Reducing amount of sand for former

[gracie]

Hi,
has anyone found a solution to reduce the amount of sand used to create the dome former for a clay oven? I'm guessing anything solid that is small enough to remove via the door could be used? I want to avoid a mountain of leftover sand after the build.
thanks guys,
Gracie

[awalker]

I know some people have used gym exercise balls inside Pompei. Ovens. Use it to support build and the pop it at end.

[gracie]

I was wondering if that might work. Also wondering about other items like a bag full of vermiculite, tied up into a ball as the bulk then a layer of sand over. At least that would be useful after the dome was finished!

[awalker]

Anything you can get out after the clay has dried will be good. Good luck.

[cobblerdave]

G'day
2 things.
If the ovens big enough a foam vegetable box can be used to build you former on. Once finished you can dig out a bit of sand and break it up and remove it.
If you have some empty plastic soft drink bottles you can fill the space with those. A lot less sand to drag out of the oven with both methods.
A bit of clay or clay soil in the former keeps it together.
A layer of wet newspaper over it so the sand seperates
Regards dave

[gracie]

Brilliantly! Thanks for the suggestions. Excited to get started on my dome 

[curlygirl]

Probably too late for you, but we used the bricks which when the dome was scooped out we later used to build the brick arch.