Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Thanks Matt, and I'm glad you're finding the forum and my posts helpful. It's fun and satisfying and as you can see by others posts, it doesn't take as long my build. Don't hesitate to ask us any questions. Sometimes, you have to admit, you even come across stuff of what NOT to do (or watch out for):

I got sloppy 1 & 2 rings ago and dipped in a couple of bricks. I wish now I had gone back and removed them. I thought being "out-of-round" slightly is OK, however it is making my last row and keystone/plug a little difficult to figure out.

This roundish hole (it's almost a bit triangular too) seems too big for a plug and cutting bricks into triangular wedges is hard, especially since it's not perfectly round and each brick would have a custom cut. I was thinking of maybe cutting the bricks in half hieghtwise, and using 1"x1"x4-1/2" or maybe a bit bigger "sticks" so that the "v" between them is small enough that I don't have to tapper. I'll have to think on it some and any suggestions are welcomed. -Thanks, Dino

[jrparks]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Hi Dino, Your oven progress is looking great. I had good success with my plug and think the same process could help plug yours, though I don't know the size of the opening. I've added a few pics to help you visually.
Step One. Mortar 2 brick together on there sides. I cut slots in them to ensure strong cure. Let sit for several day to cure.
Step Two. Trace and cut a template of the opening on a paper plate. I stacked bricks in the center of the oven and pressed a strong paper plate up to the opening and held it there by wedging my cleaning sponge between the stack of brick and paper plate.
Step Three. Transfer the template to the bricks. Be sure to flip the paper plate template so that orientation of the cut will be correct!!!! I use a special masonry pencil so all my lines did not wash off in the wet saw before I had a chance to cut them.
Step Four. Cut the plug along each side at the same angle as your last course. And check for a good fit.
Step Five. Once you have a good fit trace the upper/wider part of the plug onto another paper plate. This will act as the template for the upper plug to achieve the same thickness as the rest of your dome.
Step Five. Mortar plug into place and repeat for the upper plug then let sit for a few days.
Step Six. Start curing fires (be sure cat is not in the oven).
Step Seven. Remove cork from wine bottle and make pizza.
Cheers,

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Thanks for the info John; Am I to understand that your plug is actually made up of 4 pieces?? 2 halves, mortared together for the bottom part, inserted into the lower half and then you do the same with the upper half of the plug? That would make it easier, separating the lower cuts from the upper angle cuts. I'll go measure my opening tonight to see if it it'll work. Thanks, Dino.

PS: I've cheated and skipped to the 1st part of Step 7 already. Hey...cutting all these weird angles is hard!

[Les]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Dino, do you have an angle grinder? I kind of cut my plug close, using a template like John suggested, and dropped it in. Looked for the spot where it was hanging up and shaved it off. I used my kids sidewalk chalk to help identify where it was hitting. It took me a while to get it to fit but it's worth it. After all, you have been dreaming of this plug for some time - I know I did.

Les...

[Calabrese]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Hey Dino
I found that when I parged the joints with a putty knife it help me stay straight and symetrical. The putty knives changed in width depending on the size of the brick from 1" to 2" taking out the void at the joint. For my final 2 pieces I accually cut what I could on the wet saw and used the grinder, patientally fitting in one brick at a time. The parging help me because I found it easier grinding it into two semi-circles then trying to figure out all those angles. It took me about 45 min to get it right. I to, groved both the flat sides of the brick as well as scoring around the entire cork. I hope this helps. It felt so good when those last two bricks slid in without them falling through. I had my fingers crossed the whole time.

Joe
Mississauga, Canada

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Thanks Joe, I went back to your last few pics, your oven is amazing! Your last course and cork are beautiful. I got sloppy in my 9th row and 2 bricks started edging downward when Forno Bravo told me the Refmix was backordered for a month. I refused (in a panic) to remove the bricks because I thought I could close the dome with what little precious Refmix I had and wait on the vent. BIG mistake. I just kept making it worse. But I'll live with it. If I position my camera just right, someone may even think the "steps" in my bricks were intentional.

Jrparks method would work by mortaring 2 bricks side by side. I've checked out Les' plug and its terrific like Joes. My opening is 6" x 5.5". Is that plug worthy?

It's settled, I'll use my grinder A LOT and get my opening into a better circle then depending on how it looks, I'll see if I can plug it. Thanks Everyone.

