Michigan WFO Brick Oven Photos Discuss Michigan WFO in the Good Background Information forums; Very Nice work ! As for thirds.. I'm with Elizabeth. Mine started in the last 3 or 4 rows as ...

[asudavew]

Very Nice work !

As for thirds.. I'm with Elizabeth.
Mine started in the last 3 or 4 rows as well.

Excellent!

Dave

[mfiore]

OK, I'm still waiting for mortar, but was able to "scrape the bag" for enough to finish the 7th course.

I took the arch form out and nothing fell!



I need some advise about the transition. I am worried that I screwed it up a little. It seems to be coming out round, but I don't no how to tie it in to the top of the arch without leaving gaps.



I've been cutting notches out of the dome arches to conform to the arch. If I continue this for the 8th course, there will be gaps. Should I have been grinding out part of the arch to have the dome bricks fit better?

[egalecki]

It's always a good feeling when nothing falls!

I used small pieces of brick to stuff the holes I had when I came around to the arch. You could just use mortar, but I felt that adding the pieces helped with the problem of too large a mortar joint. There weren't too many holes, really. Be patient with the shaping, I got impatient with mine and ended up with some strange things to work out. I used two bricks where I should have taken the time to work with three, and the shaping got odd.

While it did get a bit out of round, that was easy enough to correct in the next few courses. I just should have fixed it so it wasn't a problem in the first place... I wouldn't cut into the arch. At all. I like the concept of "hanging" the dome on top of it- I don't know if it's true from an engineering standpoint, but it seems to me that it locks it all together, somehow...

It's looking really good. Much tidier than mine!

[David Manchester]

Looking really good, you keep the bricks pretty clean! Keep up the good work!

[Dakota Earth]

Mike,
I'm going to be visiting my parents in a couple of weeks. They live east of you about 45 minutes. When I'm in the area, could I give you a call, come over, and take a look at your project?

thanks,
Dan

brixblocks@gmail.com

[Dutchoven]

Mike
You could cut a brick or two to fit that space now with close to that angle as it appears from your photo to be about that size...then on the following courses you would not have as much of an issue...but honestly the spaces would not be that big an issue and as Elizabeth said brick chips can do the trick
You're doing a great job
Best
Dutch

[mfiore]

Thanks, everyone, for the continued advice and encouragement. It is all very helpful.

Dan, you are certainly welcome to visit anytime. I'll send you a PM.

Still without Heat-Stop, so I started planning the vent. I had put a tapered entry into the oven to improve visibility, access. It isn't much of an angle, but enough to cause a pain in the vent. The trick is to get the bricks of the outer arch to be straight (perpendicular to the front of the opening), yet positioned into arch supports that are at an angle. I cut a odd shaped groove in the arch supports to help with this. I think it will work.

Here are the bricks cut to fit.


Here is the left arch support in place

[mfiore]

Here is my tentative plan to bridge that gap. I tried to mimic Daren's "bridge". I worked this out in the afternoon, only later to read Dutch's advice. I think we were on the same track (great minds must think alike! )

I just took a few brick splits and cut a V shaped notch in to "hang" on the back of the arch.



Here is the first one in place.


I think it should help get the next course on the right foot.

[Dutchoven]

Absolutely what I was thinking...well done...that should keep you going once you get your Heatstop
Best
Dutch

[Dino_Pizza]

Mike, you are a genius! Your OSG (odd-shaped-groove) for the top brick of the arch support brought it right back to perpendicular! I've spent hours thinking about that since I really want the wider opening in the front too but you've showed me in 1 picture how to do it. This forum rocks. And Mike, the dome is looking awesome.
-Dino