Matt's WFO Build Pompeii Oven Construction Discuss Matt's WFO Build in the Pizza Oven Design and Installation forums; My version of sketchup .... called mockup....

[mluttropp]

My version of sketchup .... called mockup.

[kebwi]

Wow, so photorealistic. j/k

[Dino_Pizza]

Congratulations Matt!
How did you back into the dome? No...wait . Don't answer that. My knees and back are already aching. Great shot of the whole family of helpers. The keystone plug and mortar joints are beyond OK or serviceable. They are an artisans work of art that. I've had brick layers and other construction types look in awe at my oven because they know the kind of craftsmanship that goes in it and yours is no different.

RE: the flu pipe. If you want the round pipe to go straight out the top peak, you need to have flashing made like mine. BUT, don't use copper like I did. Have it made of galv. metal or else you run into having to use copper nails or somehow avoid the steel stud framing unless your roof joist will be wood.

RE: the flu pipe: Mike (mfiore) went out the top peak but built a square frame around the round pipe. Now you can use standard edge flashing you buy at Lowes or HD. You can brick it or paint it.

RE: flu pipe: Last choice is to buy 2 (two) 45 deg bends from the various duratech vent pipe distributors online but they are expensive, however that will put the round vent out the side of your roof gable and not dead center which is easier to flash with off the shelf collars for slopped roofs.

Nice sketchup work too! Cheers, Dino

[mluttropp]

Thanks for the kind words Dino. I definitely have an enhanced appreciation for the skill and patience an oven like yours takes to build. I agree mine will be serviceable and is nice. But you built yourself a Porsche 911 and I built myself a Volkswagen Karmengia. They are both cool looking but one is definitely not equal to the other.

I think I will be going to custom flashing route as I just could not stand the look of an offset flue out the roof. This project has taken too long and cost too much money to have something look not quite right. I definitely will go the galvanized steel route or equivalent.

I have been thinking more about the enclosure and I will be using metal studs. In the San Francisco Bay area these things are extremely hard to find. I am envious of all of you that have a Lowes or HD that carries this stuff. That said everything I have read so far says that these are not for load bearing walls. Obviously all of my walls will be load bearing, but not by house standards. What is the minimum gauge and spacing that all of you have used with success? I was thinking of 18” OC for the studs and the trusses.

[jmhepworth]

I used 20 guage. These walls are not really load bearing. They just hold the hardibacker and the roof up. As long as you keep the studs vertical, they will bear what you need them to bear. I found the metal studs at a lumber yard. HD was always out and Lowes doesn't carry them in Utah. A lot of commercial construction uses metal studs, so I would be really surprised if you can't find them at a regular lumber yard. When you plan the spacing, consider the dimensions of what you will attach to them. Hardibacker comes in 3x5 sheets. If you put them on horizontally, 15 inch centers work well (adding to 60 inches); vertically 18 works. I ended up adding studs in a couple of places to make the hardibacker seams fit a stud.

Joe

[Dino_Pizza]

I agree with Joe. 20 gauge is fine.

They say the 2x4 steel studs are not for load bearing (read exterior) walls. But...remember, those statistics assume a standard 8'-10' tall stud wall. Your studs will be less than 3' (probably) which makes that 15" or 18" stud spacing you'll have A LOT STURDIER than if they were 10' tall.

I put my studs 16" apart then added an extra stud just anywhere on each of the 3 sides (obviously not the front oven side, they are already close) and your walls are now nicely over engineered.

[mluttropp]

Thanks for the reasurance on the steel studs.

I am going to look on craigslist and comercial construction sites to see if anyone has scrap pieces of studs. Not sure I will find any but it is worth a try before I go buy them.

Anyone out there interested in an indespensible tool? i have the one I made to build my oven. It is a threaded rod and angle iron mounted on a lazy susan with a hinge. It worked quite well and kept my dome round. I will send it to the first person that is willing to pay for the shipping.

[wayner]

Matt,

Ship it across the bay! I've been using a piece of string, but I'm curious of how indispensible this tool really is.

If you've got a Paypal account, I can Paypal you the shipping costs or throw some cash in the mail.

If you head into Berkeley at all, go to Urban Ore. It's like Craigslist, but all of it in one place. They've got a lot of odds and ends when it comes to building materials as well. I take all my stuff left over from projects there as well. It's a good place for stuff to find a second life.

Thanks.

-wayne

[wayner]

I mentioned Urban Ore as a place to possible get a few lengths of steel studs.

[mluttropp]

Ok this waiting is killing me. I want to start the cure fires but I have a couple of weeks to go before the homebrew mortar hits full strength.

While I wait I decided to try to make a oven door template out of wood. I think it looks really good. I just need to find someone that can turn this wood version into a insulated steel door. Anyone out there making doors for folks? By the way where are people getting the high temp thermometers to stick in the doors. Not only is it functional but it looks really cool as well.