Brooky Tom's 900mm build Brisbane

[Brooky Tom]

Like others, here goes. I've been following the forum for a while and the number I've recently seen around Brisbane certainly help with supplier details etc. I'm about to start the build and last night posted a query into Camo's build about entrance dimensions. Received good advice which also suggested I start a thread with photos etc. I'm wary this sounds a bit presumptuous (that it's going to be a good build) because I'm sure I won't match the others I've seen. However in the spirit of the forum, I'll try.
Photos will come later (after I learn how to post them). Basic plan developed as we were completing an outdoor sheltered area, and the thought arose to include a pizza oven. Now I'm all "fired up" to get it done and working before end September for a wedding at the site.
I've poured a bench height slab (height 990mm) which is 1500mm wide and 1750mm deep- based on my reading of the FB "manual" for a 900mm oven and 300mm oven landing and 150mm vent landing. I've bought a second hand ss 150mm flue that is heaps long enough so I will cut to suit. The flue will go through the roof of the shelter but the back half of the oven will be outside (my slab is half inside and half on ground as the shelter is cut into a hill slope.
I've also bought insulation (Bellis at Coopers Plains) of 2 25mm blankets (600x7600) And a box of CalSil (42 sheets of 600x150x25) which I plan to do in two layers. For others still to buy and interested, that insulation cost me $303. I think the blanket should be able to get me to 75mm cover although Camo's recent post might suggest I might be a bit short on the sides?
Because I am on a bench inside, I do have a height constraint of the guttering and facia of the shelter. The bottom side of that is at about 830mm over my bench top and my calls from the manual suggest I will be pretty close at the top of the oven (50 mm CalSil, 50 mm oven floor bricks450mm inside oven, 115mm half brick oven, 75mm insulation, 25mm stucco comes to 765mm. The roof slopes up steeply from that point so I have good clearance for the flue going through the roof.
Any advices re this point appreciated. I can get more clearance and room for error but bring the peak forward but that reduces the landing areas which others suggest is not a good idea. I could also depart from the spherical shape by flattening the elevation circle?
I have some queries including the one posted into Camo's build about dimensions around the landings (thanks Dave for response which made sense - suggesting it should be based on brick size which in my case will probably be 230x115 from claypave.
I see some start with a soldier course, others with half bricks on the flat. Any advices?
Number of bricks to buy? I see mention of a hundred as a starter? I'm assuming 230x115x75 as standard but some specials for the arch(e s)?
I also have to read up yet on the fire lay mortar mixes, I see also claypave sell 25kg of Rhylbor (name not correct?) which I assume is a mortar equivalent for the flood bricks. Floor bricks claypave seem to be 300x300x50 or 450x300 or 600x300?
The smaller size CalSil sheets mean I have had to work out a patern for the two layers to avoid matching interfaces, and I still have to read more about setting the CalSil and the oven floor.
So that's where I am at - thanks for reading if you have come this far, and I will surely welcome all advices. For Brisbanites, the build is at Brookfield - hence the FB forum name.
Next task is to map out the floor plan and elevation profiles.

[mrchipster]

Re: Brooky Tom's 900mm build Brisbane

Good luck and have fun. You have a good number of local builders nearby that should be able to help out.

Oh, and current status photos would be helpful.

Chip

[reccymech]

Re: Brooky Tom's 900mm build Brisbane

G'day BT, yeah, I'm a newbie here as well, I'm down in Victoria and too will be building a WFO.

Probably be starting just after winter, not because of the weather, but just built a new home and SWMBO has a few more 'urgent' thingy's to be done around the home.

Going to use my 'idle' time reading up on building the WFO. Thought about a kit, but after seeing some of the jobbies that have been done on this forum I reckon I can give it a real good go.

