Michael's 42in Pompeii Oven, Sydney Australia.

[MikeyMann]

Re: Michael's 42in Pompeii Oven, Sydney Australia.

Heya John... thanks for the comments. Just to say, I have a round 3 piece plywood form that I just pulled out for the photo. And to clean up some mortar that leaked through... I really couldn't imagine cleaning up the entire cooking surface with muriatic acid later on!!

I was unsure about the bricks cut in half... yours is so neat and tidy... I just cannot get that look with bolstered bricks.

However, the diamond blade grinder helps alot. Hope it keeps going... and i'll look forward to more difficult brickwork to come!

[MikeyMann]

Re: Michael's 42in Pompeii Oven, Sydney Australia.

Hi Dmun,

Actually I used the grinder, not a chisel. Much measuring and drawing and many tedious small cuts. Seems to hold. I'm going to provide additional strength to the structure by means of some standard house bricks on each side of the entry... you see this will support my brick chimney.

I was showing your geodesic oven to a mate. Jaw dropping stuff. Like... cool. Wow.

[MikeyMann]

Re: Michael's 42in Pompeii Oven, Sydney Australia.

Hi everyone,

Sorry I haven't replied for a while, but I have done heaps on the oven.

I've uploaded some pictures for you to see. The only thing I wanted to mention was the formwork. I made it out of 5 ply, and managed to have it collapse on itself when I finished.

Just had to clean the inside of the dome, then send the wife in with a sponge and some mortar to fill the gaps!

Chimney has just begun... still have 3-4 angle shaped bricks to set, but otherwise... my first fire will begin in just 4 more days.

Feeling very relieved... no more dust from the grinder!

[MikeyMann]

Re: Michael's 42in Pompeii Oven, Sydney Australia.

And here's the photos of the final 4 rows of firebricks. Magically, I got to lightly hammer in the keystone... fit like a glove. (a tight one)

[MikeyMann]

Re: Michael's 42in Pompeii Oven, Sydney Australia.

And the inside of the oven... I got my wife to climb inside the oven, as my chest will not pass through the arch. She did an awesome job with the sponge and mortar.!!

[MikeyMann]

Re: Michael's 42in Pompeii Oven, Sydney Australia.

And here's the beginning of the chimney. Still needs a few more bricks, and of course much higher, but i'll be using different bricks. firebricks are now done for!!

The chimney was tricky... had to convert a flue entry of 115 x 470 into a square of 230 x 230. So the side of the chimney had to angle inwards at a rate of 40mm per brick course, and the back had to open up at a rate of 35 per brick course. Tricky cutting, but got there.

A local bricklayer told me to run a very fine layer of mortar with the trowel on the inside of the chimney, then sponge over it. Creates a nice smooth passage for the smoke.

So.... I can get ready to start my first fire!!!

[John K]

Re: Michael's 42in Pompeii Oven, Sydney Australia.

Very nice Michael!!

I'm impressed. It's come out great. Your joints look great!!

How did it feel to drop in the keystone?

[james]

Re: Michael's 42in Pompeii Oven, Sydney Australia.

Buonissimo. I like the way your vent pulls back over the oven dome -- creating a funnel effect.

Salute,
James

[trockyh]

Re: Michael's 42in Pompeii Oven, Sydney Australia.

Nice work Michael. You owe your wife big time!

Tom

[MikeyMann]

Re: Michael's 42in Pompeii Oven, Sydney Australia.

Sure do... my wife's the greatest thing out there!

However, she initially didn't want to get in. But I had to remind her... well, that runny mortar is eventually going to go hard. Very hard. and I don't fit in there... so somebody has to get in there, and I can't see anybody else around!

John... dropping in the keystone was brilliant. Took me a while to make it the right shape.. and it fit nice and tightly. I had to gently tap it in with a mallet... hence locking the courses in place. Felt awesome actually!

[MikeyMann]

Re: Michael's 42in Pompeii Oven, Sydney Australia.

