Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

[bbell]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Dino, it looks great.

It seems that at every major step in this process, right as you finish, you finally get it and become a little more proficient. It certainly keeps it interesting...

Well done!

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Thanks for the encouragement all. I'm learning a lot. I did just try your method John of the wedges to lift the back of some bricks. I think Elizabeth did that too. It worked great. I removed them after 5 minutes and pointed mortar in. Half my row fit without them. I keep putting on the level and it says "level" so I'm satisfied.

Elizabeth, I've actually used so little mortar in my joints on this bottom half of the dome & it feels so solid, I will remember that "mortar is your friend" and if I can use it to tilt my bricks on the upper half, so be it. The mortar is expensive, 4 bags so far, I should be OK but if I need more for cladding, I'll do the home brew (save my $$ for an extra FB blanket).

My 1st 3 rows went higher than my autocad sketch determined because I had a mental (or emotional) problem with having NO mortar showing inside the dome (it just seemed wrong not to push it into the gap) so everything rose in height a bit. I'll fix it next row and the dome curve or shape should be even more "pleasant". This is my sketch I WAS following but I'll have a couple of steeper cuts to make. Thanks, Dino

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

I've busy on other projects lately so the arches are going up slowly. I was able to cut all my inner arch bricks and I placed them all except for my keystone. It's a nice, tight keystone so I was going to wait until the other 2 bricks on either side dried hard before I wedge it in. I am a little concerned about 1 of the pie shaped mortar joints in the arch at the left shoulder. Is it too thick? I really should have cut some wedges and not used that much Refmix. But the rest of the inner arch is tight and the keystone will fit great. I hope that with the dome rings going over that joint, it will be strong. The last pic shows that mortar joint. I really prefer leaving it in. What would be the issues of a joint that's almost 3/4" wide that narrows to nothing?

Also, check out the vent opening side-walls with the vertical cut. It was fun cutting those, especially since they seem to fit and line up. I'll figure out how to transition to the duratech base plate soon enough.

Thanks, Dino

[james]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Dino,

You are using high quality mortar so I think your joints will be fine. No problems at all. In fact, the Artigiano ovens we sell come with an exposed joint (and high quality mortar that is basically equal to the firebrick).

This all looks great to me. Very fine work.
James

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Thanks James, the Refmix does certainly feel and act like a strong, high quality product. 1 time, when we stuck 2 pieces of bricks together that we shouldn't have and tried to chip them apart (hack with a cement hammer) we almost died laughing at how hard it became and just threw the whold chunk away.
So, confident my inner arch bricks and mortaring are performing as they should, we installed our keystone. It was actually a bit anti-climactic since it went so smoothly. If you notice, I mortared 2 bricks together and let them sit for 3 days before I cut my 1"x1" reveal in to it. I did this to make it as deep as the other arch bricks but almost as wide as a half brick.
I also found a dozen of my fire brick that had a dark red or burgundy stain blotching. I REALLY liked the red blotches so I made sure my arch keystone had it and these pics show it. Wish I had used these in my arch walls too, they are kind of cool.
Now I can continue my dome rings (finally). Cheers, Dino

[christo]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Nice!!! It looks like you're really paying attention to making it easy for the smoke to flow! Reminds me of my arch, but with more craftsmanship!

Really nice build log. Thanks for sharing!

Christo

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Thanks Christo, I have followed a lot from your excellent build. But as far as craftsmanship goes, you just hit the "craftsmanship" button on Picasa's fix-it tab and it removes excess mortar, straightens all joints and makes rings perfect circles. I still have trouble with the "add diamond flecs to your HF saw blade" feature. Hopefully this weekend will see the outer arch finished and more rings?
Thanks, Dino

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Well I've finished my arches! It was really satisfying and not as hard as I thought. I also tied in my 1st ring into the inner arch. Again, not as hard as I thought it would be. I used the flower-foam again to get a good idea of the 2 angles I needed to free-hand-hold the brick in the saw to make the cuts.
I used a thin aluminum sheet-metal to hold my curve for the outer arch and that's where the Refmix seeped out against it and it looks like glass obsidian, not like the other globs the seeped out.

What do you all suggest for removing and cleaning up the refmix? Should I use a small pointed grinder? Will acid-water and a bristle brush work? Chipping?

Thanks, Dino

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

I used a little pool acid 20-30% mixed with water and a wire brush and it cleaned the mortar well but I did not try it on the big chunks. I've since researched this site this morning and found lot's of helpful info.
I'm going to use a small wire brush and stiff plastic brush and use elbow grease 1st, then MAYBE a grinder on the big chunks. Lastly, I may try the acid wash again, rinse well and even rinse with some baking soda water to counteract any acid. Thanks, Dino

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

I completed another row that required tying in to the inner arch. Here is a picture of what I'm sure all of you on the forum already went thru but it was a bit scary yet ultimately easy to do. This ring only "ties" on to the arch with 1 3" brick but I guess the next row that goes across the top of the arch will be the same. The oven is finally getting an actual "dome" shape now.

This ring used up more Refmix than I had planned so my next row will have a bevel on the bottom from front to back (not just partial front to middle) and now that my HF saw seems to be cutting almost like normal, I might even bevel the sides so I have enough Refmix this week until I order another box of it.

Here are some pics to date, I really need to get to cleaning the dome before I close it up but it's hard to find time. Thanks, dino

[mfiore]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Dino, your tie-ins to the arch look great. Pay close attention here, this is where the eye can fool you and many of us end up with a little tear drop shape or dip by the arch. It's tough to keep circle.

Great build so far!

[bbell]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Dino, you've become a master mason. Great work on the arch and vent. You're in the home stretch.

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Thanks Bill, it does feel like a home stretch. I've been analyzing your photo's to see how to transit to the anchor plate. Thanks for posting those pics!

And Mike, you made me go back to check my tie in and 1 side is bit droopy. I got so caught up in the cut I forgot how easy it is to fall into the teardrop. I'll watch it really carefully on the next ring.

I've go a short Palm Springs vacation and wine country is calling me too. I'd almost rather just stay home and work on the dome but I'm trying to be balanced. These longer days sure help for making progress during the week.
Thanks again for the encouragement guys. Dino

[Roadkyng]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Dino,
your oven is definately the work of an artisan.
I have my stand poured and will be building the forms for the hearth tomorrow. I hope you do not mind but I intend to copy your build as closely as possible. I have one question - what is your total firebrick count and the amount of refractory mortar you think you will use? I intend to buy mine in the next few weeks and need an idea of how many.

Thanks a bunch.

Gavin

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Hi Gavin, I've been on a short vacation for a few days, so sorry I didn't get back to you earlier.

I bought a total of 280 firebricks. I think I will use it all except 5-10. I would say I totally ruined 6 bricks that that have no possible use.

I've purchased 4 bags of Refmix and I'm on my last half of a bag. I'll be ordering a 5th bag and will only need a portion of it but what can I do. I really like the stuff, it's very strong. I had to throw some when bricks fell or I mortared the wrong side. 4 bags might have worked.

The current row I'm working on I've sliced the bottom brick from front to back AND tapered the sides a bit to remove the inverted V's and there is very little mortar used. My row under that (see a few posts of mine before this) I experimented with only a slight cut on the bottom and used mortar to help tilt the brick up and in to the dome and filled the large V gaps with mortar. It was easy, seems like a perfectly good way to go but it did eat up A LOT of mortar this way.

I'll be looking for your start thread and be sure to post pics when you can. This is a great forum and the people on it are fantastic. Lot's of helpful folks out there and let me know what else you may need about my build.
Take care, Dino