getting closer...

[carioca]

Today I finally got ready for pouring the footings - which I'll leave until next year (next week)...

Attached a shot of the round footing arrangement, with twin pieces of steel mesh in position at the top and bottom position. I plan to have a slab thickness of 125 mm. (Engineers: pls yell if there's something seriously amiss that I can correct before the pour!)

Have a brilliant New Year!

Carioca

[Marcel]

(M) Hi, Carioca,

(M) I'm no engineer but I can see from your professional work that your foundation slab will be very strong if your concrete mixture has enough cement. The 125 mm converts to just shy of 5 inches and should be ample, particularly in view of the generous use of re-bar.

(M) There is at least one builder on this forum who also constructed a circular footprint for the hearth stand, Chad, AKA janprimus :

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f21/...ht=round+stand (Bellingham Bread Oven)

(M) Also, "sailfish" at

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f6/t...+oven#post3094 (Too Much Thermal Mass?)

(M) Now if you can build the rest of the oven to such high standards you'll be the envy of the round slab group!

Ciao,

Marcel

[Marcel]

(M) Here is one more from Simone:

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f21/...imone#post1454 (Simone's oven photos (6))

Ciao,

Marcel

[Versachi]

I'm not an engineer either but since I am in construction I have poured more than a few engineered slabs. That fine web of rebar looks more than strong enough for a brick oven and could probably be used as a helicopter pad in an emergency Great work imo!

Cheers from the chilly north, Versachi

[carioca]

Thanks guys for the encouragement! Marcel, I've looked at your 'reference sites' and am pleased to know I'm not the odd one out with a round slab...

Versachi, I don't know about the helipad - but I checked with our council what their policy was on barbecues. Turns out I can build one without planning permission or reference to them subject to certain distance (from boundaries) and height conditions; so Il forno del gallo chi canta is officially a 'barbeque'!

I guess I'll have to cook the occasional suckling pig in it to maintain this claim :-)

Cheers!

Carioca