Steel Drum, Night Store Heater Brick Oven

[rich361]

Rich

Excuse my ignorance but why have you got to cut the hearth bricks?.....can't you just leave them sticking out from the barrel?..they will be covered with some sort of insulation anyway.....or have I lost the plot again.

If you do try to cut them with a hammer and bolster...and they end up shattering, try deeply scoring on the face side with a scribe or tile cutter, then turn over and tap along the line with a panel pin hammer thats how I cut 25mm quarry tiles.....

Terry

[rich361]

Hey Terry,

I'm not going to cut the hearth bricks, I was planning on keeping these whole. The bricks over the drum are the ones I was going to cut. So I can keep the bricks closer to the drum.

I was hoping not to cut the bricks over the drum but there is quite a large gap between the brick and the drum. Could I keep these whole?

I've tried to cut a couple and yes you are right, they shatter rather than split in a line.

I'll try your method and see how I get on... Thanks for the tip

Cheers
Rich

[rich361]

Hey Terry,

Sorry I just re-read the post... you're right... It reads like I was cutting the hearth bricks... :roll: Sorry I didn't proof read my post :oops:

Cutting the bricks for the top of the oven...

[rich361]

Rich

I haven't got an answer for you :oops: ....I have seen standard bricks (both metric...and imperial) that have been laid flat in creating the arches for a barrel/vault oven...as a bricklayer I wouldn't do this myself, but the builds I have seen using this method have been structurally sound. I think that with the large surface area of your storage heater bricks...and the tight curve of the barrel that you are using, myself....I would look for a way to cut the bricks.

You may have to bite the bullet and invest in a diamond blade or some sort of wet cutter......even the slightest score mark on the face will allow you to break the bricks....with a couple of sharp taps on the other side.

I posted a link quite a while ago on the forum of a fascinating website...all about how much can be achieved using an arch.....it's a really good insight into how an arch form works......bloody typical...I can't find it, but I will.

Came across this thread while looking.... woodovenukforum.forumup.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=661&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=&mforum=woodovenukforum

Terry

[rich361]

Thanks Terry, I think you are right... I'm off to the hardware store to have a look for a Diamond Blade.

Then back to start cutting and laying bricks!!

[rich361]

Wow eventful since my last post....

Got a segmented Dimond blade for my angle grinder to cut bricks... Worked excellent!!



Relayed my hearth 4 bricks wide for extra room.



Layer of bricks to raise drum higher for addition space and larger door.



First row of bricks on side of drum

And then we had a 5.8 mag Earthquake... Then a 6.0 mag Earthquake...
and been having aftershocks right through the night....

My Pizza Oven survived. Managed to finish off the brick work this morning.





Please excuse the poor brick laying... I'm glad it's going to be covered and you won't be able to see any of my poor work. :roll:

Getting sick of all these aftershocks...

[rich361]

Got the Arch done today...





I'll say the two Red bricks at the top was planned (not that I run out of room 8) )



Whipped up a chimney... don't know if it's permanent... Might need something a bit nicer looking...



Guess what it's made from!!!

[rich361]

Happy Christmas and congratulations on surviving the quakes.

Is it me or does your flue seem a long way away from the entrance to the oven?

[rich361]

Rich
It's looking good, geezer.
I am really looking forward to seeing some pics of the finished oven with a big ol' fire burning inside.
Go on then, where did the flue come from?

Tom

[rich361]

Hey Fat Bob,
The chimney is on the start of the drum, so just behind the brick arch. I just had a look at few other barrel vault ovens and that seems where the chimney starts. Hopefully it's in the right place?

Hey Tom B,
I've recycled one on the Night Store Heater cases...
Woke up this morning and don't like the look of it...I'll have to do something else I think.

I'm going to put the insulation on today. The Ceramic Insulation blanket out of the night store heaters + Vermiculite Concrete. YAY.. Hide my horrible brick laying!!!

Cheers
Rich

[rich361]

Rich,
looking good, awesome progress seeing as you're getting all these earthquakes, the chimney and flue look perfect, you'll just need a way to shut it off if you plan on cooking bread/roasts, I use a block of wood that sits flush in mine that i've soaked in water, does a good job.
Really liking the bricks over the barrel and wish i'd thought of that now.
Love the archway too
You'll soon be the proud owner of a wonderful wood fired oven
Cheers
Marcus

[rich361]

Arched stayed up....



Ceramic fibre insulation on...



Vermiculite concrete on....

[rich361]

Hey Marcus,

Just read through your post again (don't know how many times now)
You lit a couple of curing fires before you put a render coat on... Couple of questions if I may...

How many curing fires?

What did you use for a render coat? Also is it water proof?

Thanks

Rich

[rich361]

Hey Rich,
looking good, I think i did 3 over the course of a few days, not sure if it was enough, but seemed to do a good job.
I used just a sand, cement water and a squeeze of washing up liquid mix for the render, and then painted it with masonry paint, haven't had any water ingress issues, what I would say is make sure to use chicken wire to hold it all together and make sure there is a good join between the brick arch and barrel as differing heat expansion will crack here, and extra piece of chicken wire over the joint should work a treat
cheers
marcus

[rich361]

Rich

Interesting point from Marcus....the transition from dome to entrance archway is also a weak point in a Pompeii build...if any cracks appear, they usually start at this area, when no heatstop barrier is incorperated between dome and entrance.

Terry