Jamie's build

[cynon767]

Re: Jamie's build

After much handwringing and indecision, exacerbated by fitful weather and minor illnesses in the family, I'm finally making progress again. The last couple weeks have taken a turn for the better. I got the flue up, for one thing. I am very glad I went for the extra height; what with the height of the garage roof nearby, I would have regretted not doing it.

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Jamie's build

looks proportionate,,, nice....

[cynon767]

Re: Jamie's build

I don't remember who it was that mentioned that insulating concrete carves easily with a brick chisel... whoever it was, I owe them a debt of gratitude. What with the changes in plan over the eventual final shape of the oven, I found that the placement of my perlicrete slab was interfering with the footings for the planned steel stud framework for the chimney chase. So, I set to work with the hammer and chisel, and found that yes, indeed, it cut away fairly cleanly and easily with just a bit of work. The brickset was just the right width to carve out a gap for the stud track.

[cynon767]

Re: Jamie's build

After a bit of measuring, figuring, guesswork, remeasuring, and finally just holding my nose and going for it, I got the framework underway. I am building a steel stud framework around the chimney to support a hardibacker and stucco exterior, with a perlicrete igloo over the dome. I haven't decided whether or not to roof the dome or just go with the stucco igloo... I may defer that decision for a little while longer.

[cynon767]

Re: Jamie's build

Thanks, Mark, for the encouragement.

Dino- that's the one I ended up deciding on as well. I am going to have to do a bit of fancy stucco sculpting to get it right, but it is coming along.

[cynon767]

Re: Jamie's build

I got the framework all assembled and screwed down. Tapcons are great!
The self-tapping sheet metal screws I got to try out on the studs, not so much.

To develop the curve I wanted for the front of the chimney chase I turned to a few tricks I learned from boatbuilding. I used a piece of light-gauge rebar as a batten, and bent it to shape around a few strategically placed nails on a sheet of osb flooring I was using to make my pattern. That way I knew I would get a "fair curve", as they say. After that I cut it out on the bandsaw and evened out the lumps and hollows with a saw rasp. I traced the outline of the door bricks onto the pattern and cut them out, and now have a solid workable mockup to cut the backer board to.

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Jamie's build

The self-tapping sheet metal screws I got to try out on the studs, not so much.

they can be much easier to use, there is a little trick.... You get one of the drivers for the screwgun with a sliding barrel, you put the screw on and slide the barrel over it then drive it it, the barrel holds it in place and moves out of the way as you drive it in... try that and see how it works

good luck
mark

[cynon767]

Re: Jamie's build

they can be much easier to use, there is a little trick.... You get one of the drivers for the screwgun with a sliding barrel, you put the screw on and slide the barrel over it then drive it it, the barrel holds it in place and moves out of the way as you drive it in... try that and see how it works

good luck
mark

I tried that. Still not much use when trying to balance on the side of the oven, hold two pieces of metal together and screw through both of them. I'm still not sure how I'm supposed to pull that one off...

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Jamie's build

a couple pair of vise grips will come in handy.... clamp then screw,, go to harbor freight, they sell everything else, maybe you cna get an extra hand to help hold on (snicker)

Cheers
Mark

[cynon767]

Re: Jamie's build

Yeah, I tried the vise-grips too. They helped a little, but the screw's drill tip still ended up walking all over and had trouble biting in before going sideways. I ended up predrilling all the holes and using them like standard sheet metal screws.

[StrawberryFieldsTogether]

Re: Jamie's build

HI Jaime, I am new to the forum and want to let everyone know we are building our wood burning pizza oven right at the beach on our new "ON the Rocks" welcome bar and grill at our property in Jamaica called Strawberry Fields Together! (Strawberry Fields, Jamaica - Home) and would like to give some lucky couple one week free accommodation here to come and help build it! If any one is interested please email me directly at kim@strawberryfieldstogether.com so I can email some photos of the work in progress! Looking forward to making ackee, shrimp, lobster, and a lot of other fun Caribbean style pizza!

[mfiore]

Re: Jamie's build

Perhaps a little late, but if your able to find metal studs with dimples in it (locally sold at Menards), it makes all the difference in the world. Using vice grips to hold the two together, the little screws place well into the dimples.

[jmhepworth]

Re: Jamie's build

When I built an outdoor kitchen in Arizona, I bought the smooth steel studs from HD. The self tapping screws walks all over the place. I found that I had to hold it still with very little pressure until the threads bit. Too much pressure just caused the screw to dance. This time around I bought the stuff with dimples and, as Mike pointed out, it makes a huge difference.

Joe

[cynon767]

Re: Jamie's build

After some more delay, up and running again. Trying to get things finished in between autumn weather, before the major winter storms arrive. I had hoped to have it up and running before Thanksgiving, but now I just hope it's done by then.

I have gotten well underway toward completing the house/dome hybrid. We had decided that we liked the profile of some of the house designs, but that they were too massive and mausoleum-like for our small space; so I built a metal stud framework (which also forms the support for the chimney chase) for the lath to give it a house-like profile. Not sure yet whether we will give it a roof or leave it plain stucco. Now I'm building up the perlicrete layer over the dome before finishing it off.

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Jamie's build

hey jamie,
the shape looks great,, you worked that out well..

cheers
Mark