WFO with a view

[WoodchuckDad]

Great work. I am very impressed.

[tfasz]

Thanks! It's been so much fun almost a bit bummed to be done with the dome .... ;-)

At least I have a bunch more to do - seems like folks keep busy for a year after finishing their dome.

Can't wait to start cooking some pizza - hopefully by mid/late July.

[tfasz]

Built up the sides of the landing this weekend, and then got the front arch setup yesterday.

After thinking about a number of different ways to join the arch to the angle of the sides, I decided to keep it simple and just cut off a brick on top of the sides.


Ideally the width of the opening would have been 1/2" smaller (22 1/2" vs. 23") to keep the gaps between bricks down a bit, but figured I didn't want to try to start cutting bricks to fit. Ended up using 9 full width bricks across the arch.







Now onto the flue and finishing. If anyone has any chimney tips please pass them along - I'll be sorting through pics and plans again now

[tfasz]

I think I might have cut my last fire brick ....

Spent some time last weekend looking at various flue pics - glad to have so many builds and pics to get ideas from! Started off thinking I would build a front and back on top of the arches, and then angle bricks between them. Was concerned that the bricks between the front and back would not have anything to hold themselves up, so ended up cutting the bricks so that they overlapped the front and back arch.

Planning on topping this with a 6" DuraVent flue and then some insulation, wire mesh, and SBC over the top of the dome to keep it weather tight (I hope).

I ended up using ~180 firebricks and just shy of 3 bags of HeatStop 50.

[fxpose]

Very nice arch & vent work!!! Amazing brickwork...

George

[dmun]

That's a great flue transition. It's surprisingly difficult to get that center arch brick centered, and it looks like you nailed it not once but twice. Good job.

[WoodchuckDad]

I wish you hadn't posted those pictures. It makes me want to go outside and push mine down and start over. Absolutely beautiful brickwork.

[tfasz]

Guys - thanks a bunch for the feedback - I certainly appreciate it! It has been a LOT of fun and don't think I ever could have done it without the Forno Bravo forums and everyone on here.

And to think that I bought Kiko Denzer's book (Amazon.com: Build Your Own Earth Oven, 3rd Edition: A Low-Cost Wood-Fired Mud Oven; Simple…) and was thinking of building an earthen oven before I found this site.

@woodchuckdad - I think at the end of the day both our ovens will cook pizza. Especially when you consider that you won't even see 90% of our work after they are enclosed (that's why I didn't bother fully mortaring my lower brick courses). Looking forward to seeing more of your progress - you should be closing the dome soon.

On to the insulation and igloo - anyone have any opinions on 2" vs. 3" of insulation? Or maybe 3-4" on the top and 2" around the sides?

[eprante]

Tfasz,
Very nice brick work on the vent/flue transition. If I were you I wouldn't want to cover it up, but thats the rub- if you don't cover it up you don't eat pizza. Great work!!
I used 3" of FB blanket and it insulates like a champ. The dome inside can be 1000 degrees and the outside top of the dome is 10 degrees above ambient.
Enjoy,
Eric

[SteveP]

Holy crap that's some fantastic brick work; I am truly impressed! I don't think I could have drawn it any cleaner.