Finally started my pizza oven!

[Calabrese]

I've accually started it 2 months ago in my shop, after reading about all of these wonderful oven builds and seeing all of the progress I just couldn't wait.

[exceloven]

Re: Finally started my pizza oven!

Looks like you're off to a great start. Very clean work. Looking forward to following your progress. Where is Mississauga?

Mark

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Finally started my pizza oven!

Nice cuts on your oven floor. And I think it's great you're going with full height soldier bricks AROUND the oven floor. I think it will make for a nice oven space inside when you go up a few inches before arcing in the dome. As you can see by everybody's pictures, it doesn't have to be perfect but you're off to great start. Congratulations!

[Calabrese]

Re: Finally started my pizza oven!

Thanks Guy's
HI Mark I live near Matheson and Kennedy. Are you from this area?
Dino, I've been following your oven build and find it very inspiring. I can see how your outside arch took some time, but I can also see that you've really thought about it and I think tieing it in and flaring it out was a smart thing to do - and a little difficult I bet.
I have really enjoyed reading about your oven build along with some of the others. Great Ideas all around!

[Calabrese]

Re: Finally started my pizza oven!

It's been a long cold winter and I thought I could get ahead by cutting my bricks and starting my build. I decided to make a stage to hold the oven temperarally and try to dry fit my bricks into place to a certain point. I accualy got upto 5 courses before they started sliding down. They held in place pretty good, concedering I tapered the bricks on 3 sides turning them into all key-stones. I then just cut the remaining bricks into thirds and tapered those as well. The wheather has actually gotting alot better the last month or so, so have managed to dig my foundation pour my slab and start my block walls. I've taken lots of pictures but have to rely on my wife and kids to take them out of the camera and up-load them into the computer which I'm not that proficient in either. Anyway, here are some photographs of what I've done so far with more to come.

[cchell]

Re: Finally started my pizza oven!

Great job on all your cuts. All the planning will pay off. Are you gong to use forms or go formless as you build the dome. Saw the plywood template. If you use forms, make sure you use something you can remove when you're finished!

[Calabrese]

Re: Finally started my pizza oven!

Thanks, I have my fingers crossed. My goal is to have the oven done and cured by the 23rd of June, my 25th wedding anniversary. We are having about 75 guest and the wife says it better be done! I hope so the backyard is a mess. And, Yes I am going with the plywood template. The template I made is accually 2 pieces of plywood screwed together and cut into sections, the plywood base is the same, the base and the form are accually tied together with a threaded rod dead centre on the oven floor, It rotates the full 360 degrees on the rod and keeps me in line and cimetrecal, it should also help me hold up my bricks as I morter them on the higher chains.

[Calabrese]

Re:Can I sink my hearth?

The weather was in my favour today so I got alot done, finished the foundation walls. MAN, I DIDN'T REALIZE JUST HOW MUCH CEMENT GOES IN TO THOSE DARN HOLES. I did manage to rough wire for a light inside the wood shed, Anyway after everything was said and done I stood back and noticed it looked kinda high, 39" HIGH. Is that too high? adding 5 1/2 for the slab, 3 1/2 for vermiculite, 2" insulating layer and another 2" for the brick. TOTALING 52" from the ground to the oven floor. Could I sink the slab a couple of inches, I've seen it done, but what is the split 50/50 - 60/40 or what. I'd like to do all of the above but If I can't should I forget about the vermiculite layer? Or am I fine?

[Les]

Re: Can I sink my hearth?

TOTALING 52" from the ground to the oven floor. Could I sink the slab a couple of inches, I've seen it done, but what is the split 50/50 - 60/40:

I dropped mine 50/50. The question is, how tall are you? You may find the higher hearth is a godsend (or not).

Les...

[Calabrese]

Can I sink my hearth?

Thanks Les, I will sink the slab 50/50, I'd like to stay around the 50" mark. Another question I have: if I switch the vermiculite and the FB board where I have the FB board on the bottom and and the vermiculite on the top will my thermal mass be more efficiant? I realize that it the FB board is cleaner to work on but, if it is so efficiant in stopping heat isn't that what you don't want directly under your bricks? I may be way off, but could someone please clarify. OH and by the way I'm 6' 3".

[Les]

Re: Can I sink my hearth?

if I switch the vermiculite and the FB board where I have the FB board on the bottom and and the vermiculite on the top will my thermal mass be more efficiant?

Thats a good question. I would think that since the vermiculite has portland in it, you would be adding a little more mass. I don't see any reason to use both though, unless you like adding more work to the project. I would just use the board and be done with it.

Les...

[Calabrese]

Re: Finally started my pizza oven!

OK I have no more hearth height issues.
On your thread Les I noticed you have a pretty nice looking ashtray for a none smoker which leads me to my next question, "ASH SLOTS" I'm sure you thought about during your build? Why or why not? I would like to put one in put I haven't figured out away to safely keep it away from the wood underneath, don't get me wrong I'd like the excitment but not the headache.

Thanks again
Last question...........promise.

[Les]

Re: Finally started my pizza oven!

I think the slots add more work and the payback would be nill. Some have done it, but at the end of the day, you only clean the thing after 2 or 3 fires. Even if I bake - the fire is out, so I just push the ashes to the side. May be a benefit of having a 42 inch oven.

Keep the questions coming, never a problem.

Les...

[Calabrese]

Re: Finally started my pizza oven!

I poured the hearth this past weekend as well the vermiculite cement mixure. I am totally exhausted.

Here are a few pics.

From what I understand I should leave it alone 7 to 10 days for curing, is that the norm?

Joe

[Calabrese]

Re: Finally started my pizza oven!

The weather up here in Mississauga has improved over the last couple of weeks. Days are about 60 degrees but it drops down to about freezing at night. My neighbour thought I was openning up the pool last week when he saw me taking out the solar blanket from the garage. I told him it was to insulate the hearth for the pizza oven at night. He told me I've lost it! I think it works great, with a small heater I have plugged inside the wood storage area I'm hitting temperatures of 70 degrees all the time. It's also great having longer days the sun sets just past 8 now, which means I can see! I got up early Saturday and Sunday and put in a good 11hrs each day, here are some pics on my progress, sorry I didn't take any of the floor I sorta got ahead of myself .