[cobblerdave]

Re: Brooky Tom's 900mm build Brisbane

Gudday Tom
Don't be afraid your build won't measure up if you have followed the link to my build you will find my oven is fair from perfect. It was build with hand split bricks on a ply form not exactly the most common used method ...but the oven works just fine and cooks a mean pizza.
On No. of bricks required, it depends on how much cutting your going to do, cut top and bottom your going to loose a bit to the cuts etc. Also if you make your entry from fire brick as well. My count was a 160 firebrick for a mtr oven with entrance build of others.
On posting photos ... The whole forum loves photos ....a pics worth a thousand words. Up the top on the reply window is a paper lip symbol next to the smily face. Click on it when the new window opens it allows you to select a photo , then hit the upload wait for it and the select up to 5 photos and do the same.
When you close that you'll find your photos attached now to the paper clip. If it doesn't work your photos are to large and you'll need to downsize them.
On soldier courses there is always a lot of discussion about this which is stronger etc I have a soldier course and its fine but if I was to build again I would just do 2 layer of brick the normal brick bond way ...simple , strong.
I noticed you have already brought cal sil and ceramic insulation. You realize the importance of insulation ....great, and the insulation dry no waiting for pealite cement to dry ....better.
Which mortar? The home brew shouldn't be called poor mans mortar . It gives it a bad image as everyone tries to build the best oven. It proforms its job well for the temps in the ovens we build. The best things about it is very user friendly. It sticks when its suppose too. It covers larger gapes than the high stuff. It plastic and forgive nature makes "masonry impared" like myself pull a strong and serviceable dome.
Anyway hope this helps in some way
Regards dave

[Brooky Tom]

Re: Brooky Tom's 900mm build Brisbane

Thanks Dave. I will get pictures tomorrow. Had a look through some sites today- yours, Camo's Karangi (still not sure how he shaped those arch bricks to fit later but I see he said at the end he would next time do the arch progressively so I'll do that). I was taken by his arch arrangement with the reveal and then outer arch same size. Made sense although I doubt I'll make as good a door.
Anyway with your mortar response I guess I don't need the rhylbond for any purpose. And just for completeness within this thread, I will list your poor man's mortar as Camo's described it: 1:1:1:3 as cement, hydrated lime, fire clay,sand (I see Camo's used course sand but I'd be tempted to go finer?

[Brooky Tom]

Re: Brooky Tom's 900mm build Brisbane

And just to set some basics to make sure I have these right:
1 Insulation(in my case 50mm CalSil) goes direct onto slab
2 Oven hearth bricks go on a sand fireclay mix (trowelled) to level, sprinkle of water once set
3 Oven ring bricks also do not get mortared on base so the whole oven can expand out when heated
4 Cardboard or tape cover between hearth and brick ring to stop mortar cementing two together
5 Base insulation will be cut to be outside brick ring but inside overall shell, merged with insulation blanket when applied later.
6 All mortar in build is poor mans mortar as described previously.

I might keep these basics documented (or as amended with advices)

[oasiscdm]

Re: Brooky Tom's 900mm build Brisbane

HI Tom

and welcome to all things WFO.

I too followed Doug [Karangi] build, and am following his advice in building mine as we speak he called when he was recently in Victoria, I would also check out Gianni [octoforno] and Russell [utahbeehiver] build too understand the tapered arch, [has taken me a lot of getting my head around it but thanks to doug gulf and dennis [Deejayoh] Russell and many others and I think I have it]. I would also check out lburo newbies guide found in tips and tricks section he has links to the more interesting builds I think it is.

Good luck

[cobblerdave]

Re: Brooky Tom's 900mm build Brisbane

And just to set some basics to make sure I have these right:
1 Insulation(in my case 50mm CalSil) goes direct onto slab
2 Oven hearth bricks go on a sand fireclay mix (trowelled) to level, sprinkle of water once set
3 Oven ring bricks also do not get mortared on base so the whole oven can expand out when heated
4 Cardboard or tape cover between hearth and brick ring to stop mortar cementing two together
5 Base insulation will be cut to be outside brick ring but inside overall shell, merged with insulation blanket when applied later.
6 All mortar in build is poor mans mortar as described previously.

