - cheap insurance. My entry bricks and roof transistion bricks are mudded to the dome.

I am still trying to figure out how to deal with the chimney - thinking about a brick chimney all the way up for that classic look. However with Forno Rustica and the bricklayers skills, I may have a second thought about that

CW

[John French]

Re: 4 years in the making - 42" dome

I will be interested in what you resolve to do. I am still pondering but may well add any extra buttressing at a later point if / when i build a brick chimney.
I am still trying to work out the transition of the vent bricks. I want to tie into the inner arch.
Are you looking to use the outer arch for support of the vent/chimney. I have seen both approaches and i am not sure which is more secure.
Have you made progress with your vent/chimney transition. I am interest to see how you will go. I want to angle the inner face so there is a smooth funnelling effect. However, i am trying to see how will support these bricks securely on top of the vent walls and tie into the arch and dome. I will probably spend some time mocking up some odeas with the bricks in hand!!

[C5dad]

Re: 4 years in the making - 42" dome

After much thought, pondering, praying for inspiration, slapping cold water in my face (ok, semi cold - I live in AZ) the thought came to mind - use the grinder.

Now your thinking, am I going at my oven. Short answer is NO.

I ordered a 8.5x8.5x24 inch flue tile.

With my handy dandy PencilCad '95, I figured I could cut the flue on one side to match the outer edge of the inner arch, with the other wall neatly cemented to the inside of the outer arch. The other 2 edges will be mortared to the transition bricks.

The flue will be in on thurs eve, pick up on Friday am. I will be making a cardboard template to guide my cuts. Any errors/chips will be masked with the home brew.

I tell ya, I have seen so many errors on my oven, I am surprised it is standing

I could write a book on lessons learned. I am halfway tempted to knock it down, clean the bricks off and rebuild - lol

I will be posting pics this weekend. I am hoping to get a slurry coat to cover all the shrinkage cracks in the dome coating. I even covered it with plastic to retard the water loss. I will need to look at my old cement recipes to figure out what went wrong - maybe I did not have enough of my favorite beverage!

[Tscarborough]

Re: 4 years in the making - 42" dome

C5dad, you will certainly want to add some mass to the outside of that arch, preferably before you remove the falsework.

[dusty]

Re: 4 years in the making - 42" dome

Don't worry too much. With your obvious wear-with-all, it will be done soon, it will be all yours, and it will work as good as any of ours.

Cheers!

dusty

[C5dad]

Re: 4 years in the making - 42" dome

TS - I am working on the plans to do that, although I removed the falsework last night - my calcs (oh, I get to use that statics book I used ONCE in college). I am fine for now, though do not want to run it out too long.

Dusty - thanks for the encouraging words. I am in the home stretch, so life is good.

I am now thinking of putting in parilla right next to the pizza oven, and on the other side install my gas grill and smoker. There goes the rest of the patio extension. Fortunately, I primed my wife for adding an outside fireplace the other day, along with a flagstone patio, etc.

But lets first finish this project.

CW

[Lburou]

Re: 4 years in the making - 42" dome

Hang in there! I think finishing one project before starting another makes good sense (says a man who has at least 20 finishing details on his home makeover to do).

I like the shape of your base. Wish I had seen that before I made mine so rectangular.

"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he" -the Bible. "A man is what he thinks about all day long" -Thoreau. It looks like you may be a closet Oven builder at heart

[John French]

Re: 4 years in the making - 42" dome

C5dad, you will certainly want to add some mass to the outside of that arch, preferably before you remove the falsework.

So to be clear Tscarborough you are recommending buttressing the outer arch?
Is this based on experience of others?
I have tried to search the forum to clarify with no clear outcome. It does seem strange that the build guide does not state categorically the need for buttressing the outer arch within the section describing the arch option. To be honest had i been more aware i may have planned a different build.
thanks for any information you can share.

[C5dad]

Re: 4 years in the making - 42" dome

TS and others have brought this up. The ourward force from the arch may be too great and overcome the static vertical loading of the brick wall. The reason this is brought up is I have a large opening portal vs most who have an opening which is not too much larger than their inner portal through the dome.

The buttressing is to counter the outward force from the arch phushing down and out.

Without sitting down and solving the moment equations, it is cheap insurance to buttress. Plus, I can butress faster than solving a system of equations for statics and dynamics. Since I are a chemical engineer, I usually have others do that kind of work for me, while I do process, safety and environmental engineering for them.

[C5dad]

Re: 4 years in the making - 42" dome

Here is my latest progress pictures - finally. The pictures are slightly over exposed due to the haze on some of the bricks, the flash and the camera.

In the transition, I cut bricks at a 45 degree angle and placed them in the opening for the flue. Then I had some double wide bricks which I closed up the gap

The inside the oven picture still has the cardboard on the floor. The entry bricks do need some cleaning - looking to use some of my Aqua Regie (google it) to clean. Seriously, have some 10 to 1 HCl for cleaning purposes - wipe and rinse.

The structural reinforcement will be tomorrow eve as we are having rain tonight

I am now working on the landing plans and the outside structure. Will be picking up the insulation and installing it on Friday. Firing begins Saturday - low and slow.

[C5dad]

Re: 4 years in the making - 42" dome

OK, I got the flue and away I went!

Put the flue up - had to grind a notch into the clay flue due to the oven having a slight bump -oops.

Behind the flue, I put in a brick wedge to help hold the flue. The two side bricks are there to hide several smaller weird sized bricks used to close the corner gaps.

You can also see the buttressing I did as well. Not pretty, but they will be covered up when the house goes over it in the spring. Plan to put the pearlcrete on it tomorrow and start the firing sequence. There still is a chance of rain today and I don't want to chance it. Good thing is that the pearlite is only $8 a bag, but a 52 mile drive from my house - ugh. So I bought 5 bags. Figured I could use it elsewhere if needed.

Due to rain, I did not go out and get firewood today. Figure I can go grab some at one of the firewood sales places out there.

[C5dad]

Re: 4 years in the making - 42" dome

Did the first newspaper firing this morning. Man the flue worked like a charm once it got going. I really enjoyed the air flow into the oven and out - a true masterpiece of fluid dynamics. The ancient Italians really figured it out.

[Lburou]

Re: 4 years in the making - 42" dome

Did the first newspaper firing this morning. Man the flue worked like a charm once it got going. I really enjoyed the air flow into the oven and out - a true masterpiece of fluid dynamics. The ancient Italians really figured it out.

You sound like a man having fun! Don't think about all those football games youare missing, just keep your head down and your hand working on the oven

Going out now to start forming my own oven hearth.

[C5dad]

Re: 4 years in the making - 42" dome

I am so pumped to be at this stage!

This oven was the reward for a goal that I achieved almost 5 years ago. I could not start back then due to a shoulder injury and surgery on it. Then thing after thing got in the way. My last job and travel took its toll.

I am having fun realizing all that I have been through to get here - This is a Christmas present to myself and the fam (in that order!)

I am planning on using some of my olive tree trimmings for another fire. I also have my weed burner which will provide really good adjustable heat as well.

Good luck on your hearth as well - as the old saying goes - A journey starts with but one step. Step one - Hearth!

CW