Bacterium's 2nd build

[Bacterium]

Re: Bacterium's 2nd build

Just finished row 6 except for up against the arch (refer Build #2 photo)

Probably looks more like the ugly duckling as the second hand bricks vary a bit and there are a few spots where one brick turns into the other (over cooked my angle)
she won't break records on here......I just admire more those who do

Any how it's improvement on my first oven (compare with Build #1, red bricks)
I forgot how much mortar went into it
checkout the "V" in between each brick side

[Jimney]

Re: Bacterium's 2nd build

How did your first oven hold up? And are you using Red Clay Bricks on this build too? Also I've heard of people using the Ball.I think it is even suggested in the Forno Bravo Oven Instructions.

[stonecutter]

Re: Bacterium's 2nd build

Ok, a good shiraz is better.

Seeing your location makes me green with envy. Every wine I have tried from SE Australia has been excellent, and my favorite region is McLaren Vale.

This was my favorite label from the area, Normans Old Vine...Cab,Shiraz and Grenache. This line was fantastic, and comparible to bottles that cost 3 or 4 times more.

Old Vine ? Normans

They stopped exporting to the US about 6-7 years ago. We were tipped off by a wine rep we knew, so we drove around northwest CT and bought up every bottle from all three varietals that we could find. A sad day when the last bottle was emptied!

[ATK406]

Re: Bacterium's 2nd build

I used a rubber hippity-hop ball for my 2nd to last course (my kids weren't using it anymore). I'm not sure I really needed to, but I wanted to try it anyway. I like to show my kids that you can use all sorts of materials and simple devices to make your work easier.

It worked great. I had to stack some bricks inside the oven to raise the ball into position and inflate/deflate the ball while it was in the oven of course. I would be carefull not to over inflate the ball as it will apply an outward load on your brick and begin to bulge a little bit through the hole. My 2nd to last course was made with bricks cut to 1/2 thickness and probably < 2" wide so I didn't have to worry about the gaps too much.

Regards,
AT

[Bacterium]

Re: Bacterium's 2nd build

Jimney, first oven did surprisingly well no real cracking inside. The only real cracks were on the outer render which was only minor. Surprising how well it performed even thought it lacked a lot of ideas now utilised now. Pressed Red brick on first one ( refer thread on rectum roarer) this time around I'm using fire brick seconds. Bit of history is my brother got them from a house demo from an old friends house. It turns out some (maybe all) came from a brick maker who my dad was mates with a few of the family. They perform well in my brothers oven and are a unique thing.

Stonecutter, yes Aussie wine in the 70s was typically known as cheap plonk, nowadays its up there against the French. I think its great when you find a bargain like that. Had some from the Nappa which I liked. What's the closest wine region to you?

AT I'm surprised its not used more often as it has the convenience of taking it in and out to clean up mortar etc. When do you tend to need to switch to half thickness bricks?

[stonecutter]

Re: Bacterium's 2nd build

Stonecutter, yes Aussie wine in the 70s was typically known as cheap plonk, nowadays its up there against the French. I think its great when you find a bargain like that. Had some from the Nappa which I liked. What's the closest wine region to you?
?

I'll say.... that wine was great, I wish we could still get it. I was told we only made up 2% of their export total and there was a larger demand close by. Oh well......

The closest wine region is here - Yadkin Valley AVA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I had to look it up, and I have never tried anything from there. I've had wine from the New England and upstate New York, but nothing as good as Napa or McLaren Vale. Mainly because the reds don't have the time to develop the sugars in the grapes, because of the cold. But oh, man....the ice wines and Rieslings from Upstate NY and Canada were pretty awesome.

[ATK406]

Re: Bacterium's 2nd build

AT I'm surprised its not used more often as it has the convenience of taking it in and out to clean up mortar etc. When do you tend to need to switch to half thickness bricks?

Yes, good point. I only used mine for 1 course so I did not take advantage of that fact. I switched to a half thickness to size the opening on my dome to match the plug I was planning to use for my keystone. In the end I ended up with a plug that was about 9" in dia. If I had used a full brick my plug would have been only about 6.5" around which would have been fine except I wanted inscribe something on the inside face of my plug (see below). None of this is relevant to most builders who are working toward a more conventional course thickness and final keystone size.

AT

[Bacterium]

Re: Bacterium's 2nd build

AT like the keystone. Sure you've use half thickness for that but I can see now how it could be used to bring in the last few or maybe even correct if the "teardrop" or "map of Tassie"
comes into play.

....."map of Tassie" that's Aussie slang for the shape of Tasmania .......its an island down south of us with a particular shape..... It's heavily forested

[Bacterium]

Re: Bacterium's 2nd build

Arches..... WFO oven oracles I ask for your help (yes Brickie I've moved you into that category in my mind now)

Just a bit puzzled on what to do. I've dry laid the arch (except for first couple) Do I cut a wedge piece to fill the gap in centre (refer pic of arch centre gap)?
or
Do I cut 2 wedge pieces and put them further back down (refer pic of arch side gaps)?

My overall intent wasn't to angle cut each brick in the arch to get a perfect fit.....I don't feel overly confident or that skilled

help...

[Jimney]

Re: Bacterium's 2nd build

Could you not just space out all the bricks by 1/16-1/8 of an inch?

[ATK406]

Re: Bacterium's 2nd build

I'm not a scratch on some of the talented folks here, but I'll give you my .02 anyway.

I struggled with my first arch too...it looked a lot like yours too. I guess I still wasn't used to using the saw. My first attempt at the outer arch had the same large mortar gaps as you are showing in your pictures. After learning to taper my bricks during the inner arch and dome construction, I had another go at the outer arch (the fact that it had already busted loose somewhere along the way certainly helped). By tapering the bricks I was able to reduce the mortar gap to the correct thickness and control the shape/geometry of the arch to my liking.

You've already got a nice form to follow. It doesn't look round, more like a 1/2 circle flattened on the top and sides. I would use untapered bricks for the top and sides and taper the bricks where the radius is tighter in the corners. This might not be easy to do depending on the size/clearance of your saw. But you could make the tapered bricks in two pieces (front and back) with the brick laying flat on the saw and then sandwich them together to match the thickness of the rest of your arch..

Again, there are probably better ways of doing it, but I would try to reduce the gaps in the inner arch.

Regards,
AT

[stonecutter]

Re: Bacterium's 2nd build

You can tighten up the voussoirs to make room for a key in the center. Use your arch template/form for your centering, and to find the angle at which to cut your bricks.

[Bacterium]

Re: Bacterium's 2nd build

I guess the inner arch is less visible and I probably fluked my first build.

Stonecutter I can tighten it up and do a key as you suggest. Would there still be too much mortar on the back edge (eg.10mm) or doesn't it matter once key it.
I'm thinking I'd still use wedge pieces hidden among the mortar to help......or is this not right?

Please keep your comments coming as the penny will drop

[brickie in oz]

Re: Bacterium's 2nd build

When making arch templates its best to make it all work bricks before you cut it, otherwise you end up in your situation.

Mark out the bricks (vousoirrs, spelling?) on the template and adjust to suit.
Your arch template is flat to start with so take it out and take a tad off it with a saw until it works bricks.

[Bacterium]

Re: Bacterium's 2nd build

Thanks all......brickie I see my form is the prob and the point I should adjust
Having a Sparkie/IT geek background I don't visualise it to we'll......most things are hidden from view
Ah hey I admit my oven build is not setting a high standard for what happens on here.....but I'm itchin for some WFO pizza