Finally started my pizza oven!

[Dino_Pizza]

Hi Joe, the dome rings and arch walls look great. I see you've interlocked the 4 rows of bricks on the walls and you've got a nice reveal. Very nice.

You know, I did not have very good luck with the yellow sponge and green pad to keep my dome clean. I bought the fairly cheep, large "cement contractors" goldish-yellow sponge you see at all the brick yards. It's softer and I believe gets in the rough brick better to clean it. And Elizibeth (I think) recommended having a dry cloth to wipe up immediately after sponging that takes off the haze the sponge keeps leaving.

I'm enjoying your pics, keep up the fine work, Dino

[Calabrese]

Thanks Dino,
I did buy one of those sponges and a soft brush, and it seems to be cleaning and looking a little better. I think I need to spend a couple of hours and really clean it properly, I'm going to wait a couple of days to let it set so I can apply a bit more pressure on the bricks. I did get a chance to work on the oven this week-end and get over the arch and, I think support the dome at the same time.

Here are some more pics.

Thanks Joe
Mississauga Canada

[Dino_Pizza]

The dome looks good Joe. Nice work and the ring blocks across you arch. The pictures you've got posted will certainly help others see how to do it. You're really movin' along. Keep up the good work.
Dino

[MAVANO]

very very nice work and fast , good cuts awesome. don't forget insulation very important do it once do it right , are you planning enclosure or igloo?

[Calabrese]

Mavano, I have purchased the insulation about a week ago. I decided to go with the 1" tripled up on the advice of the supplier, I also bought the chimmney, 10" A vent , it may be overkill but I'm going though a roof so I'd rather be safe than sorry. My plan on the finish is to go granite, the angle iron sticking out of hearth is to support a granite counter and wall above it unfortunatly I'll only see the inside of the entry and dome.

I've done alot since I posted last so you'll see multable post because of the five picture max.

Joe
Mississauga, Canada

[Calabrese]

I finally completed the dome and started and finished the outer arch.

Joe

[Calabrese]

My oven will be an addition to an outdoor kitchen I built about 10 years ago. I don't think I'll be using the gas BBQ as much the way Les is talking about those steaks he's cooking in his oven.

Joe
Mississauga Canada

[MAVANO]

hello Joe , good fast work man I'm amazed how fast you build, you make the Calabresi proud, is that your final arch? you might want to brace the final arch walls from the flanks there is a lot of pressure pushing from the weight of the chimney on the arch to the walls when you fire it up it could separate the joints on the arch from the heat mine did but I have a more pronounced arch and the pressure was not so great but still had heat expansion cracks on the joints, then again I could be wrong,better safe than sorry, I built my oven not knowing about this forum made lots of mistakes , there are a good bunch of builders on here for advice during a build , looking forward for your fire up its looking really good , Ciao

[Dino_Pizza]

Slow down Joe...your going to cause a tear in the space-time warp continuum. But at least you'll have excellent pizza soon. Nice work.

I love your keystone and the last row holding it. Looks really tight. It's great to be able to cut them all like you did before you install them. Mine is not a perfect circle so it's taking more fussy cuts, but I can really appreciate the craftsmanship you show. I bet your happy your're done with those bricks. Very nice outdoor kitchen too. Ya, steaks in the oven...
Take care, Dino

[Calabrese]

Thanks Mavano, I am going to brace the outer arch, it makes sense to add a little re-enforcement to those walls. I really hope I don't have any movement in those bricks. I tried to support the inner arch walls with the dome walls pushing against them. Here is a picture of what I mean.


Dino, you make me laugh " space time warp continuum " It's true it's going quickly, but I did spent quite a bit of time pre-cutting my bricks in February. And my dome is far from perfect, I tried not to line up any joints but I failed miserably. Cutting those compound mitres I found that when I set them in place I was ok on the outside of the dome but in the inside of the dome, because the bricks were so tapered, I'd hit a joint and by the time I caught on, it was too late.
I also wish I was a lot cleaner. The mortar I was using was fantastic, it went on like Nutella and stuck like crazy glue I did not use anything to support any of the dome bricks, but it was hell to clean. I’m going to give the oven a couple of weeks to cure, that will give me some time to clean it and think about how I want to finish the front.

Thanks for your kind words

Joe
Mississauga Canada