36" vs. 38"

[thebadger]

Gang,

Layed my bricks down for my 36" - looks smaller than I thought. I might be able to squeeze a 38" on my hearth - any real benefit? Can I still get by with a 6 inch duravent on a 38"? I' ready to start cutting for the 36 if I switch gears to the 38 I'll have re tool my layout etc...

Also, my firebricks chip pretty easily on the edges - is this normal?
Even on my garage floor they are very uneven I'm going to have to level/grid the edges a bit...

Thanks

Dick

No "funny" comments about he extra 2 inches

[dmun]

When I laid out my oven on my workshop floor as a dry run it looked tiny. (mine is a 36) When I crawled into it afterwords, to scrub the mortar off the joints inside, it seemed as big as Grand Central.

Is an inch on each side worth re doing your plan? Maybe not. If it's at the expense of insulation on the sides and back, you may not want to.

[thebadger]

Thanks Dmun.

Any concerns about my firebrick or is that pretty standard.

Also, I've been following your progress and look forward to the complettioin. I got to admit that I'm overwhelmed by the complexity of it.

Can't wait to see it.

Dick

[Dutchoven]

I agree...don't re-tool!

Also, my firebricks chip pretty easily on the edges - is this normal?...firebricks are pretty soft so chipping will occur even if you are pretty careful...you can smooth off the egdes once the floor is laid using a angle grinder...
Even on my garage floor they are very uneven I'm going to have to level/grid the edges a bit...

Thanks

Dick

No "funny" comments about he extra 2 inches ...Why not?!!!

Best
Dutch

[gjbingham]

Dick,
Do it like I did. Plan on 36, measure an 18 inch string, tie a pen to it to form the circumfrence on the floor of the oven. If you screw it up enough, it will end up being 37 inches. Perfect!

[Frances]

Hey Badger, its not the size that matters but what you do with it!


...don't you find that jokes, like wines, improve with age?

[gjbingham]

That's a woman's point-of-view Frances. Size counts! 38 inches is better.

[maburton]

I was planning on building a 42-40" oven. is that too big for just backyard grilling and cooking? having 10-20 guests over. I am not running a business or trying to bake 20 loafs of bread, just normal family cooking?

[james]

I think 40" is right in the sweet spot. It's the Goldilocks syndrome. Not too big, and not too small. :-) An inch or two either way is not very important.

James

[dmun]

I think 39 3/8 (one meter) is about the right size for the home oven, if you are planning to entertain.