Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

I figured out how to use my 3 FB boards to fit my 52" radius and landing area. Here is a pic using autocad to help make the right cuts and fill it out. I used a cardboard "measuring stick" screwed into a board at the center of my circle and followed the radius around with a pencil then cut the FB board with a sharp knife. Kitty was helping too.
-Dino

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

I've finished cutting the insulation. I just realized that even though my landing will get wider at the front 2" at the left and right sides, my footprint is straight out. I planned on trimming my arch wall blocks at an angle to get the flaired entry. Others I notice have angled the bricks for the arch wall to get their flaired opening. I hope both methods work out ok. -Dino

[exceloven]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Dino,
Looking good. Your work looks very clean. Now the fun begins!

Mark

[marco]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

hi Dino, looks very good, soon we will see pizzas!!! all the best!. ciao

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Thanks Mark & Marco. It all looks cleaner and neater than it is I think. I layed all the floor bricks yesterday in the herringbone pattern. I used my cardboard ruler with a mark on it at just under 21" and spun it around to tell me where to cut the edge bricks. Cutting the bricks was easy with the Harbor Frieght saw. I already had to get a new blade though. I cut 3 blocks in half, then went for the insane cuts. No problem at all (I left out the 3 blocks that looked like an accident in the "transporter room" on Star Trek-not pretty).

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

I had some issues with the 1" reveal being at the right spot and the angled entry going from 20" at the oven, 22" at the door (20" opeing with a 1" reveal) then flairing to a 24.5" width at the front. I got confused on the arch wall brick versus the hearth floor and what was going to show above the floor as I went up. That's why the left and right side do not look the some. I realized I did not need to have the same brick cuts above the floor as what is used on the arch walls going up.

Oh well...could not make the sides match at the floor level (what you will never see when its done anyway). The Wet Saw Gods were not pleased and kept moving my pencil marks on the bricks...And what's up with that "I just cut a piece of a brick and cannot for the life of me figure why I did it or where it goes?" Oh I am tired. I uploaded more photos on my Picasa web link. We've opened up a great Williams Sellyam Pinot from the cellar to celebrate this part of the build and it's been lot's of work but really great fun and satisfying. Next week the soldier courses. Cheers, Dino

[gjbingham]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Good progress Dino. Now's when the dreams all turn to brick laying. Enjoy the next couple three weeks. Better than any vacation you ever took.
G.

[exceloven]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Dino,
I saw your post on another thread re: a plywood template. I started using one but gave up on it a few courses up. I found that because the bricks aren't uniform and flat the template wouldn't hit the bricks consistently enough to give me a true radius.
So what I did was put a screw in the center of my plywood on the floor and hooked my tape to it and set the bricks at the radius dimension. Basically the string method with no chance of stretching. Once I started doing this the radius was much closer to what I was after. Just another idea to confuse you.

Mark

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

I hope I don't start dreaming of cutting bricks! I do wake up in the middle of the night & make arch-dome-floor connections in my mind until I fall back to sleep though ...

Mark, that's a great idea. When I used contractor string for drawing my floor radius, it stretched so the the cardboard ruler replaced it. But as for the dome bricks, I like your method of using the tape measure hooked to the middle screw. I'v already cut my 42" plywood to protect the floor so measuring would be easy. Thanks for the advice, Dino

[Mitchamus]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

I wish I could use auto cad that good...

nice work so far.

M.

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Thanks M., It started out as something to do at work while lurked around in this forum only wishing I could build the oven. It's not needed but it sure helped. It's really satisfying when the build actually matches the ideas on paper.

And thanks for posting: it made me look you up and read your posts which led me to the answere of the problem I have with the ONE, SINGLE FLOOR BRICK GAP (short edge, 3/16"x4.5") that is screaming "idiot, novice...how can you ever bake a pizza on this" at me. I learned that I am to let it fill with ash and NOT fill it with anything that might expand differently and pop a brick.

Thanks, Dino

[Les]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Dino,

You are boldly going where WE have all been before. Don't fret - the gap is in a place where you won't use or see it. God speed! Looking good.

Les...

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

We've had a rainy weekend so slow but interesting (for me) progress was made. We cut our soldier courses in the rain under the patio and did arch bricks too. My side wall arches will be interlocked with the inner arch so it's a little difficult to cut 4 alternating rows of 2 brick - 3brick - 2 brick etc. and keep my floor landing widening correctly but I think it's working. I'll know tomorrow. I used my Refmix for the 1st time on 2 soldier bricks. I think I need a pastry bag to keep it away from the inner edge and just fill the gap behind it. I'm going to search the posts about using Refmix to make sure I'm applying it correctly. -Dino

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

I'm Refmix-ing in my soldier course today. Can't wait to get that done so I can get my "unuasual" shaped bricks in at the inner arch and wall befor I forget which ones they are or loose track of them and have to re-cut them.

Is this how it is suppose to look along the outside (back?) I guess some even add 1/2" of cladding for more mass or strength so it shouldn't matter. The inside is clean though Dino

[Mitchamus]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Nice work Dino... this might be a dumb question,
but what is the cardboard 'spacer' for in the last pic between the soldier course and the floor?

great work so far, I love that feeling when it starts to look like something!

Mitch.