Pizza Bob's 42" Build

[Aegis]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

John,
Thanks for the kind compliments! How are you making out with the Hurricane Irene? I purchased a generator but really don't think this storm will be much by the time it hits us in CT. Check out how well the generator fit under the pizza oven! I have about 25 gallons of gasoline ready to go should power go out...
Be safe!

Regards,
Bob

Hi Bob. We are all ok so far, my wife spent two days calling for a generator! She'll be p#@$sed off if she knows she missed one! lol
Are you using it for the oven? It does fit nicely there for sure.
Be careful and safe also
John

[Ilkay]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Hi there. I put my keystone yesterday and i have question if you dont mind. My keystone is same as yours however i didnt stack the, up. I only have the top one not the bottom one. Do you think thats ok. Or how can ii fix it?

Thanks Dino and Fxpose!

Hi there. I put my keystone yesterday and i have question if you dont mind. My keystone is same as yours however i didnt stack the, up. I only have the top one not the bottom one. Do you think thats ok. Or how can ii fix it?



I finally, finally, finally put the keystone in today!!! It was much easier than I thought it would be. I didn't require any forms for this. The HeatStop 50 works so well - I haven't used any forms since the last time I used the indispensible tool on the fourth row. The bricks just always held in place right up to the keystone.
The keystone ended-up being two pieces stacked on top of each other. I traced the opening of the dome onto a piece of paper and then transferred that to a brick to cut the keystone(s). My wonderful 13 week pregnant wife came out and lightly tapped the keystone into place as I laid on my back in the dome watching the keystone come to the correct depth. The sides of the keystones were all tapered so it felt as if it tightned everything up nicely. I think I added a little too much mortar between the upper keystone and lower keystone because it didn't seat as low as it did when they were dry. So, as you can see in the pictures, the upper keystone is slightly proud of the dome. No big deal because this will be completely covered soon!
You can also see in one of the pictures I made an "okay" sign with my fingers as a shadow - because everything is okay now that this dome is DONE!
It sure feels good to have that keystone in there!

~Bob

[dhowse]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Pizza Bob,

After using your oven for awhile do you still think the 19 1/2" dome height is too high? I'm looking at starting my build this summer and dome height seems to be an area where the FB plans don't give you a lot of decision making information.

[pizza_bob]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Pizza Bob,

After using your oven for awhile do you still think the 19 1/2" dome height is too high? I'm looking at starting my build this summer and dome height seems to be an area where the FB plans don't give you a lot of decision making information.

Hi,
Sorry for the delayed reply.
I wish I had the skills to make the dome lower! The oven floor gets so HOT which cooks the bottom of the pizza quicker than the toppings. I haven't tried bread in there but I'm sure the slightly higher dome would be better for this. As for the pizzas, I "dome" the pizza before pulling it out of the oven...basically hold the pizza close to the dome and it acts like a broiler - a really HOT broiler. The toppings get a little carmelized and life is good!

Regards,
Bob

[pizza_bob]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Hi Guys,

It's been awhile since I posted! How is everyone doing? I hope your oven builds are coming along nicely and for those who are finished....How great is the food coming out of these ovens???
I have been using the oven quite a bit before this past summer - I had major surgery in April but everything is good and I'm ready to fire this thing up again!
I must have dropped a larger size log on the hearth floor and chipped one of my bricks. Luckily it's towards the front of the oven but not in the vent transition area. I would like to hear how others replaced hearth bricks and what issues/challenges they had to over come. My concern is not getting t he new brick level with the rest.

Any thoughts?

Hope everyone is doing well!

Kind Regards,
Bob

[DaveW]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Hey Bob,
I haven't been on FornoBravo in awhile either. Your oven looks great. We fire up ours now and then but not as much as we used to. Still love it though. Glad to hear you bounced back after the surgery.

I would go heavy on wet mortar and just tap in the new brick until flush, then sponge up the excess.

Dave

[cobblerdave]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Hi Guys,

It's been awhile since I posted! How is everyone doing? I hope your oven builds are coming along nicely and for those who are finished....How great is the food coming out of these ovens???
I have been using the oven quite a bit before this past summer - I had major surgery in April but everything is good and I'm ready to fire this thing up again!
I must have dropped a larger size log on the hearth floor and chipped one of my bricks. Luckily it's towards the front of the oven but not in the vent transition area. I would like to hear how others replaced hearth bricks and what issues/challenges they had to over come. My concern is not getting t he new brick level with the rest.

Any thoughts?

Hope everyone is doing well!

Kind Regards,
Bob

Gudday Bob
There is no one that I've seen that has had to do this and posted there results. So I'd would be great if you did make a thread in the tools/tips section as it would be a welcome resource.
I have replaced path pavers before and its a sod of a job there hard to get out with the packing sand and hard to get back in.
For what it's worth this I'd how I would go about it.
I would try and remove as much of the ash from around the brick as was possible. I've just tried a piece of thin wire and a shop vacuum on my own oven. Seems to work but its time consuming and laborious.
Then you could put some dyna bolts into the brick so you would have some purchase to lever it out. You could consider drilling a series holes so you could break the brick into sections , that could work.
Getting it back in will be fun. Hopefully you have one of your original batch of brick that would be good. One thing going in your flavor is that firebricks are pretty uniform. I would replace it straight away least the other around it move. I would also consider chamfering the bottom edges so its less likely to catch on the way in. Getting it level I would think too high would be best, then you have the option of grinding it down should you need.
Hope something here might help
Regards dave

[DaveW]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Dave makes a good point that it could end up high. Maybe shave the bottom of the firebrick first. I don't think you want to grind the top, I've been down that road and as you know the bricks only have a thin hard surface. The rest of the brick is weak. My thought is you still will have your non-hardening mix underneath the bricks so a little refractory mortar will become part of the replacement brick. A wet mix will crack easily and relieve any tension but will be hard enough to keep the brick in place and wet enough to squeeze between bricks as you tap it down. Maybe keep pressure on neighboring bricks when setting the new one.