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the delay, I haven't done that much over the last few weeks.

And yes... I found a crack. 3 of them. They are small, hairline in the mortar.

I'm just in the process of repairing, and then covering the entire dome with more mortar. As much as a 25kg bag will do. Probably half an inch all over the dome?

Otherwise, the oven cooks great... I've cured it, and cooked 5 times. Now to take a break from cooking while I finish it off.

Here's some photos.... there's a fire inside, and the brickwork surrounding the oven, and a dessert pizza baking... chocolate and strawberries. !!

cheers

M

[MikeyMann]

Re: Michael's 42in Pompeii Oven, Sydney Australia.

Hi again,

So I've spent much time lately building the area around the oven, shopping for sandstone cladding and slate.

So, in these photos you will see:

1. The timber framing for the roof almost complete, on the ground before lifting it up.

2. The piece of travertine I claimed from somebody's broken table. Marked out the size I will cut with the diamond grinder.

3. The timber framing on the roof and the Ledge around the oven awaiting tiles.

4. The cut piece of travertine, showing where the tiles will sit and some of the brick splashback.

5. Another shot of the framework.

More coming....


I sure have learned much about bricklaying and building. So much work!! My hands hurt. But anyways, it's all fun... almost finished!

[MikeyMann]

Re: Michael's 42in Pompeii Oven, Sydney Australia.

OK, so more photos of progress....

1. Myself sitting on the roof, just prior to nailing battens. I weigh 95 kgs, so i'm happy I can stand anywhere on the frame and it's happy.

2. Overall photo showing how everything will be, travertine slab, outdoor sink, gas BBQ, hot plate and of course, the oven...

3. Fire raging inside... slightly smaller than earlier, note the amount of coals... this is because I didn't empty it out from the previous firing the other day. Usually a little cleaner inside. Note how the dome is going clear... burning off all the soot.

4. Proof of how hot it gets... in fact it reached 520 degrees celsius not long after this photo was taken. Awesome heat.

5. MY FAVOURITE!!! A real genuine Margherita. Made with caputo 00 flour, smashed tomato sauce, buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil, salt & olive oil. So delicious... the real reason for the oven!!!

This week I will endeavour to finish the roof with slate, and start on the sandstone cladding.

cheers....

M

[John K]

Re: Michael's 42in Pompeii Oven, Sydney Australia.

Michael it looks great and so does that pizza.

Are you looking at a rendered finish on the outside?

Out of curiosity was their a reason you did not bricklay over the front arch?

Also the thermometer gauge, does it sit in the dome itself or just the cavity between the dome and outer bricks?

Keep up the good work you will be done be Easter if you keep up this speed!!

[MikeyMann]

Re: Michael's 42in Pompeii Oven, Sydney Australia.

Heya John,

The next step is to cover the brick walls with sandstone cladding. I decided this ages ago, and to answer your question as to why I didn't bricklay over the arch... well I didn't have the space to lay one whole brick width between the chimney and the opening arch. the gap there i only about 40 mm. So I cut a piece of fibro and attached it with ramset brick anchors.

The reason why there wasn't room is because I wanted a ledge around the whole oven, and if I built the arch further forward to accommodate the bricks above the arch, then I would have much less ledge left. If I built the oven again, i'd make the foundation slab and hearth bigger to allow for this.

I was able to join the bricks at the top once the chimney got out of the way... I directed it towards the centre of the oven dome as it gets higher. Seems to work well that way.

The thermometer has a long shaft.... 300mm, so it enters into the dome by about 40 mm. Works well. Gives me an accurate reading of the dome for cooking roasts, and other meats. Don't need it for pizza.. I just fire it up as hot as I can. Thermometer reads about 500 degrees when cooking pizza, but I know it's hotter closer to the fire. I placed the thermometer where it is so it measures the air where a roast would go.

Thanks for the comments... hope to see you finish yours soon!

cheers

M