Freddie's Fun Dome

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Freddie's Fun Dome

I think it's fine Freddie if you cut or have to grind some inner facing bricks. While its true that the somewhat glazed-smoother side looks best facing in, most our cooking is retained heat, we just need the brick to absorb the heat and slowly release it back. I used to think the smoother side might reflect more heat back as well as absorb, but after seeing how much black soot the inside can get, I don't think that happens.

I did so many custom cuts for the arch, the built in reveal, and final bricks at the dome-top that it happened all the time (cut sides in). Still, the majority of rings where smooth in. But please don't go crazy with a ring brick that may have an edge poking out a bit. After the dome is done, those little edges create their own pattern and look normal in the dome. -Dino

[Freddie]

Re: Freddie's Fun Dome

Thanks Dino. I'm trying to get a parabolic dome shape but it's not quite fitting the way I intended. In order to bring the courses to a slightly sharper curve as I work my way up I found that cutting a bit off the face actually will get me closer to where I want to be. I'll have to post some pictures later. I do a lot of woodwork and am comfortable working with that, but I'm finding brick and mortar a lot more challenging.

Freddie

[Freddie]

Re: Freddie's Fun Dome

I'm concerned about how this is all fitting together. I'm working on the third course and ended up cutting the face of the bricks at an angle to pull it to the distance I want from the center of the oven floor. Now, not only are the bricks not lining up quite right, the angle seems a bit steep for only the third course. I'm making a 39" oven and trying to get a parabolic shape. The top will be about 17" high.

Does it look like I'm bringing in the bricks too steep?

Thanks

Freddie

[Freddie]

Re: Freddie's Fun Dome

I'm finally applying brick to the facade. I'm using the thin split bricks rather than stacking full bricks. These are mortared directly to the cinder block on the lower half and cement board on the top half of the oven structure. Rather than using cement backer board I decided to try hardibacker board. It's some type of fiber board that can be used in showers. It's supposedly waterproof and as good as the cement backer board.

I'm using type s mortar to adhere the brick. They are sticking to the cinder blocks with no problem. However, I cannot get the mortar to adhere to the hardibacker board. I figure shower tile is applied to this stuff so it should work, but for some reason the mortar I'm using isn't sticking to it.

Has anyone else tried this hardibacker board or do anyone know of something else I can use to apply my brick over it? If worse comes to worse I can take down the hardibacker board and put up cement backer board instead. Fortunately I won't have to undo too much work if that's what I'll end up doing.

Anyway, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Freddie

[Tscarborough]

Re: Freddie's Fun Dome

Thinset works better over the hardibacker, just be aware that it has a very short potlife so do not mix large amounts at a time.

[Freddie]

Re: Freddie's Fun Dome

Tscarborough - Thanks for the info on thinset. I tried it over the weekend and it worked perfectly.

Freddie

[Freddie]

Re: Freddie's Fun Dome

What I thought would be a four month project ended up taking two years. Here's how it turned out.

[benguilford]

Re: Freddie's Fun Dome

That looks great Freddie! Well done, how did you end up getting on with the setout of the dome walls? The parabolic arch is a real challenge, it looks like it's turned out really well

[Freddie]

Re: Freddie's Fun Dome

Benguilford - thanks. I originally wanted to make the dome a lower height and a flatter top. They say it can be done and those who know what they are doing get it to work. I started down that road but ran into too many issues and mis-cuts. So, I scrapped that idea and instead went with the semi-circular dome. Once I did that things went much better.

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Freddie's Fun Dome

Congradulations Freddie!
The oven looks awesome. It looks like it was lifted from a farmhouse in central Italy. I think the large grey rough stone mixed with the red brick give it a wonderful "old world" look.

I think 2 years to finish our wfo's seems about normal for most of us humans .

Looks like you've been cooking in too. Great job.

[Freddie]

Re: Freddie's Fun Dome

Thanks Dino - that is exactly the look I was shooting for.