Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts Pompeii Oven Construction Discuss Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts in the Pizza Oven Design and Installation forums; Looks great Dino, When I show my wife she won't even see your oven (big cat lover). I appreciate the ...

[exceloven]

Looks great Dino, When I show my wife she won't even see your oven (big cat lover). I appreciate the brick work though. What you are drinking is the real question!

Mark

[Dino_Pizza]

No Bill, I'm also collecting brick bits since I feel like if there is daylight, I must be cutting brick. No time to take out stuff to the trash.

And its never precise enough it seems Ellie, Oh yes it is. Sometimes it seems all wrong like my arch walls, but I measured it afterwords, and it's level (cant believe it) and the right width and actually perpendicular to the center line of the dome! I know the arch will trip me up somewhere.

Yes, Mark, Inspector Cat could not be moved until I used a water-spray bottle to wet the last course. She moved. And that's iced tea, I have to be wired up all day to keep cutting and laying bricks then its Pinot Noir all night to comiser...I mean celebrate.

Here is a better pic of the side walls mortared in. 1 more row puts me at 10" (too high for the door edge) so I'll have to cut that at an angle to get to 8.5" inches and then 12" at the middle. Since my landing is wide, I have to decide if I can tapper an angle into that 4th row that starts my arch. More ice tea, definitely. Others have 4 bricks high some 3. It should 8-9" at the opeing edges and 12" in the middle, Right? Thanks, Dino

[egalecki]

Are you going to try to make your arch at the same time as the oven wall? That's awfully tricky. I did my arch and then fit the walls to it. Much easier that way. You can do your arch one day, leave the form in, and keep on going the next. Just don't take out the form for several days to a week.

The work looks really good- but I don't know what you'll do when you get to the top and the v's get to you- the rest of us went to 1/3 bricks- but you've already done that!

[Ken524]

Dino,

I like how your are tying the vent walls into the dome structure. I didn't do that (wish I had). Nice work!

[christo]

I agree! Looking fabulous! I like the cuts you made on the entry bricks to make the lip. Looks like tough cuts but you're doing (what looks like) a very consistent job.

If it ever gets to be too much, remember an ugly oven cooks pretty much like a pretty one!!! Besides - you're getting to the point where people will have to look up to see any inconsistencies (I cannot bring myself to call them mistakes).

Great job - I love the cat!

Christo

[Dino_Pizza]

Thanks for the reminder Christo, I get so dissapointed at some joints and cuts. I need to remember an "ugly" dome will perform just as good. And it's ugly for me as I try to wrap my head around the inner arch and my outer arch being at a wider angle. I have to cut a 45 deg angle across my arch walls 4th row to start the curve. I think I'll try to finish the inner arch on its own THEN tackle the outer arch and brick-length wall between where it will be the vent width opening eventually.

Thanks Ken, I love looking over your pictures regularly they really are helpful. Oh and everyone else too. It's great to have so much visual aid. Tying in the walls was a bit tough but I'm happy now that it's mostly done. Like Christo says, only I see any "inconsistencies".

I noticed Breven and TheBadgerBuild went 3 bricks up and started the arch. Others went a full 4 bricks, about 10" high on the door edge. I assume you all went 12 or 12-1/2" high to the middle of the door. I'm leaning toward 3 high or 7-7/8" for mine, then arch to 12" or 12.5" in the center. (63% of my 20" dome is 12.6"). My opening is 20" wide so if I start lower at the edges, it should be similar to a 19" opening with 9" sides.

The mental calisthenics required to build this is just practice for learning percentage of hydration and protein/ash ratio in pizza dough when I finally get to making pizza! I'll be ready by then thanks, Dino

[Dino_Pizza]

Sketchup clears my head. Here are 2 pics of my "problem" but I think I've got it licked. The 1st pic shows from the front how I can complete my inner arch like normal, then my outer arch will sit on a brick cut in 2 angles .....................
THIS POST EDITED BY ME: Les and Glen pointed out that this is an example of WHAT NOT TO DO. I would have had 2 bricks with only mortar holding them in a vertical possition. After I start my vent transition, I probably would have put load on it. I'll now use 2 bricks end to end to tie into both arches.

[Les]

Dino,

I really don't know if this is an issue but it looks like a flag to me. The 2 bricks in the vent area have nothing to hold them in (no load) other then mortar. If the mortar breaks the bond I can see them slipping in if not falling altogether. For what's it's worth, here is a link on how I addressed the problem.

PhotoPlog - Uploads Posted By Les

Just my thought.
Les...

[glennb]

I had similar problems with my transition Dino.
My solution wasn't necessarily the best either, but seems to be working ok. Where i could, i tied the opening bricks back into the full arch, or the dome, as the arch structure itself with the weight pressing down evenly is what creates the structural strength.

[Dino_Pizza]

Thanks Les and Glen,
I checked out your photos and I'll certainly (NOW) tie the 2 bricks into the arches. I'll use 2 brick lengths end to end like your pics show Les. I wont worry too much about straightening out the flair at the outer arch. Thanks for catching this guys. I really appreciate it. -Dino