[DaveDQ]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Dino, I did the same thing with one brick the other day. I was moving along and when I finished the 3rd ring, I found it had a lip on one brick, making it obvious to me, only because I'm so obsessed with the whole thing. I took my grinder and shaved it down a bit and will eventually try and smooth it out more, but it's not perfect.

That's ok though. I have to relax and just let it be.

[mluttropp]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Dino, I hope you don’t mind a bunch of questions from a newbie but I am anxious to start my oven and I want to make sure I do everything right. Like you I am trying to lay most of the work out in CAD to make sure I have at least some idea as to what I am doing before I start. The first question I have come up with is how high is the arch entry to your oven? In looking at your photos (very helpful by the way) it would appear that your arch starts at 7 1/2" (3 bricks) and extends up to a full height of 15 inches or so. Is this right or is your arch closer to the 12 inches that I have seen in other builds as the "ideal" for a 42" oven. I ask because I am having a devil of a time trying to get the CAD drawing of the arch to look right. To get the 12 inch height I end up with a very flat arch and I am concerned that the loads and the arch will not be transferred to the three brick tall wall and all of the load will be on the mortar seam.

I am looking forward to seeing how you finish your oven off. I still have yet to figure that one out for my build. I suspect I will just wait until the end to decide.

[exceloven]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Dino,
I don't know if you have done your plug yet, but I followed Les' advice. Thinset 3 bricks together. Then trace inside opening, outside opening, cut out the pattern transfer to 3 bricks and go to town with the grinder. It worked very well and wasn't that hard. Hope it goes well.

Mark

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Thanks Mark, I'm going to do that but use Joes 2 brick method. I've mortared 2 bricks side-by-side & waiting a day to dry hard. I took the advice & ground some edges flat and traced the opening onto cardboard from the top so when I cut it, it will be too large but since the opening is smaller from the bottom / inside of the dome I'll grind the edges at angles until it fits tight. My plug or cork will be soooo ugly that I can't imagine taking a picture of it to post. We'll see... I worked on the vent transition a bit this weekend. I was very busy entertaining or being entertained to get any work done.

mluttropp: My inner arch is 12.25" high. The 3 wall bricks with thin mortar is 7.75" but I've got an angled wedge brick with 1/2" of mortar in the corner so the inner opening at the low sides are really 8.25" high. The opening came out 20 3/8" wide. You don't want your inner opening higher than 12"-13" for a 42" dome, 20-21" high. Since my opening is just over 20" wide I felt it was OK to have side walls "low-ish" at 7.75" since it arched up to what most people have anyway. Mix your mortar thicker to hold 1/4" gaps if it helps. My arch bricks were tapered on the sides but I still have the 1/2" of mortar at the top 1 brick in from each side because it was difficult cutting them with my 1" reveal. But that joint narrows quickly to a good brick contact at the bottom. Here's pics what I did, take care, Dino

[Modthyrth]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

I refuse to take pictures of my "keystone," if it can even be called that. Nobody shall see the shame. But the oven works beautifully, despite my level of craftsmanship, and I guarantee yours will look far, far better than mine. ;-)

[geisen]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Dino / Modthyrth
The Italians embrace the imperfections of non-mass produced art. While in Italy, I would try and haggle with an artisian as I pointed out a slight imperfection in the pottery. They would always reply "Fatto a Mano" ....Made by Hand, as if to say the beauty is in the imperfections. If you want it perfect go buy something made by a machine. So if your Keystone is the face that only a mother could love, be proud, show your face and dare anyone to critique, because it is FATTO A MANO!!!!!!

Show us your Keystones!!!

Greg

[geisen]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

mluttropp:
For brick angles and arches there is an inexpensive tool and software ($10?) available at HD in the tools section called the Angelizer. Takes all the guess work out of the arch cuts. See my thread for pictures.
Regards
Greg

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Nikki, your post reply is perfect! It's exactly how I feel. But Greg is right, "Fatto a Mano" is a great motto. I've started trimming my bottom half of the dome "plug" and as soon it's trimmed up, I'll post a pic.

I just found out this morning that my Link Below to my Picasa Web Album linked only to my 1st folder, the base construction. So I've changed the link so it contains all 3 folders of pics. The last folder has where I'm at now and features more oven construction details and more cat too. Cheers, Dino

[Frances]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

I've started trimming my bottom half of the dome "plug" and as soon it's trimmed up, I'll post a pic.

Yes, please do... I turn the computer on each day expecting to see your keystone in place, it'd be such an anticlimax and very unfair if you didn't post the pics!