Mannextdoor WFO

[mannextdoor]

I am ready to order my blocks and Bricks. Can any one tell me how many bricks that are required for a 42" oven if you cut each brick on a taper? And is there any benefit to doing it?

[dmun]

And is there any benefit to cuting each brick on a taper?

The only benefit is aesthetic. It uses less expensive refractory mortar, but it takes up vast amounts of time. There are three issues. At the first ring the bricks need to be tapered on the outside. To have a true fitted dome, each layer needs to be tapered vertically as well. As the rings go up, the bricks need to be angled as well as tapered. You do end up tossing a lot of brick fragments out. It was the contemplation of this process that lead me to invent another way of doing a full fitted dome, the geodesic plan (dmun's 36" geodesic oven), which has it's own set of problems.

A dome with joints filled with mortar cooks fine. If any such domes have fallen apart, we haven't heard about it.

[asudavew]

Originally Posted by dmun

A dome with joints filled with mortar cooks fine. If any such domes have fallen apart, we haven't heard about it.

Dave's hand is up.

I lost three bricks.

....

Due to my impatience maybe during the build.

But I repaired it over the weekend.

The bricks fell from my inner arch. The three center ones... The dome rested on that arch.

The dome did stay together though, and I've no idea why.

I have no engineering skillz or knowledge like so many others around here! Cudos to those folks.

[mannextdoor]

Well we finally got the block & brick delivered. That was a bit of a trick. The delivery guy got a little excited when he pulled the last skid of block off the truck and swung it around. The front end of the truck started to come up off the ground. We inched it around and finally got most of it where I wanted it. I had to move some of it down after he left. I guess now I get to learn how to lay block.

[mannextdoor]

I got a pretty good workout yesterday. I unloaded a ton of sand by hand. I got one course of block laid, holes drilled and rebar set. But with setup and cleanup, that was enough for this fat old man. I don't have a mixer. So we are doing it the old fashion way. It feels good to have another project going that requires some exercise. It is good for the hearth & soul.

[Frances]

That sounds interesting with the truck coming off the ground! I'll bet your hearth was in your mouth there...

I love your set up. There's something about a Pizza oven by a lake that's very appealing.

[mannextdoor]

Course #2 went down yesterday. I think I figured out why those trowels are shaped so funny. It should go a little faster now.

[Modthyrth]

Wow, what an idyllic setup. The new kitchen area will connect and flow so well with the existing deck. I'd never want to miss a party at your house!

[dbhansen]

Looking great!! Can't wait to see the finished product. I agree - very nice location. The boaters will be drooling.

[mannextdoor]

Thanks for the kind words. Every year I try to have a home improvement project. Talk about the boaters drooling. I will post some other pictures later when I can dig them out that the boaters drool over. I got course #3 laid yesterday. The last 3 days I have found some muscles that I had forgot I had. This has been a good workout. Sleep sure is sweet at night.