The Badger Build

[Ken524]

Dick,

Very nice work. That's going to look great!

[PizzaJNKY]

Dick, your oven looks fantastic. Can you post some photos from the inside? I'm almost at the same point as you, and am trying to figure out how to tie in the arch with the dome.

[thebadger]

PizzaJNKY

I didn't post a picture early since 1) one of my bricks shifted and 2) it's not as pretty as others I've seen.

Not sure how I'll finish but my plan is to use my angle grinder and cut away the brick I don't need in the arch. It worked really well for the first side bricks I set. The critical part seems how far in/out to put your arch in relation to the dome. I'm just hoping I got mine in the "sweet spot". I did clean up the extra mortar a little bit.

I'll try to post more once I get back to work later this weeek.

Dick

[PizzaJNKY]

Thanks Badger. Your work looks good to me. Nice and clean. My oven is a mess. Mortar all over the place, and I got a D or F in chemistry, so am terrified of using hydrocloric acid to clean the mess. Don't worry about it not being as pretty as some, it will always be prettier than mine, and bottom line is that I am sure that appearance has nothing to do with cooking performance.

[dusty]

Badger,
Looks fantastic to me. I am a proponent of the "figure-it out-as-you-go method." Worked great for me....always has. When my cource bricks came around to meet my arch, I just made it happen, then on to the next cource.
Thanks for the progress reports.
I'm lovin' the time capsule thing. Thinking of incorporating one of my own.

dusty

[asudavew]

The transition is tough. But from the look of your build, you will figure it out.
I must admit, that is the hard part of the build. .... although the back wears out the higher you get.

[thebadger]

Gang,

On my fifth row and I’m already pretty steep ~50 degree angle! I’m going to have to use a ball on row 6+. I’m hoping for an 18” height, right now I’m at 13 1/2.” Lower would be fine as long as I get to at least 16”. My front arch height is 11” at the highest point.

So far working the row into the arch has been real easy! This is the one part that caused me the most apprehension /angst. I think the trick is – where you put your arch. To far out and you won’t have anything to support your row. To far in the dome and you have the same problem. I think you just have to eyeball your arch placement to where you’ll end up with your row so it will “lay” on top.

I used a cheap HB grinder with a masonry cut off and just started cutting away at my arch to get my bricks to fit! – In all honesty it really was easy!!! I just have two more bricks to work in and I’ve officially cleared that hurdle. btw - I plan to fill in the row/arch area transition gaps with some angled bricks once I finish the dome...

Dick

[james]

Very nice Dick,

Taking a grinder to the entry arch makes a lot of sense. Keep the HF grinder, and you can use it with a polisher at the end to smooth out and polish your arches!

It is go green in your neighborhood. It looks great. You just don't see that much natural grass and foliage in CA -- even in the spring.

James

[gjbingham]

Good looking build Dick. I've forgotten. What kind of bricks are you using. It appears that you're alternating rows of standard and firebricks. Kinda cool looking! So one else will ever see it, of course.

[Frances]

I know I'm always saying this, but I think those last archway pictures and the explanation should go in the picture gallery, so they're easy to find for future builders.

The reason being, when I was at that stage, that's where I looked and didn't at that time find much that really helped an archway-challenged (or angle iron-challenged) builder like me.

Reading your explanation made me think that maybe I could have tied in an archway to a dome after all... specailly the placement of the archway a bit back from the first row of bricks. Obvious when you think about it and maybe I'm just thick, but still good advice to have for before you start building....