I am building a wood fired (pizza) oven.

[luctor-et-emergo]

Bricks are coming on Wednesday. I'll try to get everything set up tomorrow so I can hopefully cut some bricks wednesday afternoon and have most of the work finished by the end of the week. The actual fun work starts now !

[presence]

Before or after I scrape out the excess mortar for pointing ?

After the mortar has dried but before it has cured. Use it to brush your bricks clean.

[luctor-et-emergo]

After the mortar has dried but before it has cured. Use it to brush your bricks clean.

So like 12 hours after applying ? The first time I made a brick wall I didn't scrape out the mortar, I squeezed it in with a pointing knife right away. Afterwards I used a brush, like you use to clean the floor with. And I tried to scrape off the excess bits, it left nasty white stains. This is when I learned that pointing is done with mortar with no extra lime.

I guess I did the brushing a bit too early too. Dry for mortar is a bit relative as I have learned to keep it moist until it has hardened. I guess it should be hard enough to tap it so it doesn't move but brittle enough so all the bits and pieces fall off ?

[Suzanimal]

I had pizza for dinner. I've been craving it since you started this thread.

[tod evans]

I had pizza for dinner. I've been craving it since you started this thread.

Doesn't count unless you made it from scratch!

[Barrex]

A pic of the finished concrete foundation, sorry for the image quality, it was made with my phone.
I'm quite pleased with the result. Overall there's only a little under 1/16th of an inch of an inch of difference from my plans, completely negligible.

Oh... you are making it completely on the ground? Pizza ovens are usually elevated.

[amy31416]

Doesn't count unless you made it from scratch!

What does that even mean anymore--do I have to grind my own wheat? Make the oven? Grow the tomatoes and milk a buffalo to make the cheese?

[Suzanimal]

Doesn't count unless you made it from scratch!

I really wanted to, I was looking forward to trying luctor's crust recipe but I just couldn't. I felt like crap yesterday (I had a medical procedure done yesterday am) called the Pizza Hut and paid for delivery.

What does that even mean anymore--do I have to grind my own wheat? Make the oven? Grow the tomatoes and milk a buffalo to make the cheese?

LOL

[luctor-et-emergo]

I had pizza for dinner. I've been craving it since you started this thread.

Hah, I also had pizza for dinner yesterday. It was a leftover pizza from the day before.. I even forget when I made pizza. Not a big event here, sorry.

Doesn't count unless you made it from scratch!

Agreed. But that goes for all food.

Oh... you are making it completely on the ground? Pizza ovens are usually elevated.

No, no, no, this is just the foundation. You'll be amazed by the amount of stuff that will still get piled on this slab of concrete. Overall a few tons of stone is going on top. The floor that you're looking at won't be for making a fire but for wood storage.

What does that even mean anymore--do I have to grind my own wheat? Make the oven? Grow the tomatoes and milk a buffalo to make the cheese?

I think making the dough, sauce and chopping everything up would qualify as homemade ? I don't think you have to grind your own wheat lol. I'm not doing that. I do grow some tomatoes though.

I really wanted to, I was looking forward to trying luctor's crust recipe but I just couldn't. I felt like crap yesterday (I had a medical procedure done yesterday am) called the Pizza Hut and paid for delivery.



LOL

lol ! I never had pizza hut . Although I think theres a few over here.

[presence]

What does that even mean anymore--do I have to grind my own wheat? Make the oven? Grow the tomatoes and milk a buffalo to make the cheese?

YES! Now get in the kitchen and make me a pie!

[luctor-et-emergo]

If you're new to bricklaying... one quick tip that will help quite a bit... before you turn your trowel sideways while holding mortar, give it a quick "shake" this will suction the mortar to the trowel, keeping it from sliding off.



Also... learn to talk to your brick

I'm not completely new to bricklaying but I'm in no way an expert. I've done a couple dozen projects including a few serious ones. Overall a few thousand bricks or so. I'll try my best. Thanks !

It will increase creativity!

I was planning on doing some different brick positions in order to make the work look a bit less dull. I still have to learn the English terms for these positions.

