My indispensible tool (a variation on a FB theme)

[jcg31]

Another spin on a brick guide. This one uses a slide on the back of the main support to include a clamp that holds the brick in place and keeps the center point for the arch at the center of the brick. It also comes with attachments, one for a carpenters pencil (when used as a compass). I used this to mark the cuts for the floor and the inside bricks of the arch to conform to the curve of the dome (see pics). Another attachment holds a series of platforms for the more vertical courses, although I have not used those yet. A very simple one (two 3/8 nuts welded perpendicular to one another) holds a sharpee marker, also for marking cuts (pencil gets blown away by wet saw).

I can't imagine how I would have taken on this project without this device, particularly the clamp. It positions the brick and holds it in place until the mortar sets enough to move on to the next (no shims needed). I am using refrax/refmix and my experience has been so far (now on 9th course) that by the time I clean up, pick the next brick out of the bucket (water), I can release the last and place the new. As I said, I thought I would be using the platforms by now, but the refrax has been holding quick and solid.

A side benefit is that this has provided me with the opportunity to rationalize my arc welder purchase to my wife, an item which had been sitting idle for the past couple years ($99 HFTools).

I have included plans among the jpegs attached.

Jim

[gjbingham]

Re: My indispensible tool (a variation on a FB theme)

Pretty sweet little toy.

Kind of kills the mystery and magic of trying to make those bricks stick where they have no right to. I'm betting a lot of builders will like this one.
George

[jcg31]

Re: My indispensible tool (a variation on a FB theme)

Couldn't find a way to alter posted pics so here is a new post to correct one of the illustrations in the plan. In the upper left of previous offering the illustration made it look like you were welding the clamp to the main brick support. The clamp is inserted into a slide that is made up of four small stacked pieces of trimmed steel, welded in place (two on each side) .

Jim

[Acoma]

Re: My indispensible tool (a variation on a FB theme)

Excellent work Jim. Agreed, it speeds up the dome work, allowing you to focus on spread and placement. As for the pivot post on dome floor, below the plywood, how are you securing? Are you drilling through a brick? Would you then replace the brick upon completion or fill? I can see that you can modify a few ways into personal preferences, this being a good one indeed. What are you to do with yours once done? I'll use it

[jcg31]

Re: My indispensible tool (a variation on a FB theme)

Acoma,
The pivot is secured to the small plywood base. That base is wedged and held in place on three sides with three other pieces of plywood and marked on center (see red on attachment). Now up to course 11 and movement hasn't been an issue.

I am hoping to use it on a second oven for my son, but if you are interested and will handle material and shipping costs, I would be happy to throw one together for you.

Jim

[Ken524]

Re: My indispensible tool (a variation on a FB theme)

Oh man, is that ever a cool gadget! I love how you scribed the curves on the bricks for the entry. Nice work.

[asudavew]

Re: My indispensible tool (a variation on a FB theme)

Oh man, is that ever a cool gadget! I love how you scribed the curves on the bricks for the entry. Nice work.

Agreed! I sure needed that during my build..........

And I thought I was smart.......

Very nice work!

[Ken524]

Re: My indispensible tool (a variation on a FB theme)

Agreed! I sure needed that during my build..........
And I thought I was smart.......

What's really cool, is that every "generation" of oven built gets to use the knowledge of the previous generations posted on this board.

If you go back to earlier ovens posted here, you can really see an evolution taking place in the design and construction.

It's fascinating to watch ideas continually getting reworked and improved upon.

[oventhusiast]

Re: My indispensible tool (a variation on a FB theme)

Great job Jim!
This post should be a 'sticky' in the 'Pompeii oven building' section or maybe a new thread like 'oven building tools' or 'optional tools' or something like that. (James?, Whattayathink?)
Rick

[jcg31]

Re: My indispensible tool (a variation on a FB theme)

Thanks all!
As Ken suggest, I have never layed or cut a brick before this project, everything I have learned has come from you folk. Jim has built a wonderfully supportive community here, once snagged you feel compelled to contribute. Actually the only reason I found FB is that my wife wouldn't let me cut the oven cleaning safety latch to get a better crust (as discussed on another site). So back on the web for alternatives, the resultant adventure and expense is entirely her fault - - the most enjoyable project I have ever undertaken. Again, thanks to all.

I mentioned above that I had not used the platform attachment, well that ended on course 13 with the lack of space for the clamp, even without the clamp attached, the guide was a bit clumbsy so I went with the platform (See attached jpegs). Simply a 3/8" nut center-welded to a 2x2.5" piece of steel with three screw holes to mount to 1/4" plywood circle. The 1-1/8" holes in the plywood are to make it easy to turn to adjust height from above and reach the wingnut below to lock in place (The locking part was a bit overengineered, with the first brick placed it isn't going anywhere).

Made great progress this weekend, today (I took day off) is keystone day!

Jim

[Ken524]

Re: My indispensible tool (a variation on a FB theme)

That is one good looking dome! WOW.

[christo]

Re: My indispensible tool (a variation on a FB theme)

looking really nice!

I can't believe it's just the tool that is providing the beautiful results.....

You are quite a craftsman.

Christo

[jcg31]

Re: My indispensible tool (a variation on a FB theme)

Thanks Christo,

The tool absolutely accounts for the symmetry, It simply won't allow you to mess that up. The other big component is cutting the brick angles and bevels -- I made plenty of mistakes in that arena, particularly the bevels. Finally after about course 5, I made a small modification to my HFTools wet saw ( poured and let set mortar in the cutting trough and then ran the blade through it so I could then quickly identify the precise position of the cutting edge regardless of the width of the brick (in case of odd width partials)) and created a jig that for the most part put that aspect on autopilot as well. Consistancy with mixing and applying mortar to the vertical sides of bricks was the only area I never arrived at a meaningful crutch for myself (I have one for horizontal).

Thanks again for your kind comments.

Jim

[RCLake]

Re: My indispensible tool (a variation on a FB theme)

With the Thanksgiving Holiday activities, I missed this thread. I did see your guide but didn't pay attention to how you used it for the archway. Even if I did see it I probably wouldn't have appreciated its usefulness in building the arch into the curved dome.
Even now being done with 5 rows, I'm scratching my b... with tieing each row into the arch. When I'm done (???) I think I'll keep a fire burning when we have visitors so they won't look at my transition. I would hate to have it compared to this
Great work and innovation

[Frances]

Re: My indispensible tool (a variation on a FB theme)

The really nice thing about having visitors over for pizza, is that they don't know this site. They have nothing to compare your oven with. And lets face it, every oven on this site, conisidered by its own merits, is pretty darn impressive!

Just don't tell them where you got your oven plans from, and you'll be safe...