Dave

[cobblerdave]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Dave makes a good point that it could end up high. Maybe shave the bottom of the firebrick first. I don't think you want to grind the top, I've been down that road and as you know the bricks only have a thin hard surface. The rest of the brick is weak. My thought is you still will have your non-hardening mix underneath the bricks so a little refractory mortar will become part of the replacement brick. A wet mix will crack easily and relieve any tension but will be hard enough to keep the brick in place and wet enough to squeeze between bricks as you tap it down. Maybe keep pressure on neighboring bricks when setting the new one.

Dave

Gudday DaveW

I only have my own oven to go on. I'm finding it hard to get a table knife blade in the gapes of the hearth tile. That why I suggested a thin wire . I would think it hard for any mortar to be able to squish up in that gape. Perhaps it depends on the size of the gape. I'm certain it wouldn't work on my hearth
Regards dave

[stonecutter]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

It is easier to level out a larger area rather than a single brick gap. When the damaged brick is removed, take out a few around it, trowel out a sand/fireclay mix and reinstall.

If that doesn't appeal to you, you have two options. Get the setting bed perfect or create a space for material to go under compression...because the floor is tight there is nowhere for the material to go, except to squeeze into the joint, which will lift the brick or prevent it from being leveled.

To create a space, you can 'frog' the brick....cut or grind a hollow in the center of the brick, which will allow you to tap or push the brick into your setting bed without forcing material into the joint. Just before you set the replacement brick, rake the setting material away from the surrounding floor brick ( like a bevel)...this will further prevent it from squeezing up, and direct it into the frog.

[pizza_bob]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Thank you for your suggestions on this. I will make sure to take pictures of the process and let everyone know how I make out. The hearth bricks are not mortared in place so I'm hoping it will easily come out. I see my floor shifted around slightly but not too bad - I think I might have left a little more than 1/8" between the dome sidewall bricks and floor which might have caused bricks to shift ever so slightly.

Kind Regards,
Bob

[ATK406]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

To create a space, you can 'frog' the brick....cut or grind a hollow in the center of the brick, which will allow you to tap or push the brick into your setting bed without forcing material into the joint. Just before you set the replacement brick, rake the setting material away from the surrounding floor brick ( like a bevel)...this will further prevent it from squeezing up, and direct it into the frog.

Wouldn't it be just as effective and easier to cut a series of grooves in the bottom of the brick as opposed to carving out a hollow (say 3/8" wide by 1/2" deep) that would allow the brick to settle in the setting bed? I understand with your skill set carving out the back of a brick to look like a frog or a squirrel or any other forest creature would be no problem , but some of us only have a few simple tools - like a brick saw.

Bob,
I'm so glad you raised your thread to the top. I don't know how I missed it. I caught the end of your thread and had to go back to the beginning and read the whole thing. Our oven constructions have a lot in common (albeit your dome to arch transition was a little more elegant than mine - but it all worked out in the end). Your story is truly one of the "classics". Congratulations on a beautiful back yard, patio and WFO and good luck with your brick replacement.

Regards,
AT

[stonecutter]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Wouldn't it be just as effective and easier to cut a series of grooves in the bottom of the brick as opposed to carving out a hollow (say 3/8" wide by 1/2" deep) that would allow the brick to settle in the setting bed? I understand with your skill set carving out the back of a brick to look like a frog or a squirrel or any other forest creature would be no problem , but some of us only have a few simple tools - like a brick saw.

That was what I suggested...see bold below... though I never specified a depth.

To create a space, you can 'frog' the brick....cut or grind a hollow in the center of the brick.......

A frog in a brick is a hollow in the center , not a animal relief....funny guy. That would make for some interesting repair work.

[Campmaki]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Dino,
That sounds like a good way to tie the bricks in. Thank you for the detailed pictures!

I picked-up the rest of my firebricks yesterday and was a little disappointed with the quality of the bricks. I can't believe how chipped the edges/corners are! Are there different grades of firebrick? It seems as if these bricks chip so easily. Perhaps the buff bricks chip easier than red??? Who knows...

This weekend I'll build the form for the inner arch and set-up my "indispensible tool". I ordered parts from McMaster Carr and built an adjustable "indispensible tool". I was planning on a 19" dome height and this should help.

Rain, rain go away!

~Bob

Bob , just wondering about your IT. Did you find the parts at a hardware store and what it the correct part name for the two pieces at the floor? The inner piece looks like a ball joint. Going to the store to dig into this. Thanks

[George_M]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Made some progress yesterday. I cut and dry stacked the landing arch walls and reveal. The first and third courses of the vertical landing walls are mitered and tie in to the dome and reveal blocks. This should make it more sturdy and it eliminates a continuous mortar joint. I also decided to take some time (waste some time?) tapering the oven opening arch bricks. Really simple to cut on the HF tile saw and they came out really clean. I still have a couple more to cut and then I'll start mortaring them in place. I'm not sure if I'll do this for the other arch bricks but we'll see...

~Bob

Hi bob,
I will my entrance arc like yours.
Can you tell me please the size of the bricks on the arc?
Thanks