toast
New Member
Posts: 2
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Post by toast on Jul 6, 2012 18:01:57 GMT
Hello from Suffolk, intending to bake commercially with a Wood Fired Oven.... My choice of design is an Alan Scott design but there are some questions for any experts out there that have come to mind. Heat retention is crucial for me and i'm wondering if there any other solutions to preventing heat leaking out of the Oven other than suspending the Oven in total from the frame of the base below as per AS. I'm accepting insulation and mass as the first phases of this process but i just note how few of the Builds seen on the UK sites follow this route. Is it because they are predominately recreational users? Equally are there any improvements in performance of Thermolite brick over Vermiculite. Do i just check insulation figures with producers to answer that. Finally, any thoughts on the possibilities without incurring any problems of building an Oven Lengthways? So a Hearth 32" deep and 60" Wide. The door and chimney remain centrally placed. Issues of reaching the two 'nearside' corners would be addressed by baking on trays to ease access. Production is scheduled and the Oven would always have an element of being pre-heated from previous use. I was excited enough by the idea but having seen the enthusiasm, and creative improvisation by the builders on this site, i'm humbled and challenged, so any help gratefully received.
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Post by faz on Jul 6, 2012 19:49:36 GMT
I think if you have a wide rather than long oven you may have problems with heat distribution during firing, as during firing the flames will have a relatively short path to take to the exit. If the oven is long, with the fire at the back, the flames and hot gases have to pass along the entire length of the oven and have a good opportunity to pass the heat into the oven mass. Oh and welcome to the forum - there are plenty of knowledgable people on here so I am sure you'll get some good advice. The only thing that is obligatory is posting pictures of your build
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Post by rivergirl on Jul 6, 2012 20:15:01 GMT
Welcome hopefully someone will be along later for you.
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Post by cannyfradock on Jul 7, 2012 17:43:21 GMT
Hello Toast......welcome aboard. I've seen one of the Great Allan Scott ovens at Rick and Maggie Coleman's at www.mairsbakehouse.co.uk/ ....in west Wales. I can't knock his designs but I don't think I would suspend the oven as he does on re-bar. I would go concrete slab....thermolite block then fire-brick hearth (perhaps cal-cil board between concrete and blocks). If it's commercial then you must decide how much mass to include but at the same time don't over do it as you don't want to be firing your oven for a full day for just 2 or 3 batches of bread. A.S. adds refractory concrete to the dome bricks for extra thermal mass.....then loose vermiculite inside of a housed oven as the heat stop and more thermal protection. With the size of your oven I might be tempted to just lay brick on edge for the hearth (4") and brick on edge for the arches of the vault then cover with 4" thermal blanket, THEN loose vermiculite....these are only my thoughts....and I'm no expert. As for the shape of your oven.... . I've seen a Vault oven similar size to yours but the door was placed on one of the curved ends. There's no reason why it won't heat up, but the 63% rule may be crutial in your oven build and the vent must NOT be inside vault. Terry ps.....We don't want to lose seeing your build, but you may get some more info here.. www.fornobravo.com/forum/f37/
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Post by turkey on Jul 7, 2012 19:17:31 GMT
welcome aboard toast,
thermal mass and insulation always a big decision.
I think thermalite probably is a better insulator but not designed for high heat, if you are using cal sil then this can take the brunt with thermalite below. You can get quite thick blocks to make the build much faster.
laying the floor on the edge does give more mass but more edges on the floor. I assume the AS oven design is about right with its mass but agree with Terry I think its hearth design and insulation could be better.
how many batches a day do you expect to bake and will that be 5/6 days a week? a
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Post by tonyb on Jul 9, 2012 11:18:13 GMT
Toast, please see your other post re answers to your initial questions.
There may be some firing issues re adequate airflow from the wider vs deeper design but shouldn't be too much of a problem although you might have to adapt your firing to minimise any problems. You might have to leave longer periods for the oven to equalise in temp otherwise you will get 'cold' spots in the corners, again something you will adapt to as you get used to the oven.
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