My indispensible tool (a variation on a FB theme)

[Frances]

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

...not that you need to fear comparison, from what I can see...

[arevalo53anos]

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

This forum is great just because all kind of thinking could be exposed here and anyone reading it could take the ideas that best fit with her/his desires.
Great work in this last tool jcg31!
However, I still think that the use of two sheet of stylofoam or expanded polyestirene shaped as semi-circumferences give to the oven owner an easy and cheap way to go.
And these stylofoam could be shaped lower than semi circumference, as way to obtain a Neapolitan style dome, too.

Luis

[jcg31]

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

Luis,

You are absolutely right, each to his/her own, but if you will allow me I think you missed the real point to the tool. It is for the unskilled (like me).

The foam frame requires nearly as much masonary skills as going without frame or guide. It still requires one to place the brick in the correct position, the face perfectly positioned to center, at the correct slope, the placement, removal and filling of shims, working around the foam to clean the brick after placement, etc. And to repeat all that in consistent fashion some 285 times.

The tool I created (a derivative work from those who came before me) makes the process near idiot proof. You really have to try to make a mistake (on the dome, the arch and tie in are entirely different animals, although the compass attachment helps mightily with that as well). And brick cleanup is easy with nothing pressing against the brick and in the way of a brush or sponge.

As far as cost it looks like you would have used 2 4'x8'x1" boards. In my neck of the woods that would have cost $17. I recently created a guide for a fellow FornoBravoer and the materials cost was $18.25. The one I created for myself was less than that because I had a good amount of the materials on hand. Of course access to a welder is needed. So to that issue, for those who might be interested in using the guide, I am hoping to have a few of these created by the end of February that can then pass from one FBer to another returning home only occassionally for maintenance.

All that said. Your photos look great! Congratulations on a great start, base on the uniformity in your soldier course you have the skills I lack.

Jim

[arevalo53anos]

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

Jim:

Actually, my oven had been finished more than three years ago and baking better pizzas each time.
I begun without no skills and finished it almost without any too.<g>
The information about the stylofoam that I had used was showed only to give some guidance to new readers of this forum, since my pictures are along several threads.
As your tool, it only requires that you support the bricks on it.
Today, if thinking in to build an oven again, I am sure that I will go to the Neapolitan style, which formula is High = 1/3 of internal Diameter.
Talking about this oven type is when the stylofoam (covered by alluminium foil, if necessary) could do a good job.
However, there is no point of discussion here and I did really appreciate your work and tool and that you wrote down your ideas here.
And I did love your interior oven tour!



Follow some pics


Luis

[arevalo53anos]

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

And finished oven...with a derivated pizza test using different kinds of pre-ferments...

Luis

[Guerito]

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

jcg31

PM sent.

Guerito

[jcg31]

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

Luis,

What a wonderful oven!
So I was right you were off to a great start, I was just 3 years late in saying it. Sorry for not recognizing you as one of the original contributors to the FB site (my travels have been fairly limited to the construction threads).

Just curious, why are you thinking of going Neapolitan?

Jim

[arevalo53anos]

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

Jim:

Thank you!
Long time here just means that there were more articles than left something to think in our minds.
I would go to Neapolitan style oven because having baked hundreds of pizzas and invited so much people to have a party in home, the vote for the best pizza style (or best pizza at all) is normally on VPN.
45 to 60 seconds baked pizza with the five last seconds near of the dome top (live flames on it).
Let said I have something as a VPN specialization <g>, then, obviously...

Luis

[Archena]

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

Coolness!

[geisen]

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

Jim
You indispensible tool takes the last bit of hesitation out of my mind. I have been sitting on the fence between a Casa 110 and the joy of building my own WFO. Would love to rent, borrow, buy, share one of these ingenious aids. Suggestions?
Greg

[jcg31]

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

Hey Greg,
You won't regret it, my chest still inflates everytime I look at my oven.

Send me size of dome inside diameter, send me check for materials (probably about $20), you also pay shipping, and I will throw one together for you. Then keep it clean ( a challenge in itself) so you can pass it along to someone else.

This may seem obvious, the radius is the same (unless you want to continually adjust the tool with each row, which I wouldn't recommend) So, 42" floor diameter = 21"radius = 21.25" ceiling height (the extra 1/4" comes from the fact that the pivot point sits atop a 1/4" piece of plywood). So if you were looking for a lower ceiling this may not be the way to go. For me 21.25"" has worked out great.

Jim

[geisen]

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

Jim
You got yourself a deal. It's gonna be a bit tight, but I want to go with the 42".

I did this kinda backwards, had the stand built as part of a landscape design done by a contractor. I had built my previous two backyards and didn't have it in me to do a third.

Stand is 60"wide and 66" deep. plan on adding a stone landing sticking out 8" more. Little tight on the sides, but if I use FB Blanket for insulation, I should be good. send your mailing address to (greg (at) geisen.us) and I will send a check. please give me a guess on shipping costs.

Regards
Greg

[Dutchoven]

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

Jim
Just wondering if you might be able to make that shaft adjustable?...say to a few basic dome diameters...maybe 32, 36, 40...
Look forward to hearing how you think about the idea
Best
Dutch

[jcg31]

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

Jim
Just wondering if you might be able to make that shaft adjustable?...say to a few basic dome diameters...maybe 32, 36, 40...
Look forward to hearing how you think about the idea
Best
Dutch

Dutch,
It actually is adjustable if you look at the photos with the original post and the plans you will see that the end coming out of the shaft is threaded. My first version had this piece longer so you could adjust as much as 8" one way or the other, but I found that it was much more sturdy with the main (square tube) shaft closer to the length of the radius, using a much shorter thread for 3-4" adjustments. An approach I was playing with to adapt this to a Neopolitan build was a telescopic main arm that was pinned at the various positions for each row of bricks to achieve the much lower ceiling without messing with symetry. Alternative to the pin system, I played with a spring set telescoping arm governed by a kind of ellypse type mechinism (if you have ever drawn an ellypse with a string connected loosly between two points, that is what I was playing with) In the end I opted for simple. But the telescoping arm with pins could be brought back to achieve what you are talking about.

Jim

[tigersmith]

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

Hey Jim,
I went to Harbor Freight and my local Tractor Supply place and gathered the materials to make the tool. I have completed everything except the hinge. I thought I had one laying around but couldn't find it. Construction was very easy and only took maybe a half hour. Hope to get the hinge part built this weekend.
Of course, I haven't even started construction of my stand yet. Hope to get started in the next few weeks. It's snowing today.....

Later

George Stein
Bedford, Va.