Internal door opening size.

[eddiej]

I'm hoping to put the framework together this weekend* but need to make two more mortice holes that I had forgotten about, and can't assemble the frame until this is done.

If I make the 'internal' measurement for the Pompeii stove 42", what does the opening width need to be?

I currently have in mind to use an internal opening width of 15"







*subject to my miserable neighbour not shouting about noise

[bookemdanno]

Hi Eddie!

You could push it out to 20" wide by 12.5" High if you wanted to.
That is if you stick to around 42" internal diameter and 21" internal dome height.

Just remember that you also have to double up on all the wall thicknesses to estimate total oven diameter.

[eddiej]

Thanks for the very quick reply.

Being thick here, what advantages are there with a 20" opening compared to a 15" opening?

[marudge]

Hi Eddie

Looking forward to seeing your build develop. The door opening size is really a balance between accessibility and heat retention. The standard for a 40" oven is about 19" wide by 12.5" wide. That will give you plenty of room to get pans and pizzas in and out but also retain the heat very effectively.

Hope that helps

Regards

Mark

[bookemdanno]

You can get bigger stuff in it!!

I've simply robbed the info from my FB download.

The size of the opening influences the amount of air getting in, the heat getting out, accessability into the oven, and what sized things you can cook.
Primarily, too small an opening can choke the fire and slow the ovens ability to burn by reducing the airflow into the fire. However, once hot, the smaller opening doesn't bleed heat so quickly.
The main dimension spoken of is opening height, and the 63% rule. Its a general rule that the best height is 63% of the overall internal dome height. Width, is more about usability, at the expense of potential heat loss.
Visualise your 42" oven floor with a 15" wide opening, and the angles that you can achieve to access the oven floor with logs, a peel, and some decent sized roasting pans, etc.
I drew it all out full scale, over "The winter of discontent" before "the summer of contentment and build of the oven"

Oh yeah, and the oven entrance size can make it easier to fit your head and shoulders in when you come to check the inside for pointing and your fine work, then later to clean out the ashes!

As your going for a 42", i expect that you'll attempt more than one pizza at a time, some multi-tray roasts or a suckling pig?

I chose to go for a full hemispherical entrance, rather than a vertical sided one so that i could get my largest roasting tray in easily. I may have more heat bleed out after a firing, but my insulated oak oven door does its best to hold in the residual heat.

[eddiej]

Thank you both for the helpful info.

I started to put the frame together this afternoon, then disaster struck (literally) when the top oak plate fell and hit me clean across the back of the neck, and then landed on my ankle.
I only went to the chiropractor two days ago, and now I'm in more agony than I was before I went.

Not a good start.

[bookemdanno]

Ouch!!!!!

They must be around 20kgs?

You could take a punch of Frank Bruno!

Hope you feel better soon, Eddie.