SE Minnesota insanity Brick Oven Photos Discuss SE Minnesota insanity in the Good Background Information forums; Since I bit the bullet and bought a saw, I had to say goodbye to the idea of buying some ...

[Eric Pfeifer]

Since I bit the bullet and bought a saw, I had to say goodbye to the idea of buying some nice CAD software I've always wanted, and calculate the taper angles of the bricks the old-fashioned way, with pen, paper, and trig! Tomorrow the tops of the soldiers get lopped off.

[Les]

Eric,

Pyramids were built without software - your approach will work just fine. God speed and good luck.

BTW, awesome saw - should be able to do great things!

Les...

[nissanneill]

Eric,
you might like to check out my build as I cut my full length soldiers but not many other bricks in the dome brick rows.
It all depends on what you want. The interior of my oven doesn't have overly big joins but they do get larger the higher the row. These can be reduced with significant cutting. Although i had a professional brick saw (pics in my build) I still didn't worry as I used the poor man's mortar and have no cracks after over 2 years. The outside of the dome is buried under the insulation and is never seen except during construction. The most important thing is that it works well, holds it heat and lasts your lifetime. OR you can make it very complex with possibly hundreds of cuts and numerous more rows of bricks needed for the dome.

Neill

[Eric Pfeifer]

I'm torn between practicality & speed, and knowing that the inspectors here walk around with micrometers in their front pockets...just kidding, but once I did have to re-dig a 220 ft long electrical service trench because it was 17 inches deep, not 18! I would like to keep my mortar joints less than 1/4 inch, so to that end I may have to do some cutting as I get higher in the dome.

Also I've found that cutting bricks is a rather pleasant, if not a little monotonous, undertaking. Watching that blade sear through the masonry makes my day job dissolve away.

On the other hand, my stomach and my friends are growing impatient for some finally decent pizza, and my girlfriend doesn't care for the big hole in my house. Hmmmm, there's the thought...get them to cut the bricks!

Best,
Eric

[nissanneill]

Hmmmm, there's the thought...get them to cut the bricks!

NO, bad move mate, unless you have a heap of them spare.
Nope, just do it and control it yourself. You can always cut a row at a time (even after hours) and then cement them into place, cut the next row and cement them. At that rate you will have your dome done in a few days.

Neill

[Eric Pfeifer]

5 PM. The first of the floor bricks have been set. Finally!

[Eric Pfeifer]

Originally Posted by nissanneill

NO, bad move mate, unless you have a heap of them spare.
Nope, just do it and control it yourself. You can always cut a row at a time (even after hours) and then cement them into place, cut the next row and cement them. At that rate you will have your dome done in a few days.

Neill

Neill, you are absolutely right on. There are those who just want pizza, and those who are infected by this oven building bug. I think these ovens are part our souls and egos, and I think I would have a hard time letting someone not bitten by the bug, make critical cuts.

[cecilB]

Wow - that's the truth about being bitten by the bug! I've spent so much time studying the pictures and actually reading about mortar, and working with the wet saw and angle grinder...then someome comes over and is standing around watching, he picks up a brick and starts cutting and gets the angle right - ok...I'm thinking this could be good because then I don't have to climb down, then climb back up...then climb back down...BUT it was just beginners luck...he started going through bricks (and blade) and then he had to go in. AAAACK!
Oh well...I only have a few more cuts to plug up the dome, and I believe this is harder than that !@#$!! dome to arch transition! Especially considering the angle I have to stand to do the work. I ain't no spring chicken and I am definitely not in shape!!!
Yeah, so unless others are just as excited about building it right and get the focus you have, I'd just not let them cut your bricks...or mix your mortar...
c

[nissanneill]

Please don't get me wrong!
I am all for allowing 'capable' people from helping, or those who want to learn, but just to let anyone help to speed up the process without really knowing what to do, or how to do it, without considering the consequences of your heartfelt construction, well, I'd rather do it myself, take a little more time and have it done as well as could be expected!
After all, it is MY PROJECT and I want it done right, OK?

Neill

[trockyh]

Originally Posted by nissanneill

Please don't get me wrong!
I am all for allowing 'capable' people from helping, or those who want to learn, but just to let anyone help to speed up the process without really knowing what to do, or how to do it, without considering the consequences of your heartfelt construction, well, I'd rather do it myself, take a little more time and have it done as well as could be expected!
After all, it is MY PROJECT and I want it done right, OK?

Neill

I agree with you Neil,
My wife and I do our projects together, partly because our 5 boys have lives of their own, but we love working together and take pride in what we do. I'm 58 and she is ...well, still 29 so she says LOL but we run circles around most younger people.
We want things done right so we do them ourselves, and it it ain't right, we have no one to blame but us.

Tom