Jamie's build

[trockyh]

Re: Jamie's build

The brick enclosures are at the High Hand nursery in Loomis, CA between Sacramento and Auburn, in the Sierra Foothills. Definitely a fun place to go to be inspired about landscaping.

Hi Jamie,
Had lunch there with my son and granddaughter a few weeks back. It was before I found this site so I wasn't looking at the oven, just the beautiful nursery. Love that place.

Tom,
Penn Valley, Ca.

[trockyh]

Re: Jamie's build

Jamie,,
you did a great job,,, You are now an official member of "WFOAMBA" Wood Fired Oven Amatueur Masons Builders America" Welcome to the club I just made up.. Your the second memeber... Anyone else that cares to join put it in you signature line.... New members always accepted..
Cheers
Mark

Mark,
Do I have to actually build my oven first?

Looks great Jamie, can't wait to start mine.

Tom

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Jamie's build

Mark,
Do I have to actually build my oven first?

absolutely not,,, no rules just for fun,,, and for those down under its the "WFOAMBA" Wood Fired Oven Amatueur Masons Builders Austrailia"

CHeers
Mark

[trockyh]

Re: Jamie's build

Your build looks great, love how it's turning out.
Any new progress to report?


Tom

[cynon767]

Re: Jamie's build

There is, in fact.

I poured a chimney crown the other day. I based the design on information from here and here. I used lath and a sand-based concrete (basically just a mortar mix with increased cement) to create the crown. The experts deride using just a mortar parge for the crown, but I figured that using the lath as a matrix would add sufficient strength to the concrete, possibly even more than an aggregate would. I used GE silicone brick and mortar caulk to provide a compressible seal between the chimney and flashing and between the flashing and the crown; according to the information, not all silicone is alkaline resistant, so I checked around for what was. HD staff was of no help; I only found what I was looking for because some of the good stuff was stocked in the wrong place, probably as a result of someone putting it back haphazardly after finding something cheaper.

I've been slow-curing the oven with a propane burner before moving on to a high-heat wood fire. As I had mentioned elsewhere, I used a higher proportion of clay in the mortar, so I wanted to allow it time to dry out fully to minimize cracks. I gradually increased the heat over the last few days, and now I think I'm ready to start moving on up. It was interesting to watch little wisps of steam coming out the chimney and off of the still slightly damp perlicrete.

[kebwi]

Re: Jamie's build

I haven't given much thought to curing yet. Since I'm using a higher fireclay mortar, it sounds like I should be careful and take it slow. Maybe I'll cook the oven with the halogen worklight and a small space heater for a while before going to first fires. I don't have gas as an option, so it's lights, heaters, and fire for me.

[cynon767]

Re: Jamie's build

I was considering the halogen approach myself... but my shoplight got broken a while ago. I think that, as long as your oven is good and dry before you fire, it should be fine. I bounced back and forth between projects in the yard, which meant that my oven had 6 weeks of curing time before seeing fire. Unfortunately, there was a rain shower I wasn't prepared for, so it got a little wet at one point. All in all, though, it was pretty well cured on its own before I even started with the heat. I'm not really worried, I just prefer erring on the side of caution. I think that if you let it dry at least a week after closing the keystone, use the shoplight to start really drying it out, and then follow the slow curing fire schedule in the ebook, you'll probably be just fine.

[kebwi]

Re: Jamie's build

Yeah, well, I may or may not be that patient once it gets closed up. It'll be close call finishing it in time for a family visit (from across the country). I want to be using it if at all possible...we'll see.

[Mitchamus]

Re: Jamie's build

great work Jamie - love the design.

[cynon767]

Re: Jamie's build

First big fire today. I am so stoked words fail.

It was awesome to watch the dome go white out to the arch.

All is going according to plan. I hope to fire again tomorrow morning and make the (perhaps foolhardy) leap of faith into cooking the thanksgiving turkey in the newly cured oven.

Make that probably, not perhaps. Nonetheless, I'm committed at this point. Either that, or I should be committed.

Wish me luck!

[cynon767]

Re: Jamie's build

I was worried about the draw on the chimney, with it's shallow depth; but it seems as if my full-width vent transition helps alot. Even though the wood I was burning was still a little on the green side and was smoking a fair amount, when the breeze picked up, there was almost no smoke out the front.

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Jamie's build

great fire jamie... congrats.... "COOK THE TURKEY IN IT"



Good Luck
Mark

[mstang1988]

Re: Jamie's build

Looks great! I saw your reply to my roof question, it does seem like a good idea. Do you have any more pics of yours? How many hours of work would you estimate into your project? Also, a question that I'm sure has been answered a million times, how do people get the nice round shape for the dome floor? I have to imagine the cutting is a *****.

[dmun]

Re: Jamie's build

I have to imagine the cutting is a *****.

If you've cut other forms of masonry on a wet saw, like natural stone or porcelain tile, you'll find cutting firebrick is like cutting balsa wood. The wet saw diamond blade blasts right through without choking or binding. If you need weird shapes, you just whittle it to a line. Since the blade isn't serrated, you can get close and personal without endangering your digits.

Also, if the round cut floor is intimidating, you can just lay out your floor any which way and build your dome right on top, as I did.

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Jamie's build

Also, if the round cut floor is intimidating, you can just lay out your floor any which way and build your dome right on top, as I did.

I did this as well, I also used 3/8 plywood as a form... After my cure I just burned the form out and it kept my floor clean during the build


Cheers
Mark