Michigan WFO Brick Oven Photos Discuss Michigan WFO in the Good Background Information forums; My FB board came in today! Any thoughts on how far back to ideally place the oven to allow for ...

[mfiore]

My FB board came in today! Any thoughts on how far back to ideally place the oven to allow for enough room for a front landing/counter area, yet not be too far away from the oven to be able to use well?

[dbhansen]

I think my landing starts about 12-13" from the front of the cantilever, if that helps, but it's all personal preference. I have long arms!

[mfiore]

Well, I have short arms!

I know you haven't used the oven yet, but does it seem you'll be able to work inside pretty easily?

I plan on incorporating some type of cantilevering ledge for a workspace, either poured concrete (like the badger is building currently), or a stone slab. Are there any general principles in construction as to how much should stay on the base, and how much can hang over (I'm sure there is a ratio of some kind)

[Derocherconstruction]

I don't know if you tried VanPopplen block co. in Bay City for the firebrick Mike. I bought mine from there this spring, $ 1.95 ea. They had them stored inside, and they were in good shape. I found firebricks in Omer and bought some, and after looking them over they were all cracked. They had been stored outside for a few years, and they absorbed water then froze during the winter and developed cracks throughout. I got my money back for those, and went to VanPopplens for everything. Jim

[mfiore]

Thanks for the reply. Maybe I'll look at them. I got mine at Lincoln Brick in Saginaw (Freeland?). They were only $1.37 ea. I guess you get what you pay for. Maybe I'll get some nice brick for the floor, and the cheaper ones for the dome.

[Derocherconstruction]

That's what I did was picked out the nicest ones for the floor, and the ones that I dinged up on the 50 mile trip north I used on the dome. Another thing that I noticed was that the firebricks that were reddish in color cut lots harder than the ones that were whiter. They all came from the same pallet, I figured that they were all the same until I started cutting. I used most of the red bricks for the floor, but now everything looks pretty much the same after lots of pizza's... Jim

[mfiore]

Well, I'm waiting for my insulation boards. I received 3, but it looks like I miscalculated and will likely need 4 for a 42 inch oven.

In the meantime, I've cut some bricks for the soldier course. Decided on half high brick.

[toddj]

That looks really nice!

[mfiore]

Thanks, Todd.

Still waiting for the insulation boards. I've been working out the HF saw in the interim.

Planning the vent area, side walls, arch support. For the floor, I see that most are not using anytime of mortar underneath, just fireclay for leveling. How about the very front few bricks under the arches? Should any of them get mortared down?

I'll use some corrugated cardboard for an expansion gap between the dome and the floor. Should this continue outside the oven onto the vent landing?

[Breven]

I didn't mortar mine down in front...not sure if it would hurt or not. Those bricks do get pretty darn hot, I'm sure there's thermal expansion there. I've only had my oven up to temp a few times now, so I'm not sure how much movement there will be- haven't seen any in the landing area yet.