I might keep these basics documented (or as amended with advices)

Gudday
Sound like you are building the dome shell outside the hearth bricks. You know you don't have to do this that way. It was common practice .... Made it easy to replace hearth bricks if required but no one seems to have that problem. So you can build the dome shell directly on the hearth brick if you wish the advantage is you don't need to be as careful with the Heath bricks cuts a time saver!
Regards dave

[Greenman]

Re: Brooky Tom's 900mm build Brisbane

Welcome BT - looks like it is forno building season in Aus. And a worthwhile use of valuable time it is too! The forum is a valuable resource and time spent dredging through the threads is well worthwhile. The albums I found of particular use, a picture worth a thousand words..........
All the best with your build. I hope you find the construction as satisfying as I did and when you are done with that a window opens to a whole new world of cooking/entertaining.
It is a toss up what is most satisfying, the oven or fishing.

Cheers ..... Steve

[Wayne73]

Re: Brooky Tom's 900mm build Brisbane

Hey grate look'n muddies Steve

[Brooky Tom]

Re: Brooky Tom's 900mm build Brisbane

Well not as inviting photos as Steve's (Bundaberg?) mud crabs, but I said I'd upload some photos at this stage of the build: 44 the overall site 43 showing the shelter building. I referred earlier to the steep slope on the roof and the oven will be at the back - half under the shelter and half outside; 57 photo taken from inside the shelter of the slab (formwork still in place) 56 the outside portion of the slab on ground (inside the slab is a bench); 65 the second hand flue I bought.Plan to use the rest for a fireplace chimney.

[Brooky Tom]

Re: Brooky Tom's 900mm build Brisbane

Sorry - last posting photo (last one) was the purchases for the I Tool; then these photos are the flue; and 62 a photo of the slab again with chalk roughly outlining where the oven landing will be and a tape about 780mm high where the centre of the oven will be; hence tight for height and may need to flatten the oven sphere somewhat.

[Brooky Tom]

Re: Brooky Tom's 900mm build Brisbane

I have communicated with Steve (Redlands) and observed Colin (Werribee). A question (among many) I have is - do people use rectangular bricks (cut as appropriate) or do they ever use tapered bricks (side arch in claypave language)

[oasiscdm]

Re: Brooky Tom's 900mm build Brisbane

Hi Tom

Most use rectangular bricks from what I have researched on this site. As you might have noticed, I am using arch bricks [not sure if side arch is the same]. My WFO is 40 inch and the combination of arch bricks in the photo below provides a lower height 40 inch WFO. SO far with my build it is almost exact [to the photo] to the point I will need to cut the rectangular Brick on course 10 down by a 1/3, so I end up with a reasonable size key I noticed on the other thread you were talking about hearth. Mine is 1700 by 1600 I have 17cm at the rear and 19cm" at the sides left for insulation and render.

I will be putting about 30mm - 40mm of shiralite over the dome, 75mm ceramic blanket [3 layers of 25mm], followed by 30mm-50mm of render and then a finishing layer 2-3mm of spray on granite as waterproofing.

Hope that helps

[Brooky Tom]

Re: Brooky Tom's 900mm build Brisbane

Thanks for al the good advices. I'm gradually getting my mind sorted on this as I read responses and more of the previous builds. I have numerous questions in my mind but might be best to knock them off one at a time.
In reading discussions on water avoidance, I realized I have already missed an opportunity. My concrete slab is half under cover, half outside. The back half is outside and poured on ground. However I didn't lay any builders plastic under the concrete pour (despite having acres of the stuff from the other work I have been doing). Is this likely to be a problem with rising damp through the 125mm slab into the calsil next layer? The area is not going to have any groundwater lying around it.
Second query on drainage is that I purposely sloped the slab from inside to outside so that rainwater around the non-oven part of the slab would not run forward into the sheltered area. Level difference about 10mm front to back. To get a level (same height all over oven floor) I will need to correct that height difference with something either under the calsil or between calsil and hearth bricks. I will use fireclay and sand as a base for the hearth bricks but 10mm sounds too much maybe?
I could put a mortar mix on the slab under where the oven is to go to get up to level before the calsil? And if I did should I put in some sealing additive to address the potential rising damp? Thanks again for interest.