Almost there...

The chimney was completed. The cedar went on, and the last brick was laid.  We are getting close to the finish line.  Tomorrow we will stain the cedar, shingle, and then stucco the concrete block.

Lookin' good.

We Gotta Roof

Today was the first day of no rain in quite some time. So, we took full advantage of it.  We packed the space between the walls with vermiculite and insulation.

Then we cleaned up the work-site, filling our dumpster with all sorts of stuff.

Then we got started on the roof.  The key was getting the insulation covered and then getting that tar paper on top to waterproof it.  By the end, our oven started to look like are initial drawings.  I can almost picture it being done...just a couple more weeks.

The End of Concrete

I lost track of the number of wheelbarrows of concrete that were mixed and poured into this oven.  I had always assumed that core-filled had something to do with a Hostess Twinkie. Nope. It is much less delicious. It refers to filling the holes in our dry-stacked concrete block.

So, over the past month, we poured concrete for the base pad. We mixed and poured concrete to core-fill the concrete block. We mixed and poured high temperature concrete and vermiculite for the bottom of our cooking chamber, and then core filled again.

Now, today, I was told that we have no more concrete to mix.  I will no longer dream of 3,2,1 chants in my sleep (referring to three shovels of rock, two shovels of sand, and one shovel of concrete mix...just add water).  Today, June 19th, was the end of concrete.

To commemorate this day. Here is a shot of the last core-filled concrete block goodness as I ride this shovel off into the heavens (at least until it has to mix mortar):

In other news, we are ready to start serious work on the roof.  We need to set the trusses. We need to pack oven with insulation, and then we need to put down a roof and tar paper.  When that is done, we will finish the brick corners and add a little more height to our chimney. Then we'll clad the beams in cedar and then stucco....and then, and then, and then, and then, we may possibly light a fire and make a pizza.

Can you believe it?

Here's a few shots of the brick-laying today...

And here's where we're at today, please note that the front wall and back wall are now complete:

The roof and chimney are rising...

So we reached a point where our initial chimney was in and the concrete block was high enough to get a beam across.

Once the beams were across, we figured out the angle and started building the frame for the roof.

Then started to put it all together.

Not too shabby...