The adventure begins Introductions Discuss The adventure begins in the Good Background Information forums; Really nice brick work. You will enjoy working with the firebricks. Using rectangular bricks to make a dome is really ...

[jmhepworth]

Really nice brick work. You will enjoy working with the firebricks. Using rectangular bricks to make a dome is really fun.

Joe

[david s]

Hi Backinoz,
Looks like an interesting layout there. Did you call your local council ? Up here I was told the structure must be 1.5m inside the boundary fence. I found this out after I'd already built mine right up against the fence. Invite your neighbours over for pizza you don't want them complaining about smoke and resulting disputes.

[Johnny the oven man]

Originally Posted by backinoz

More progress. Going like clock work so far but anybody can build a brick wall I guess. Have built up the base by 5 courses from the slab. Now just over 840 mm high. I don't think I quite got the 10 mm of mortar between each course. Used left over house bricks so it ties in very nice.
Used just over one bag of cement which was less than I calculated. Goes to show that maybe Murphy doesn't work on saturdays.

Next week is Halloween so Im not allowed to make too much of a mess so I think it will be boxing up the top slab and sourcing the next lot of materials.

Having fun. Especially enjoyed a couple of Boag's Draught after everything was finished and cleaned.

For bricks up in the Nth, try Total Refractory Management in Slacks Crk.

[backinoz]

Another good day of work. Finished the formwork on Saturday.

Formwork was set up using some 12mm structural ply around a frame. This was off set from the brickwork using some 2"x3" which I got level and square around the outside.
Reinforcing was done with 6x2m lengths of 12mm ReBar as the base and a 6mm mesh over the top and tied together. Over the lintel I put a 75x75x6mm angle and a piece of 75mmx10mm flat bar. I think its an overkill but the old saying goes "If its worth doing its worth doing once"

[backinoz]

Top slab was not as hard as the base slab. 7 bags of concrete and just over 4 hours work. Trick was starting early so not to have to work thru the heat of the middle of the day. managed to get a bit of a cool down with a short bit of rain about half way thru but no consequence.
Only problem was that I finished to early to relax with a beer.

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

"If its worth doing its worth doing once"

Only problem was that I finished to early to relax with a beer

I agree 100% to both quotes
Nice work oz, you are well on you way

Cheers
Mark

[nissanneill]

backinoz
going great! Get your vermiculite insulation down (quite unusual to mix). I used a flat bladed fork to mix mine (see the pics within my build), for tips and tricks, get it nice and level and smooth and flat and experience less troubles bedding down your hearth bricks. Leave for a week, time to cut all or most of your bricks and 2 days for your dome! No joke, it's a breeze, longish days but very achievable. You will need to cut the odd special cut around your arch and maybe a narrower brick to maintain the better correct bond but it is surprising how quick you get each course done.

Get into it and sit back and enjoy.

Neill

[backinoz]

Thanks for the encouragement.
Since my last post I have

• made up my indespensable tool
• cut out the template for the inside oven dome and door from structural ply left over from the formwork
• purchased bricks from a local gardening center left over bricks from their oven project.
• purchased sheets of calcium silicate board insulation for the floor from local pyrotek distributer
• cut the bricks for the oven floor
• cut and mounted the insulation board

Going good so far although starting to count the weekends between now and first pizza deadline on 22 dec 09.

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Nice indespensable tool oz...

Dont forget to use wedges under your arch form so you can take it out easily after the form is done......

Cheers
Mark

[trockyh]

backinoz,

Your build looks great! I hope mine will look as good. Hope to get my forms set for the base today, but rain is coming in this afternoon.
Looking forward to seeing your progress. Thanks for the pictures.

Tom