Dome height for 32" diameter oven?

[stefan]

Hi all,
sorry to be repeating myself but I need some advice. I've laid my hearth bricks for my Pompeii with an internal diameter of 32". Considering that I'd like an 'all-round' oven (pizza and bread) what inner dome height would you recommend?

I'm also unclear on how the indispensable tool works - is there a guide on how to work it to achieve a certain dome height or could someone explain? Or do I simply set it up to the soldiers course and then work upwards? I seem to recall people saying the IDT needs adjusting with each course, but if that's the case how do I know by how much?

Thanks for any guidance.

Attached is a photo of the current state of my build. I'm building the dome from half bricks.

Cheers

Stefan

Attachments:

[cannyfradock]

Stefan

The simple equasion for an oven =

• Height of arch = 63% of height of dome
  
• Height of dome = 50% of hearth diameter
  

In other words if your internal hearth measurement is 32", then the height of your dome is 16" and the height of your internal arch is 10"....or thereabouts.

I've never used a "jig" (I always use a form) so hopefully some of the members who have used this method will see this and help you out. In the meantime you can use the "search" facility (at the top the page) and type in "Jig" or "indispensable tool" and it will give you all the thrreads/posts with these keywords in them. You can also do this on our old forum.. woodovenukforum.forumup.co.uk/index.php?mforum=woodovenukforum

Terry

[kstronach]

hi stefan,

just another thought to consider, you may not need a full brick soldier course, i'm currently building a 34" pompeii and thought the full brick upright first course was too high so i just put a half brick soldier course round, it seemed to work well and i've also seen other who build smaller ovens doing this as well.

this is a really simple way to make a tool its how i made mine and it worked really well you only need a hinge and a bit of 3 or 4 by 1" wood ...

henninghouse.com/2012/06/the-indispensable-tool-a-pizza-oven-necessity/

i have just got up to about my 5th course and i'm now going to make some forms i think out of some kingspan insulation to close the dome in it will be quicker i think on the last courses than using the tool as the angle has got too much really now. but it really helped on the lower chains keeping everything to the right line and angle . . ish!!

keith

my build ukwoodfiredovenforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=pompeiiovens&action=display&thread=1209

[stefan]

thanks to both of you, that has really helped.

I was wondering about the soldier course actually, so thanks for pointing that out. I think I won't start with a full brick now!

Cheers

Stefan