For your "one time use purposes" check out a:



You can get one of these and a "throw away" skill circular saw for under $100. Rig up a thin dishwasher supply line to wet the blade; spray your tool down w/ compressed air and then some PB Blaster or WD-40 between uses; cut slowly as to not burn up your saw.

I can borrow a water cooled stone-saw for the firebricks. I'll see what I will use for the regular masonry. I've always got my angle grinder nearby if I need it. (I have one of those blades on my angle grinder)

[presence]

I'm not completely new to bricklaying but I'm in no way an expert. I've done a couple dozen projects including a few serious ones. Overall a few thousand bricks or so. I'll try my best. Thanks !

I'm about as far in myself... I've been on jobsites with pro bricklayers and have several friends in the trade, so I've picked up the lingo

[luctor-et-emergo]

I'm about as far in myself... I've been on jobsites with pro bricklayers and have several friends in the trade, so I've picked up the lingo

I built my workshop together with an expert builder. Both to reduce labour costs and so I could learn more skills. I really like working with him as he has attention for detail and has patience to do things correctly. I have learned a lot while building my workshop and I'm trying to continue that here. He probably liked it too as I got to borrow some equipment. I will pay him back with pizza though!

[luctor-et-emergo]

Just picked up five-hundred-something bricks.
I need about 300 to make the base, and I calculated approximately 150 stones for the exterior of the chimney and oven opening. Then added a bit extra as I have to cut a lot of stones. If I have many bricks left... I get a higher chimney . I'll make a pic when I finished stacking them. Of course I do not have the right wheel barrel for transporting bricks so it will take a few minutes longer.

[Barrex]

Most normal-lazy people would make square foundation and not hexagonal one.



Just saying

[luctor-et-emergo]

Most normal-lazy people would make square foundation and not hexagonal one.



Just saying

It's an octagon lol. I can be lazy from time to time but I'm definitely not normal.
There's a reason for it though. Rather than having to watch a real bulky structure later I'm spending a little more time to cut some corners. lol . It will save space, make it look less bulky and overall I think it will look great. At least I hope so. Thanks!

[Barrex]

It's an octagon lol. I can be lazy from time to time but I'm definitely not normal.
There's a reason for it though. Rather than having to watch a real bulky structure later I'm spending a little more time to cut some corners. lol . It will save space, make it look less bulky and overall I think it will look great. At least I hope so. Thanks!

Yea... didnt count...Squares are best for storing stuff like wood in it (less corners). Neighbor had triangle base (one side open). He thought it would look good. Couldnt store almost any wood in it. Luckily there was a war (that boosted economy!!!) and he had to rebuild it with square foundation.

[luctor-et-emergo]

Yea... didnt count...Squares are best for storing stuff like wood in it (less corners). Neighbor had triangle base (one side open). He thought it would look good. Couldnt store almost any wood in it. Luckily there was a war (that boosted economy!!!) and he had to rebuild it with square foundation.

I will have 2 vaults for storing wood that are about 2x2x2ft, and another two that will have an angled side to them. Overall I'll have 4 spaces with about the same volume. I'll probably use one space for oak, another for apple/pear and the third for regular firewood that we use in winter.

It's plenty big since we have a larger wood storage by the side of the house, so it's only to have some firewood nearby.

If I had to rebuild it I would probably do something completely different. Not because I don't like this, so far I really do.

[luctor-et-emergo]

These are the bricks. I tried to find some of the extremes in regard to color. There's some orange in them and some darker tones. I like how these bricks look like they have been used before. Taste varies but I really like them and I think they suit the application. The house I live in is 200 years old or older, we don't know. This oven should be timeless, as is the house.


PS: these images are thumbnails.. click on them.

[luctor-et-emergo]

The weather is too poor at the moment to do any work. I'm considering getting a tarp or some kind of rain protection.
I don't mind when there's an occasional shower but it has been raining for while now, continuously. Not really nice weather to work with power tools.

I also ordered a bigger angle grinder, 230mm, which hasn't shown up yet. I ordered some extra things and didn't notice one of those wasn't in stock. No worries, the weather is bad so I couldn't work anyways. I guess I'm kind of lucky after all.

