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Post by faz on Apr 23, 2012 19:34:33 GMT
Mostly the blocks stayed pretty level, there was just one area where there seemed to be a dip, but even that was less than 10mm. I figure that anything like that will all level off when I pour the hearth slab, as the concrete will be floated to a level (though it may be difficult to get to the rear of the oven without having 6 foot long arms.
And if you look in front of the door to the over you can see my mistake, where I cut the slabs out and cast a slab with a square corner, when the oven will have a cut off corner. I think if I cast a small step it will cover this up and also at least look like it is supposed to be there.
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Post by cannyfradock on Apr 23, 2012 20:03:58 GMT
Faz
Nice solid base and walls.....you could build a block of flats on top of that lot. I like your method of hollow blocks, concrete fill and lintels to create the perfect base, ready for the frilly bits.
If all you can moan about is the square corner of your slab, then the rest should be plain sailing.
Great build so far.......keep on posting them pics.......
Terry
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Post by bookemdanno on Apr 24, 2012 12:32:36 GMT
Cor! this looks an interesting build. Well Done so far!
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Post by faz on Apr 24, 2012 20:14:47 GMT
Thinking ahead to a couple of weeks time, when I'll be starting the dome, I have a few questions. I am planning on using a homebrew mix for the mortar, with OPC, sand, lime and fireclay in the ratio 1:3:1:1. I am trying to work out how many bags of fireclay & lime I'll need. My dome is approx 30" ID but will be made out of storage heater bricks, so I assume there will be more mortar to be used than in a 'normal' oven built with refractory bricks. Can anyone give me an indication of how many to buy? There's a free pizza on offer to the person with the closest estimation
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Post by leedsbrew on Apr 25, 2012 12:15:19 GMT
awesome threat so far! look forward to seeing it progress!
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Post by faz on May 5, 2012 16:29:05 GMT
After the rubbish weather last wekend, where all I managed to do was cut some shuttering and buy a bit of timber, today I have fitted plenty of rebar and a double sheet of mesh to the oven base, and then poured the concrete. Hopefully I'll be able to do the same on the BBQ and bench tomorrow, weather permitting I need to remove some of the supports for the oven slab before I can move on, otherwise I could have done it today. Picture 1 : Oven base all ready for concrete - I have extended a section at the front to allow more room for the chimney and external arches. Picture 2 : The poured base, hopefully the cat won't jump straight in to it and make a mess! And I really need to mow the lawn but it has been so wet I haven't been able to get out with the mower for a few weeks now. If it gets any longer we might lose the dog or a child up there!
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Post by turkey on May 5, 2012 19:17:18 GMT
that slab looks great, that much rebar will make it bomb proof :-)
the extension is a very good idea, will allow a nice entrance, and space still for a BBQ. Top tuff.
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Post by faz on May 7, 2012 6:40:48 GMT
It's looking lovely today, so I hope to get the rest of my concrete poured and reclaim the driveway from the Jewsons bags. Yesterday I didn't have a lot of time but managed to fit the forms for the BBQ/counter, fit the mesh and rebar and lay a few bricks. Pics to follow later on
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Post by samuraidave on May 10, 2012 9:04:10 GMT
This looks really interesting, keep up the good work.
For my barrel vault build I used 1 bag of fireclay and half a bag of lime. I think that you may need more but both are readily available from Jewsons so getting more supplies is not a problem.
Dave
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Post by faz on May 13, 2012 17:32:10 GMT
Update for the weekend. All slabs are poured and vermicrete base for the oven now in place. BBQ area slabs poured and ready for the BBQ to be built on top. The vermicrete form - i used really thin plywood cut into 2 8ft long 4inch wide strips. Close up of the finished vermicrete My first arch, purely cosmetic and the gap beneath the arch and lintel will be filled with bits of brick then rendered over. Note to self - do not remove the form too early (I got cracks!).
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Post by faz on May 13, 2012 17:53:03 GMT
One thing I did find when making the vermicrete is that the volume of the vermiculite reduces massively when it is mixed with water and OPC. I calculated that I'd need 40l of vermicrete for the oven base but to make that voume it took around 150l of vermiculite!
I handled it carefully and mixed it by hand it a bulk bag, so I think I looked after it, but it still seemed to shrink!
I have just a fraction under 4inches laid for the base, do I really also need a board on top of that or will the insulation from 4 inches be adequate?
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Post by rivergirl on May 13, 2012 18:26:20 GMT
I cannot wait to see it finished !! what bbq have you got ??
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Post by faz on May 13, 2012 18:33:42 GMT
I was going to get two of these : www.planetbarbecue.co.uk/shopdiy.htmOne for meat and one for vegetarian food. I haven't got a proper design for what I am going to build yet, but it will be brick structures built on top of the slab with the BBQs slotted in. I am thinking about how I might be able to control air flow to the coals, as I would like to prevent the BBQ turning in to an incinerator, but I haven't quite figured that bit out yet!
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Post by turkey on May 14, 2012 7:19:46 GMT
well if building you could make the coal base out of firebrick with insulation below as that will take and store heat, you would possibly need to grind a ridges along them to get air in under them, or get a rack to hold the initial coal above them.
I brought a custom BBQ grill off this guy on ebay before which is solid stainless and he is more than happy to knock up weird or interesting sizes so don't worry about the space you have left, you will be able to fit two in no worries.
for the vegi side, do you need more flat cooking plate than grill for looser food? Again you can get things like that custom made.
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Post by cannyfradock on May 14, 2012 7:59:03 GMT
Faz
I used thermolite blocks for my under hearth insulation.....no ceramic fire-board and it works fine. The blocks replaced the vermecrete so you shouldn't need the board. Before I created a UK WFO forum (Jan 2010) I sourced most info from the American FB forum. Most of the builds on there at that time used just vermecrete then fire-brick hearth.....only more recently people have been using the CFB.....I would only use it if I couldn't get enough depth of insulation (2" or less) below the fire-brick hearth. Then I would place it in between insulation and slab.....your vermecrete is plenty thick enough.
I used 2 bags of fire-clay and 1 bag of lime building the dome of my 90cm Pompeii.
Terry
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