Lego Model For Wood-Burning Pizza Oven Stand - January 2024

I've been busy getting to know Sketchup - in an attempt to create a true, accurate model of my (hopefully to-be-built-in-2024) backyard wood-fired pizza oven.  But, I also figured out a different, three-dimensional approach that will work (at least for me).  The stand of the oven is built from typical cinder blocks:  16x8x8 (16" long, 8" tall, 8" deep) and half-blocks of 8x8x8 (8" long, 8" tall, 8" deep) that are commonly available from any big-box hardware store.  

I was playing around with sketchup one afternoon when I realized that I could build out a model using some common bricks.   I wanted to get a sense for how the stand would come together and also begin to build out a parts-list for the blocks.  

I went up to the kids lego bins and quickly figured out how to build this:

Part 3001 (2x4 brick) has 8 studs on top and is the typical rectangle brick that you think of when you think of LEGO bricks.   Using a one-stud for 4" each direction, this 2x4 brick is the right dimensions and ratio of the full cinder block (16x8x8).

Part 3003 (2x2 brick) has 4 studs on top and is exactly half the width of the 2x4 (Part 3001).  Using that same one-stud for 4" in each direction scale, this 2x2 brick is exactly half-the width of the 3001.

Here's what I came up with:  4.5 blocks deep.  4 blocks wide.  

That's 74" deep x 64" wide.  

Or....6'2" deep.  5'4" wide.  

That allows for a 52" exterior dimension of the dome.  Leaving 12" for enclosure materials (6" on each side of the dome) and any other insulation that goes in.   As a reminder, I posted about this interesting brick pattern that I intend to use a few days ago.  

2" thick of blanket insulation, 4" thick total.  4.5" of brick thickness for each side of the dome; 9 inches in total.  13" total inches from the interior face of the dome to the outer-layer of blanket insulation.  

Leaving a 39" interior clearance for the dome diameter.  I had this Disney's Grand Californian Hotel coaster laying on my desk (which I don't seem to have put into the [coaster collection]) that is the exact dimensions of 39" dome using the 1-peg-for-4-inches scale.  

Here's a few shots of the base wood-fired oven block stand model using LEGOs below.  Note the coaster for the dome placeholder.  Also, I've spec'd three wood-storage openings in this model and included a half-row (4" tall cinder block) at the very bottom.  Pending the location placement - if I put the oven near the patio and build it into the berm, the openings for wood storage would need to change - these wood need to be modified.  The use of the 4" half-height row is all about getting the oven floor to the 'right height' - for me.  Currently, my thinking is that I want the oven floor height to land somewhere between 44" and 45" tall.  

This first view shows a landing/counter in front that can cantilever off the stand.  And the 39" dome + insulation sits in the middle:

The other front corner:

The top-down view showing the split rear wood storage.  The dimensions of the three wood storage areas in this model are:

Front: 32" opening, 32" deep.

Left Side: 24" wide, 32" deep.

Right Side: 24" wide, 24" deep.

Below is a view showing the 39" dome + 13" dome and insulation thickness represented by the Disney coaster.  You can see that the coaster allows for a reveal of 1.5 LEGO studs on each side. 

Below are a couple of photos showing the back corners:

As I mentioned, I did this LEGO model mostly to calculate the block materials needed.  Here's what this model shows:

Bottom half-tall row:  12 full, 5 half

Row 1:  14 full, 1 half

Row 2:  12 full, 5 half

Row 3: 14 full, 1 half

Row 4:  18 full, 4 half

4 Full Rows:  58 Full Blocks, 11 Half Blocks.  

And, for angle irons, it appears that I'd need 2" x 2" angle irons in these lengths:

2 36" lengths for side openings.  Openings = 24", angle iron has 6" overlap on each end.

1 48" length for front. Opening = 32", angle iron has 8" overlap on each end.