I haven't yet figured out what joint I'm going to make the 45 degree corners with, I'm first going to do a test with 22,5degree cuts and epoxy. It's probably the neatest way to solve the problem and I've got a bunch of epoxy laying around. Last time I used it it was still fine but it's getting nearer to the end of the predicted shelf life.

[Barrex]

The weather is too poor at the moment to do any work. I'm considering getting a tarp or some kind of rain protection.
I don't mind when there's an occasional shower but it has been raining for while now, continuously. Not really nice weather to work with power tools.

I also ordered a bigger angle grinder, 230mm, which hasn't shown up yet. I ordered some extra things and didn't notice one of those wasn't in stock. No worries, the weather is bad so I couldn't work anyways. I guess I'm kind of lucky after all.

I haven't yet figured out what joint I'm going to make the 45 degree corners with, I'm first going to do a test with 22,5degree cuts and epoxy. It's probably the neatest way to solve the problem and I've got a bunch of epoxy laying around. Last time I used it it was still fine but it's getting nearer to the end of the predicted shelf life.

Epoxy resins? I wouldnt build anything food related with epoxy resins. Toxic.

[luctor-et-emergo]

Epoxy resins? I wouldnt build anything food related with epoxy resins. Toxic.

PS: As long as you don't heat it, epoxy is pretty much inert. Fish are pretty sensitive to toxins and epoxy is one of the things you can safely use in an aquarium or pond. There are kitchen countertops made out of epoxy, did you know that ? Uncured resins are a different story, as is sanding epoxy..

[luctor-et-emergo]

So I tried a couple things. Cutting bricks to glue them together works fine however it takes more time than I want to invest.

Cut bricks look too different for me to expose the cut face.

So I end up with this method basically (not my pic):



Some SS rods are added for reinforcement although it may not be necessary. I'll take the safe side on that.

Too many things have kept me from work. The weather is clearing up again so I should start making some progress.

[luctor-et-emergo]

I had initially planned to be further along the building process by now. Sadly my grandfather passed away a week ago, we could see that coming for a while though. But due to this I have had other things on my mind. When I finally wanted to resume work, the weather changed a bit, today was a 100F day, this only happens once or twice a year. The whole week has been 90's. It's not something I'm used to, I can't work while it's that hot. The coming week the weather should cool down a little bit, hopefully enough so I can finally mix up some mortar without it drying before it's set.

I did manage to cut a few 'porotherm' (google it) building blocks, these are ceramic blocks that are more resistant to earthquakes than normal building blocks, I'm using them for the structural part. If the weather allows me to I'll make some pics tomorrow. (now I'm just complaining)

Just trying to keep this topic going !

[amy31416]

I had initially planned to be further along the building process by now. Sadly my grandfather passed away a week ago, we could see that coming for a while though. But due to this I have had other things on my mind. When I finally wanted to resume work, the weather changed a bit, today was a 100F day, this only happens once or twice a year. The whole week has been 90's. It's not something I'm used to, I can't work while it's that hot. The coming week the weather should cool down a little bit, hopefully enough so I can finally mix up some mortar without it drying before it's set.

I did manage to cut a few 'porotherm' (google it) building blocks, these are ceramic blocks that are more resistant to earthquakes than normal building blocks, I'm using them for the structural part. If the weather allows me to I'll make some pics tomorrow. (now I'm just complaining)

Just trying to keep this topic going !

Very sorry for your loss.

[luctor-et-emergo]

Very sorry for your loss.

Thanks. Fun story though, my grandfather was a contractor/carpenter. He never intended to be one but he had to take over the family business (from around 1790 to late 1980's). That business was sold when he got two daughters, one of them got a son that never intended to do any carpentry or contracting. Me.

[Meatwasp]

Luctor
The oven is beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

[Meatwasp]

I just read that on your grandfather passing away. So sorry

[LogCabinGOProud]

Sorry for your losss.Your oven idea looks amazing, though.

[luctor-et-emergo]

Thanks for the nice replies!

I had trouble working on this project since it's in my spare time and I pretty much lost all of my creativity. I started working again and I have half of the supporting structure done. Pics later today.