Eric's WFO build

[eprante]

Good weather and a long weekend. Finally get to work with some firebrick and the HF tile saw. Everything takes longer than I think it should, but going slow to try and not make mistakes that will show. Hearth floor and soldier course cut, and incredible tool ready for rings.
Eric

[heliman]

Re: Eric's WFO build

Interesting build concept - is that bar in the middle a guide for the bricks?

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Eric's WFO build

Hi Eric,
Looks like your off to a good start,, good luck with your build.

Cheers
Mark

[dmun]

Re: Eric's WFO build

Looking good! You have an insulation layer in that slab, right?

[eprante]

Re: Eric's WFO build

Thanks for the nice words. Yes there is 5 inches of perlite/portland mixed at 6:1 ratio. I formed a 4 inch well when I poured the structural layer then poured the sides up to 8 inches.
Heliman:The bar is the " incredible tool" if you search in Tools forum there is a step by step direction for making it. Just dry stacking some of the ring bricks I can see that it is going to make my rings much more consistent.
Thanks to Greg Geisen for passing it on to me.

I guess I should have posted to the end of my last post so the past pictures were visible.

Eric

[mfiore]

Re: Eric's WFO build

Good luck with your build! Looking forward to following it's progress!

[eprante]

Re: Eric's WFO build

Arch question- I am thinking about my inner arch. Is there a consensus about whether to mortar the bricks at the base to the landing? I am going to do a semicircle arch similar to sjmeff ( hopefully I can execute it as artfully as he did). In his pictures it doesn't appear that there is mortar between the floor and base of the arch.
Any feedback is appreciated.

Eric

[kebwi]

Re: Eric's WFO build

Interesting build concept - is that bar in the middle a guide for the bricks?

Search the forums for "indispensible tool".

[Self-plug: check my own thread for a version of this tool, but lots of other people have created similar devices].

[kebwi]

Re: Eric's WFO build

Yes there is 5 inches of perlite/portland mixed at 6:1 ratio. I formed a 4 inch well when I poured the structural layer then poured the sides up to 8 inches.
Eric

Phew! I was worried for a second from your first photo.

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Eric's WFO build

Re: your question on mortaring or not the base of the inner arch:
I looked at sjmeff pics too, my guess is, he did not but it's hard to tell. Since your arch is a semi-circle does it not attach to the dome for the 1st 8"-9" like those of us who have a 3-4 brick vertical rise before the arch-over? Keith (kebwi) I think did a semi circle, I wonder what he did?

On straight sided arch walls, there's lots of spots for mortar connecting it to the dome and I did not mortar to the base. Others did and it seems to no detriment (ie: " don't mortar to the floor so it can heat-expand easier"). Since you are arching right away, maybe it should be mortared .

I guess I'm just not sure, we'll what others recommend. Cheers, Dino

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Eric's WFO build

eprante,
I did mortar my arch base down, I can tell you I havent had any problems.. I also mortared my soldier course down.. Didnt have any problems with that either in over a year... IMHO either way is probably fine and its a matter of choice and what you feel more comfortable with..

Mark

[eprante]

Re: Eric's WFO build

Thanks for the feedback Mark. I think I will mortar the base of the arch but probably not the bottom of the soldiers. Now it is on to a new skill to learn-mortaring bricks. Just about the time I get it down I will be done with it. I am loving this project.
Eric

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Eric's WFO build

Now it is on to a new skill to learn-mortaring bricks. Just about the time I get it down I will be done with it.

I had to learn too.... It was a lot of fun and I truly enjoyed it,,, and this summer I will already know how to lay brick when i build my outdoor fireplace or fire pit... havent decided yet but I'm leaning towards the fireplace
Cheers
Mark

[John K]

Re: Eric's WFO build

Hi Eric

I also mortared in the first coarse only that my first coarse sat on the insulation rather than the firebrick floor.

Have you put much thought as to whether you will cut a splay off your soldier coarse or leave it square?

Looking forward to your build

[eprante]

Re: Eric's WFO build

John,
I think you are asking if my landing and exterior arch will flare outward. NO- the arch itself is intimidating enough to me, without having to increase its radius as I move toward the opening. Nice job on your oven.
Eric