Bill's Northwest Pizza Oven

[bbell]

Re: Bill's Northwest Pizza Oven

I was able to cut out the hearth briks, lay the ceramic board and assemble the hearth floor on top.

There are some gaps between some of the bricks regardless of attempts to beat them into submisson with a rubber mallet. Did I read somewhere the you can take fireclay, or the sand, or the combo and sweep it dry over the hearth to fill any crevices? Has anyone done this to their hearth?

Once again, curious...

[bbell]

Re: Bill's Northwest Pizza Oven

John, Now that's a small world!

The guys at IXL were great an deven showed me an oven they had in the back which they use. Turns out they too sell a line of precast ovens.

Got 100 bricks and mortar. Went to Seattle Pottery Supply an got sand and fireclay. I was on a tear because tomorow's booked. I cut the hearth bricks and ceramic board. Will try and set the board and floor at the next opportunity. Let's hope the weather holds.

[jrparks]

Re: Bill's Northwest Pizza Oven

Hi Bill,
Sounds like you beat me to the I-XL. I just picked up the first load (140) at lunch and they said I was not the first oven builder there today. Another load tomorrow with some mortar and I'll set to dome!
Cheers,

[bbell]

Re: Bill's Northwest Pizza Oven

You're right John, bricks are on the list, along with a little fireclay, a dash of sand, general helping of mortar and possibly some cement board if there's room.

Once this fog clears should be a great day.

Bill

[jrparks]

Re: Bill's Northwest Pizza Oven

Great work on your slab Bill. Nice to have welder around to tack the rebar together.
Look like you got your hands on a wet saw. I got mine up an running yesterday. It works well except for it is cutting at a 4 deg off 90. I think I may cut off the cutting head to square it up and also reposition it so I'm able to cut large pieces of brick.
Looks like a good week for buying brick.
Cheers,

[gjbingham]

Re: Bill's Northwest Pizza Oven

I believe most people just lay it on there. If it is level, you're off and running.
(Others - please correct me if I am wrong.)

[bbell]

Re: Bill's Northwest Pizza Oven

A question.....

What does one use to lay the ceramic board onto the hearth slab? Is it necessary to glue or mortar it?

[gjbingham]

Re: Bill's Northwest Pizza Oven

Heck of a nice afternoon yesterday! Good to see someone did something constructive with it.

You've got an interesting build going so far. I look forward to watching your progress.
G.

[bbell]

Re: Bill's Northwest Pizza Oven

Thanks to gorgeous weather time allowed the hearth slab to get poured. Mixing the concrete in a wheelbarrow instead of the mixer was a a lot more work!

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Bill's Northwest Pizza Oven

Bill, nice re-bar work! I just finished mine and know
1) how hard tieing the re-bar is on the fingers and
2) how expensive steel is! But it looks like it will be solid and that's always good. Best to worry about about thickness of the pizza crust than the stability of the oven base.
-Dino

[bbell]

Re: Bill's Northwest Pizza Oven

Thanks Tim, you're right.

Was able to finish the stand today and lay in the rebar for the hearth pad. I did all this in the garage and then had that disturbing thought - How the hell is theis going to get to the back of the house? Thanks to some creative wheel barrow use and spousal support we were able to wrestle it to the pad.

Hopefully can form up and pour tomorrow.

[Tim F]

Re: Bill's Northwest Pizza Oven

Concrete is pretty cheap - instead of asking 'what is the minimum' I'd be thinking 'how much is too much?' The few extra dollars you put into it now will equate to a lot less worrying over the rest of your life. But then again I'm a worrier by trade

[dusty]

Re: Bill's Northwest Pizza Oven

Souds like you are off and running!

Have fun...I sure did.

dusty

[bbell]

Re: Bill's Northwest Pizza Oven

Les, good question. I was trying to keep all but the dome as light as possible. I'm getting over that now...

John, the frame is 1 1/2" angle iron so I'll probably form up the sides to around 3" to 3 1/2". I like the idea of tacking the rebar t the frame. I'm not a welder though a good friend is and has left the welder at my place. Time to experiment....

Bill

[jrparks]

Re: Bill's Northwest Pizza Oven

I think that the thickness is going to depend on how you designed and built your steel frame base. If you have adequate steel cross members then you can probably get away with a thinner slab.
Cheers,
John