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Post by oblertone on Jul 22, 2015 19:47:44 GMT
Nice tight finish there ! Not to lead you astray or anything, but I used my dome for a year before insulating it ... Plenty of pizza got eaten in that year
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Post by oblertone on Jul 21, 2015 8:52:18 GMT
Also, check the oven temp today after yesterday's fire, it is amazing that it is still warm 24 hrs on. Was around 100 degrees c after 24 hrs. Looking good ! Your next step to prolong your cooking time is to fit an insulated door; a tight fitting door will kill the fire but dramatically slow down heat loss enabling roasting and bread making the following day. A looser fitting door will keep the embers burning by allowing a reduced air flow, giving you further cooking options. Your oven performance will improve as it dries out but now is the time to start understanding the 'heat gradient' and what you can achieve with the oven you've built.
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Post by oblertone on Jul 21, 2015 8:36:39 GMT
No personal experience but reading build threads it would appear that a dry sand bed is favourite; achieves a level surface yet allows removal of a stone/tile that becomes damaged in use. I cheated and used vermiculite board for a level base.
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Post by oblertone on Jul 15, 2015 8:37:01 GMT
As another Devon devotee I can only congratulate you on your fantastic build. What are you planning for the exterior ?
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Post by oblertone on Jul 14, 2015 9:49:13 GMT
The 'homebrew' mix in general use is a ratio of 3-1-1-1 Sand/cement/clay/lime, others have used 5 measures of sand but I used 3 and it's fine.
i used Wickes grey sand and cement, locally sourced lime and powdered clay from a potter's suppliers, although Jewsons apparently stock it all.
Are you using heater blocks for the dome or just the floor ? I used them for my floor, but used half-bricks for the dome. Got 10 spare heater blocks if you need more.
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Post by oblertone on Jul 5, 2015 9:40:50 GMT
I used blanket on the arch entry then rendered over it all; not sure it was necessary but I had some to spare. I also used my bare dome for almost a year before insulating it, so I would say yes to small fires before the blanket, otherwise you'll just be trapping moisture under the insulation layer.
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Post by oblertone on Jul 5, 2015 9:34:51 GMT
Very robust looking structure; maybe you could paint a big H on it while collecting your dome bits :-)
ps - I used angle iron in my dome arch, works well and was relatively quick.
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Post by oblertone on Jun 30, 2015 23:31:35 GMT
Looking good; I see you're using wedges rather than the IT route so once your happy with a completed ring put in a false floor and form a sand mound, then lay your bricks to the mound. That way you can determine the finished height of your dome relative to your archway before laying any brick. I'm sure you are aware that the optimum arch is 63% of the inner dome height, you've got the arch height set so just pile sand until you reach dome nirvana.
As to the terracotta pipe, I've not tried it myself but all the reports I've seen indicate cracking at the lower end where flue temperatures easily reach 500c.
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Post by oblertone on Jun 30, 2015 8:41:12 GMT
Another + for a layer of mortar/home brew over the dome; added stability and seals cracks, what's not to like. As to the curing fires, mine got progressively bigger fires everyday for a week but this was just a bare (but rendered) dome before any insulation. You need some time between fires for the trapped moisture to migrate into the drier areas,then you drive it out with the next fire incrementally reducing the overall content each time.
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Post by oblertone on Jun 25, 2015 16:25:59 GMT
Any 'sharp' sand should be ok, it's not too critical I don't think. I used a washed grey from Wickes and it worked fine on my red brick dome, although I used a slightly different ratio i.e. 3-1-1-1 for the brew.
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Post by oblertone on Jun 25, 2015 16:21:16 GMT
A good rule of thumb for hearth height is that it should come up to the users elbow; any lower and you'll be stooping all the time.
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Post by oblertone on Jun 24, 2015 10:23:17 GMT
Paul that's fantastic! Have been collecting tiles for my next build! If you're ever passing through Devon I've got a spare box of mixed colours you'd be welcome to; personally I never want to see another tile cutter again, ever ...
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Post by oblertone on Jun 22, 2015 23:12:42 GMT
Hello Oblertone I'm trying to play "catch-up" with all the posts that I've missed during the last 6 months. I touch my forelocks to you Sir (Madam?) for a wonderful mosaic design on your oven....love it!! Terry It's Sir, or at least it was until I retired in May, now it's just Paul ! Thank you, have another picture.
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Post by oblertone on Jun 22, 2015 8:05:05 GMT
Either you are very small, or that base slab is HUGE ! Looking good and will follow this build with interest. Are you shaping/tapering your dome bricks with a saw, if so which one ?
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Post by oblertone on Jun 20, 2015 16:33:33 GMT
When you lay your first 'ring' try and slip a piece of corrugated cardboard between the hearth bricks and dome; this will burn out in use but gives a useful even expansion joint. I used a slightly different method using heater blocks, but used old red bricks for my dome and it works well.
Keep us updated with progress, I love to see these things grow !
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