Dave's Northern Virginia Build

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

Great idea! Flip them and the fireclay water mix should make it level. Dave, that was one scary mother *#!@er of a grinding wheel you showed in the picture. It would be hard for anyone keep a deft touch with that. You should find yourself a standard, smaller 4" masonry grinding wheel cuz it it'll be useful in so many places later on. And as I said, just grind whatever catches (if anything does) on a pizza peel. As Tscarborough said, it is best keep the finish on the bricks in tact with their harder, fired finish if you can. Especially on a floor you're likely to drag cast iron casserole cookware across and everything else we do to these things.
Also, Gregs got a good point. From your pics, the actual brick gaps look normal and they will fill up with ash. It's OK for spaces between bricks, the oven floor expands and needs gaps to move in to. If there are irregular chips occasionally in the gaps from the cutting wheel, they could be fine if nothing catches on them. Good luck, Dino

[DaveW]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

Just flip them over.

I hate to say it, but I didn't think of that. In theory, I wouldn't have to cut any more bricks if I flipped the whole thing over.

Dave

[Tscarborough]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

Just flip them over.

[DaveW]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

A note on brick, no matter what type. There is usually a 1/4" or less of true vitrified material before the soft inner portion of the brick begins. It is better to lay the floor in a mortar bed and get it right rather than to try and true it by grinding.

I did notice that the inner part of the brick seems more prone to giving up dust. I think I will chalk it up to experience and re-do it.

Greg,

thanks for the encouragement and the offer to send the disc but I think I want to take another shot at setting the floor.

If this one doesn't work I will break down and buy the large tiles from FB.

Dave

Dave

[Tscarborough]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

A note on brick, no matter what type. There is usually a 1/4" or less of true vitrified material before the soft inner portion of the brick begins. It is better to lay the floor in a mortar bed and get it right rather than to try and true it by grinding.

[glindhout]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

Dave,

They don't really look all that bad... I'm wondering if the gaps will fill up with ash pretty quickly and leave you with a smooth floor? Or you could pour some fireclay back over the surface, and tap around with a rubber mallet to fill up the cracks. That's what I did to fill any small gaps.

Or since you have your bricks on edge, you could use a different grinder and see if you can get it smoother before ripping it all out!? I could mail you my diamond cup wheel if you want to give that a shot... let me know!

Greg

[DaveW]

now I've done it!

I think I will pull up my floor. I was in a hurry to set the floor bricks and did a lousy job of getting them level. So I decided to grind the floor smooth with a grinder. The only diamond wheel I could find at Home Depot was a 7 inch one with the cutters tangent to the wheel. For whatever reason the grinder chipped the bricks and opened up the gaps allowing the dust to fall in.

When I think of all the work ahead of me I just can't bear to have a floor in this state. So, tomorrow I will likely rip out the bricks and try again.

An adventure it is.

Dave

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

Yup, I've already experienced having to re-fire at the all-night pizza fests.

You're right: just add a bit more wood. After it's fully cured and insulated, it surprises you how much/big of a fire you can get going in there. It'll just suck it up and release it all night. Enjoy the building process, it's quite a ride! -Dino

[DaveW]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

... it looks like you have laid the oven floor bricks on their side, not flat. Was that intentional ....
Puppy is cute. -Dino

They are standard firebricks laid on edge. I felt like we might want the extra mass for bread. My thought was that I would rather use more wood than wish for more mass later. However, I am not convinced that I made the right decision.

It seems like puppy (espresso) is pretty popular. His favorite game is to steal my tools and run off with them...He becomes more of a puppy every day.
Dave

[Tscarborough]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

Looks great, nicely engineered. I would clean the coved fireclay off at the entry though, if possible. It is feathered and that won't last.

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

Really nice build Dave. Good use of steel and concrete and that bond beam...wow, your wfo base and outdoor kitchen will be really solid and strong.

I just noticed your ovens floor (the herringbone) it looks like you have laid the oven floor bricks on their side, not flat. Was that intentional with the thought of longer retained heating for serious bread backing? Just curious since so much discussion goes on here about heat up times for the thicker oven walls/floors. Or are you using thinner bricks and it's just an illusion that the floor is more than 2.5" tall?

Great job! Puppy is cute. -Dino

[jmhepworth]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

I wasn't sure if anyone would follow that idea or not. I thought we should name the wider sides to the entry arch the "double wide."

[DaveW]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

Hi Joe,
I liked your entry design so much I printed a copy and used it for a guide. However, I did not notch the floor for the inner arch (because I was lazy.) I am hoping that if the floor expands outward it will shear the small amount of mortar on the floor before it pushes the arch outward. I am particularly concerned with arch strength because I will have a masonry chimney. Although, I will further support the chimney with some angle iron just to be on the safe side.

Dave

[jmhepworth]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

I see that you are making the sides to the entry arch wide the way I did. I don't know if it improved the strength of the arch, but it made me feel better about it. And I had no issues at all with the sides moving when I built the arches.

[fxpose]

Re: Dave's Northern Virginia Build

An awesome project indeed! That is going to look great!

BTW, great idea on those rebar safety caps. Much cheaper to make than buying those OSHA caps. I will be doing the same as I have already gouged myself on my leg a couple of times walking over the blocks.