The oven is proceeding though much slower than I had hoped. This brick laying thing is work! The chemical burns have healed and the rubber gloves are working nicely. Last weekend T. helped me wash brick. They did need a cleaning as some of the used freebie brick I picked up had been a patio and had a nice layer of mud all over them. A quick rinse with a scrub brush and they were good to go.
Never having touched mortar I am pleased with my progress so far. I will never build a house of brick or win any awards but what I have so far is fairly straight and level. I have learned a lot as I have progressed. I found that laying out the brick dry in the order I want them then moving them off the wall in the same order helps to insure that I get the staggering joints I am aiming for, have the bricks I need and get things done quickly. I did mess up in a couple of places early on and had a running joint for 2 or 3 bricks in one area. By the time I noticed it I was not tearing out the two layers to get to the offending brick. For what I need I am pretty sure it will hold up fine. I also found that it is better to mix up half a bag of mortar at a time. That way, it by the time I get to the end of the mixed mortar it isn’t too dry. If I was able to work quicker it wouldn’t be as much of a problem but not really knowing what I am doing tends to drag things out a bit measureing, checking and leveling. I also like the little break I can take between batches.
When I finish the layer that I am on it will be time to put the angle iron in place (once I come up with some) and enclose the square foundation with a layer of brick. The dual brick outer walls on either side will end up holding the angle iron for the brick wall above that point and the wooden floor. Yes wood. I’ve done some reading and it seems that as long as I use enough insulation between the bottom of the oven and the wood floor I should be fine. The plan is to lay 4 4×4 pieces across the two inner walls and top with cut 2×4 boards. A 6 inch layer of insulation will go on top of this, followed by the dense oven floor made out of the same clay/sand mix that my oven bricks have been made of.
Tomorrow I am going to hunt up some angle iron if the weather is as nice as they say it should be. I would also like to get a batch of tomatoes canned in the morning.