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Post by cannyfradock on May 13, 2014 19:01:21 GMT
Hey Zouppy......looks like you're doing just fine. The build is progressing. Glad you got to grips with the vermecrete....we don't call it the devil's porridge for nothing....but it does serve a good purpose. It's the final insulation layer which stops any heat from exiting the dome...and will reflect the heat back in, plus, it's a perfect texture to take ....any kind of final rendering.
Terry
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Post by zouppy on May 16, 2014 10:21:23 GMT
More progress. Pretty much finished insulation (apart from some filling in of lumps and bumps). Planning some initial curing fires this weekend. Brick arch next week and tracking down a plasterer to give a tidy finish on the render. Warm weather helps. P
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Post by zouppy on May 21, 2014 17:54:13 GMT
Added the arch and a first coat of render. The arch was made from reclaimed bricks laid endwise. Took advice not to attach them to the oven due to metal fixings expanding and cracking in the heat. Have yet to remove the wooden support but reasonably confident it will be secure purely using mortar. Rendering is pretty straightforward on the dome even for a novice like me. Applying it to the base more tricky but my mate, Richard, was able to do a nice job given I don't want a prefect finish in any event. The tiles have had several coats of linseed oil so not look like they have been there for years. Quite happy with how it is shaping up.
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Post by zouppy on Jun 2, 2014 13:03:34 GMT
Rain and a 'boys weekend' delayed play but put the final waterproof render on the oven today. Very satisfying task. Truly ready to start firing it up (have had 2 small fires this far). A little concerned at how much time/fuel will be required to get a mass this big up to temp but hoping the various insulation layers do their job. Has truly become a monument to pizza (and bread, spare ribs etc). Only tasks left are to render the 2 sides of the base and paint. Still debating colours of paint with family and not in a hurry util had a few fires to see how the render stands heat.
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Post by cannyfradock on Jun 2, 2014 19:31:05 GMT
Zouppy
Lots of people have bought these modular ovens and have just tried to fire them straight away, without any insulation etc and they have been disappointed with the results. I always love to see people going that extra short mile in insulating their modular oven AND putting some character into the finished job....The arch and surrounding tiles give your oven a bespoke build, ......and it gives a finish that I would be proud of.....nice work!!
Terry
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Post by zouppy on Jun 7, 2014 21:34:02 GMT
OK. So oven put to use in anger for the first time tonite. Moderate success. Kiln dried hard wood used. Blow torch to light. Took longer than I hoped to get the heat up sufficiently to eliminate smoke but did get there. Floor was reading 200+ plus but cooled quite quickly when fire moved back. Think I need to use more wood and burn for longer before attempting to cook. Pizzas themselves had slightly doughy bases (Mary Berry would call it a 'soggy bottom' but tasted great. Daughter back from uni and son (mid A levels) enjoyed them. Left a tray of chicken legs in the oven to cook while it cooled and they came out looking yum!
Having tested it out on the family feeling confident enough to expose friends to it. Need to get a truck load of wood from somewhere! Sunday lunch for 12 next weekend planned.
Will report back on any cracking etc when it is light tomorrow! Used an infrared thermometer as well as one in the oven. Was interested to see that the dome did not get too warm so that insulation does appear to work. Infrared gadget is great and clever little thing - £13 from Amazon.
Z
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Post by zouppy on Jun 30, 2014 16:16:16 GMT
Here is the finished article. The render ended up being a DIY job as it was hard to find a plasterer in London willing to do a fiddly job like this at a reasonable cost. As a result it is a bit rustic on the base but overall I was quite pleased with what I achieved. (Lets see if it ends up as a pile of dust after the first frost!). Not sure this is the final colour - if you look carefully you can see a bit of experimentation with colours on the dome.) Took delivery of a load of kiln dried logs so hopefully it will get good and hot, the smoke will be manageable and the neighbours happy! Now that Glasto is done (daughter home, muddy and tired) the sun should shine! Z
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Post by cobblerdave on Jul 7, 2014 7:49:39 GMT
G'day I'm sure that oven still has a level of moisture in it. You'll find it will fire faster and smoke heaps less as it gets fired more and that moisture finds its way out. Nice looking oven by the way well done Regards dave
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