36inch build in Redlands

[stevo70]

Re: 36inch build in Redlands

Thanks Steve, Lucky for me I work 12 hour shifts which means I only work 14 days a month. Gives me a lot of time to spend on other things, like building pizza ovens... I spent the whole day yesterday finishing up the dome. Wow, what a feeling carving down the key stone and hearing the sound when I test fitted it and dropped in its place. Its an excellent fit. Didn't think I would get away with not using any forms for the dome but I have and it really wasn't that hard. Climbed inside this time to sponge off any excess mortar and got the picture of course. You haven't built an oven until you've stuck your head in and climbed in on your back, its an experience hey. Didn't want to grind anything in there as I think the manufactured brick face is more solid than a cut surface so I'd rather have a brick 1mm out of place than a rough surface that might drop some brick in the food. Going to tile the bench top next, then insulate and render the dome to bring the render down onto the tiles and hopefully keep some water out of the floor insulation. Still considering vermiculite on the dome but blanket only just seems too easy.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: 36inch build in Redlands

Very nice closing.

[Greenman]

Re: 36inch build in Redlands

The vermicrete over the CF blanket is handy for filling any gaps in the fitup of the blanket and helps bring things back to the pure dome shape without compressing the CF. It also gives the render a good medium to key to. The extra insulation is welcome too.

IMHO

[stevo70]

Re: 36inch build in Redlands

At the moment I only have enough blanket for 2 layers or about 50mm so I will put that on and see how my shape is looking. If its a bit wonky from the blanket, I'll go a layer of vermiculite on top. If I can keep the shape ok with 2 layers of blanket, I might just buy another blanket and leave it at that. I do like the thought of rendering over vermiculite rather than a blanket tho. Has anyone had any issues with render cracking or being egg shell like when it's straight on top of a blanket?

[cobblerdave]

Re: 36inch build in Redlands

At the moment I only have enough blanket for 2 layers or about 50mm so I will put that on and see how my shape is looking. If its a bit wonky from the blanket, I'll go a layer of vermiculite on top. If I can keep the shape ok with 2 layers of blanket, I might just buy another blanket and leave it at that. I do like the thought of rendering over vermiculite rather than a blanket tho. Has anyone had any issues with render cracking or being egg shell like when it's straight on top of a blanket?

Gudday
I don't think you can go wrong either way really. I rendered without doing the pearlcrete thing and you can get that round shape without the pearlcrete layer.
Check out Gulfs build he has used a jig to get the perfect dome shape and if perfects what your after you couldn't go wrong.
By the way you build looking real good.
Regards dave

[oasiscdm]

Re: 36inch build in Redlands

Hi Steve

Well done.that dome looks the bomb. Still love white mortar. Well be doing the same but don't have a choice house uses white mortar. You have done well you must be chuffed with the finish. Am a little envious, wish I had more time myself.

[Sharkey]

Re: 36inch build in Redlands

I love the inside-of-the-dome photos. I never get tired of seeing them. Every oven is different. You could probably uniquely identify each and every oven - like fingerprints.

[oasiscdm]

Re: 36inch build in Redlands

or Oven DNA

[stevo70]

Re: 36inch build in Redlands

Thanks for your comments everyone. Yep I'm really really happy with the dome so far. Cant stop looking at it. I don't think two ovens could possibly be the same, even if you tried. Dave, If your reading this, How thick was your render that is straight over blanket and has it cracked at all? What type of render did you use? is it reinforced apart from the chicken wire? Still so many questions....

[Wayne73]

Re: 36inch build in Redlands

looks really good mate! love the black derivative bricks and those internal mortar joins are tight.Did you even use it?

[stevo70]

Re: 36inch build in Redlands

looks really good mate! love the black derivative bricks and those internal mortar joins are tight.Did you even use it?

Thanks Wayne, tried real hard to have no gap on the inside. Wish I tried a bit harder to stagger my bricks as I ended up with a few joins lining up with each other but I cant have everything... Should be ok. This was my first go at this type of thing but I quickly learned its all about the consistency of your mortar and how you butter your brick before you lay it. Stayed strict to my IT and also test fitted every brick and trimmed them where needed to fit up to the next one. Was taking me a full day for every course.

[oasiscdm]

Re: 36inch build in Redlands

Thanks Stevo

I feel much better now with mine taking so long, I thought am I doing something wrong. I am also looking for that brick to brick fit no mortar. For the most I am achieving it, doing lots of kilometers back and forth to the saw, take a bit off here a bit off there. Up and down from the ladder sore legs by days end and then I look and only have achieved 3/4 of a course.

BUT THE END IS NEAR five course left after i pass the arch this afternoon.

[cobblerdave]

Re: 36inch build in Redlands

Thanks for your comments everyone. Yep I'm really really happy with the dome so far. Cant stop looking at it. I don't think two ovens could possibly be the same, even if you tried. Dave, If your reading this, How thick was your render that is straight over blanket and has it cracked at all? What type of render did you use? is it reinforced apart from the chicken wire? Still so many questions....

Gudday
I was facing much the same conditions as you are now....too much rain!
I was prepared to do a pearlite layer had a chichen wire cage affair made 75mm out from ceramic and poked handfuls pearlite/cement through the wire and it rained. Ripped the wire and the unset pearlite cement off just in case the rain carried the cement through and wreak the ceramic layer. I replaced the pearlite/cement layer with rockwool ,a layer of chicken wire and put 2 maybe 3 lite layers of render over that. thickness varied probably 20 to 40 mm to overcome the lumps but the rockwool layer wasn't that lumpy. Used just render by the bag.
yes I did a crack at junction of the brick chimney and dome. Uneven expansion I suppose, it wasn't a biggy and I chased the crack open with an angle grinder and filled with paintable silastic. Never a problem after that.
I have Brick veneered over the dome now more for looks than wheather proofing.
Hope something helps
Regards Dave

[stevo70]

Re: 36inch build in Redlands

Thanks heaps Dave, I'll aim for around 20 to 30mm, should be plenty. Not the best weather for drying out my oven right now that's for sure. Had a look at Gulfs jig for keeping it round. Yeah I'll be in that. This site is so good for ideas and information. Also, I really like your veneer bricks so if my rendering skills turn out to be limited, I might copy your brick veneer idea too. Did you get the brick tiles locally? They do look good.

[stevo70]

Re: 36inch build in Redlands

Thanks Stevo

I feel much better now with mine taking so long, I thought am I doing something wrong. I am also looking for that brick to brick fit no mortar. For the most I am achieving it, doing lots of kilometers back and forth to the saw, take a bit off here a bit off there. Up and down from the ladder sore legs by days end and then I look and only have achieved 3/4 of a course.

BUT THE END IS NEAR five course left after i pass the arch this afternoon.

Hi Colin, Passing the arch was my first milestone and I was relieved it worked out ok but once I closed the dome with that final brick, all those sore backs and dried out fingers started to feel worth while. Worked out I made something like around 700 cuts with my brick saw. I had fairly large bricks which I quartered first then tapered each quarter. Glad its over for now.