Firing Up The Oven Today....

Woodwidow, we had an aunt that passed on 6, maybe 8 years ago around 90 years old that had told us many years ago that she remembers helping her granny out there on the oven as a kid. So I'm sure the old gal had some help from the older of the 15 kids in kneading dough as well as from cousins or in-laws as families got together back then for threshing, butchering, barn raising and even a plain old hoe-down on occasion. What astonished ME was the 15 kids !!! She cooked bread weekly, but she had to cook normal fare daily. Later on, they even took in a daughter of a relative that fell on hard times to raise right along with their own kids.

nitrodave, papadave, Coachshaller, Wise8706, I'm working on it slowly but surely as time allows, and lukem I'm glad you're enjoying it.

Gasifier, hang in there, all good things in time sir.

EricVW, hopefully it will stand for a few years...maybe even as long as the original. We really don't know exactly when he bought the property so the original could have been built as early as the early 1870's, but a conservative estimate is sometime in the 1880's.

Again, thank you guys for the interest and comments. It ain't quite done yet....

 

I marvel at your abilities and the craftsmanship that went into that build. I just don't have that ability. It's a great story too. Just think, that will be there another 100 years!

 

My oldest brother is contemplating the smoothness (or lack thereof) of the cooksurface after finally being set in place. We'd decided not to set them with refractory cement and leave the edge joints just butted together. Turned out that was a good idea. We were really trying to end up with a flat surface at the joint of the hearth stone/cooksurface transition. It turned out tolerable.

Now it was time to figure out how to support the firebrick arch. We'd been discussing this all along between the grunts, groans and time spent rubbing Ben Gay on our aching elbows...... Some of those stones were pretty darn heavy. The old Case tractor was only used on the big slab and the hearth stone.



Somewhere I'd found it written that ovens of this style that worked best had a specific ratio from door height to top of dome and also had a subtle change in elevation from the front to the rear of the dome. IIRC, it had something to do with causing internal circulation of the heated air due to thermal rise within the closed dome AFTER the fire and coals were removed and the oven closed up.

So we did both those things, which is why the wood form for the firebrick dome looks wanky in this shot. It's s'posed to. Besides, we are not only not stonesetters we, by our own admission, are not carpenters either. Hey man, but we CAN build a fire.



We are doing two major things differently from the original. The original dome was not stone as many others were in that timeframe, but probably clay covered tin or bent bough. No one will ever know. We decided from the start to build a more permanent dome AND to totally line the oven interior with firebrick.

So with the changes we made, we probably didn't "rebuild" our Great Grandfathers oven, we just used his actual stone to build somewhat of a different oven but with similar operating characteristics. Here we are just getting an idea of how many brick it'll take to cover the dome.

 

The hard work that our forefathers did to create their homes and support their families I don't think can ever truly be appreciated by us until we start a project like this. Pure grunt and manpower has inspired them to create the mechanical help we have today.

 

A good start here on the west side. A few courses of firebrick being held in place with 2,000 degree refractory cement. The flat portion goes quite fast around the three sides, leaving staggered brick halves hanging out the front end. We figured to use this to dovetail the front into the sides.



The east side up about 5 courses. Note the sidewalls of firebrick are setting directly on top of the large cooksurface stone.

More later.

 

This is the 2,000 degree refractory cement used mostly throughout the build. There were a couple 3,000 degree rated tubs just because they were in stock.



Three sides are just about to the bottom of the actual curved part of the dome. We have the flue opening marked towards the top. It was to be just one firebrick sized with no physical flu attached. After bringing the dome up to temperature and the coals/fire is removed, a wet rag is wrapped around a brick and is then inserted in the opening to stop the flow of heat out.



Nearing the top of the dome, it became apparent quickly the elevated rear of the arch was going to be a problem. We had to start cutting compound angles on the firebrick to get them to match correctly. Little wedges of firebrick were sliced off of scraps to become permanent spacers to maintain the angles of the brick as the dome was covered. Leaving the short stubs hang out allowed the mortar that holds the outer layer of limestone stay in place. It worked out good, because at first we were going to knock them off flush.



Nearing the top on the sides and the rear, the front is prepared for laying interlocking brick from the outside edges to the yet to be made door. At this point while cutting and laying the brick conversation drifted towards the door design. The front of the wooden form is left open so it can be removed piece by piece from the inside.

 

For those that'd like to call and talk about the project, the number is BR 549....no wait, that's Junior Samples number, he lives next door. (That's for the old timers amongst us that remember a little TV show called HeeHaw).



Dome completely done...well, the two sides, back and dome. Obviously the front needs a little work yet.



Getting to this point was increasingly difficult as the dome height change towards the rear required some creative cutting of the firebrick. With three different brands of firebrick, some commercial grade, there was somewhat a difference in actual measurements even though they were essentially 4 x 9 x 2. With them laying directly against the wood frame, we hoped the inside surfaces would turn out flush. Some unevenness is easily seen on the outer surface, but that's not a concern.



The first course of limestone went up on the east side, wrapped around the rear then the west side. An attempt was made to select stones that would somewhat go together. It was a bit of a challenge. The cavity between the limestone and the firebrick was totally filled with mortar to add to the mass for heat absorbtion.

 

Truly enjoying this thread, sir. Wonderful project to honor your family that has passed, and to (hopefully) have a good time with your family that is still here. Keep it going!

 

Yes ma'am, I agree with you 100% concerning the hard work they had to do just to survive, and to survive the winters especially. No running water, no electric or gas hot water, no indoor plumbing, no thermostats to name a few. Salt curing meat and canning vegetables and soup stock because of no refrigeration was a biggie.

Actually that's not all that foreign to me because we had none of the above except a DeLaval water heater with one single band type heating element that plugged into the wall outlet out on the back porch. We too salt cured and canned like in the old days up until Dad got a freezer in the mid-60's (I think). But I still had it pretty darn good compared to the old timer, just two generations ahead of me. At least we had a cook stove in the kitchen and a king heater in one of the other two rooms, and we had a truck to go to town with and not a team of mules. ...but I digress, on with the oven story.

 

Wrapped a course around the back.....



....and started a second course. There is a void of varying width between the stone and brick surfaces and is stuffed full of a mixture of mortar and small stone fragments to add to the mass....but I know that was stated before. So I guess you can say I repeated a redundant statement all over again.....

Some of the tigher areas, we poured a thin slurry instead of trying to trowel it in. It would sure run down and fill the voids easily.



Some of the stone needs a little chipping here and there to fit a bit better into a spot. The brother was quick on the trigger with the hammer and chisel...but I did my share too.



I'd thought the sides were a little tough, but the outer dome proved to be a bit tougher. It was a kinda awkward working off a ladder with a 50 pound rock in hand. Too keep heavier ones from just squishing the mortar out everywhere, small pieces of brick batt was used as spacers to support the excessive weight until the mortar set up a bit. That way we were able to kinda maintain a semblance of eveness to the outer surface.



Here's an example of having to slip in a brick batt spacer to hold one away from sagging too deeply in the mortar. My brother was being sneaky with the camera and caught me sporting a nice safety-green pot belly.....didn't give me a chance to suck it in first.

 

Getting serious about thinking on the front door......it's gonna be needed pretty quickly at this point. By the way, thats a four foot ladder leaned up there. At least by this point we've proved one thinng: We're good at making a mess.



Finally made it to the top, at least in the rear. The row of capstone is in place all except a little in front.....



It looks like the devil here, but this is remedied quickly. You can kinda get an idea of the depth of the wall thickness and see the brick batts doing their job spacing the stone from the firebrick.

 

Well Eric, thanks for the compliment sir....and when we did get it done, the ovenfare was actually quite surprisingly good. Speaking of a pack of mules, we've actually been referred to on different occasions as a couple of jack a$$es.... does that count ??

 

After several sessions of cussing and discussing what to do about a door AND after stumbling over a damaged 8 lug trailer rim off a 10,000 lb axle a number of times we decided to allow it to contribute what it had to offer on the order of a door frame. After torching off the outer portion of the rim that (if you think about it) has the appearance of a natural 'recess' area to act as a pocket for some kind of door. Hmmmmm.



Considering the rim was round and we needed a rounded top on our opening it seemed logical that the remnant part of the rim should act as an anvil of sorts. So after welding it to a scrap chunk of angle iron to facilitate securement by means of a vice, we began the process of beating the heck out of the other part we torched off....



To illustrate the above description...we beat the damaged portion out a bit after cutting it off because we needed an inverted "U", not an "O". If you think why didn't we use the good and undamaged half of the rim.... we thought of that, but then there wouldn't have been the perfectly shaped 'anvil' so badly needed to shape the "U" over. The diameter we were shooting for was slightly larger than the diameter of the rim, so the door frame was going to be 'stretched' over the outside of the rim/anvil...make sense ?? No?... well no matter, it worked as we wanted anyway.



A rosebud, a 4 pound double-face and 4 hands come in handy on a rudimentary blacksmithing job like this.....proving we are not blacksmiths either. We heated and chased it around the anvil clamping to hold the secure position.



It really wasn't that bad...we've done a LOT worse things. With one hand on the cold end it was easy to move back and forth while my brother kept it heated red and relocated clamps in place around the perimeter with my continual tapping/shaping with the hammer. Hey, at least we got to play with fire....just not wood fire. But that's coming soon.

 

We were actually working on the door frame a bit earlier than described in the thread. Only so much stone could be set in the mortar going over the dome until the weight would have an effect on the progress. So in actuality, we'd work a bit on the oven, then a bit on the door and frame then go back to the oven.

A 6" wide piece of scrap 3/16 plate was bent to match our makeshift doorframe as well as provide a base to cover the hearth/cooksurface transition. Btw, the donor rim is lounging in the background....



To give you an idea of what we have in mind... The framework is set in approximate location and eyeballed to see if it'll work as planned. Almost time to start filling in the front.

On a side note, once the interior dome was completed, the halogen light was kept inside 24/7 to generate a little heat to begin the curing of the refractory. Don't know if it helped, but it sure couldn't hurt. Especially as the actual mortar was being added to the outside with the setting of the limestone outer cap.

Now to make a door to fit the frame.....

 

I would think it would be more like a couple of overgrown kids having a blast creating something wonderful.

 

Well Woodwidow, you ain't too far off the mark there young lady.... Though we did strain a muscle or two and we each ended up with one swollen elbow it really was more fun than work. Of course the real fun actually started after it was completed and fully cured....but we don't want to put the cart in front of the horse. There'll be at least one picture of a pizza to prove it.

 

The doorframe was used as a pattern to cut two pieces for the door. The little pins welded arond the perimeter are spacers so when the back is dropped over the stud in the center and tightened down they will maintain a cavity between. We didn't want just a single plate door.



The front and back completed...some assembly required......



Yes, its fibreglas....but wait, two things: First, the door will be 100% sealed by welding. And... second, this fibreglas actually came from the door of my sister-in-laws spare electric range downstairs. In a stroke of brilliance, my brother decided to sneak down the basement and disassemble the oven door, remove the insulation then reassemble the door while the missus was shopping. Good idea....until she finds out, that is. He's a much braver man than I.....

So for the above two reasons, its GOTTA be safe !!! Too late anyway, its done.



Ready to now figure out a handle and a latch. You can see now how the recess of the trailer rim will come into play as the door is slipped into the opening.

 

I'm tickled that yourself and others are enjoying the trip down back-break lane along with us. One of the last of the older generation, Uncle Charlie who is now 93 and his wonderful wife Aunt Margaret of nearly 70 years were so excited that we were building this. They were our biggest supporters during the project and were the guests of honor at one of our first get togethers and you should've been there to see their continual smiles.

Aunt Margaret gingerly requested some of the remnants of the 135 year old mortar and a small stone as a personal momento. We gave her a couple of the hand made brick, one of the mule shoes, a nice limestone and a few larger chunks of the lime and sand mortar. She was as excited at that accumulation as she would've been if she'd won the lottery !!!

Uncle Charlie like us, remembered the old oven very well, but he was a little boy in '33 and just doesn't recall it in use. On a side note, another of the mule shoes that we dug up on the side of the original oven adorns the top of the arch on our oven's front. We welded stainless steel rods bent at 90 degree angles to secure the shoe into the joint.

 

In the event that any of our decendents have the desire to dismantle and relocate this particular oven in another 135 years, my brother welded our initials and the date 6/1/14 on the outside of the door arch to be covered by firebrick. At least they'll have an exact date for when that piece was finished. We thought that was kinda funny.



Boy o boy, were we pleased to find nearly perfectly flush firebrick on the inside as the wooden frame was removed prior to finishing the north end !!! Just a small crack between the bricks was all that was visible. Occasionally a small void, but in general pretty darn good. However tuckpointing the inter was required and neither of us wanted to do all of it through just the little metal opening so.....



....while my brother was working on the door latch, I was given the grand opportunity to lay inside the really hot oven for several hours tuckpointing the firebrick with my index finger. Remember, we had a 500 watt halogen flood light in there continually to begin the curing process. Well, we proved one thing with this exercise...the mass of the oven dome and the sand filled base do a fine job serving as a heat sink. Note the pedestal fan I've got blowing directly into the opening.... it WAS warm in there.