42" Pompeii - Northern Illinois

[I am Giuseppe]

I've been following builds on this great forum and thinking about my build for a couple of years now. After waiting out the village permit application, approval from the homeowners association and finally the freezing temperatures and frozen ground, I'm excited to finally get started. Just finished drilling 5x10" diameter pier holes 42"deep, framing the base and adding the crushed rock and rebar tonight in the rain. The village inspector comes in the morning?.. Assuming all goes well and the weather holds, we will be pouring concrete on Saturday. I welcome any advice the experienced builders here can offer.

I will post additional photos soon.

[Les]

Re: 42" Pompeii - Northern Illinois

Build on! Appears you have the fundamentals down, and it sounds good to me
. Keep us posted...

[Greenman]

Re: 42" Pompeii - Northern Illinois

The first step, I am sure it will all roll out now that you have officialdom satisfied.

I look forward to following your progress. It is a worthwhile project and one that will serve you well.

[I am Giuseppe]

Re: 42" Pompeii - Northern Illinois

Looking forward to oven management… Can anyone recommend thermocouples and digital or analog gages that I can install. Ideally I would like to install four sensors and a gage with a selector switch. Thanks in advance for your help

[jeeppiper]

Re: 42" Pompeii - Northern Illinois

After consideration, I opted to go simple and use a hand-held IR thermometer instead of integrated thermocouples. You will learn and eventually get to "know your oven" and when and where the temperatures are. (Im sure I will get lots of folks who disagree with me).

One thing to consider is accessability to the thermocouples, in case you have to replace or rewire a thermocouple (thermocouples don't last forever, whereas you oven will).

I am still considering a thermocouple in the door thought....just haven't got around to it.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: 42" Pompeii - Northern Illinois

I Am,

Being an engineer, I thought that TCs were the way to go. I installed a couple in my dome one near the interior of brick and one near the exterior of the brick to measure heat saturation. All said and done, they work as design but in reality, I don't use them much now and just use the old infared gun or eyeball experience to cook. Nice gadgets but IMHO, use the money for some nice pizza peels.

[Greenman]

Re: 42" Pompeii - Northern Illinois

Giuseppe

Like Utah I use the infra-red digital gun and after a while that goes by the by most of the time. You will soon learn how long it takes to saturate your oven and what temp it clears at. The reliable fist thrust into the oven works fine as well except the we count Burnett Rivers' rather than Mississippis'.

Seems to me that much of the charm of the ancient oven is its simplicity.

[Toomulla]

Re: 42" Pompeii - Northern Illinois

For pizza all you need is to clear the dome and throw a bit of flour on the floor if you have a door and want to bake bread or roast just by a probe thermometer that will go through the door, about$25 all the rest is fun when new but you soon don't bother

[stonecutter]

Re: 42" Pompeii - Northern Illinois

I Am,

Being an engineer, I thought that TCs were the way to go. I installed a couple in my dome one near the interior of brick and one near the exterior of the brick to measure heat saturation. All said and done, they work as design but in reality, I don't use them much now and just use the old infared gun or eyeball experience to cook. Nice gadgets but IMHO, use the money for some nice pizza peels.

Good advice here. I ditched the gun years ago. It has it's purpose, but after a while, you just don't need it.

But I'll not fault anyone for wanting another toy to buy......

[Campmaki]

Re: 42" Pompeii - Northern Illinois

I've been following builds on this great forum and thinking about my build for a couple of years now. After waiting out the village permit application, approval from the homeowners association and finally the freezing temperatures and frozen ground, I'm excited to finally get started. Just finished drilling 5x10" diameter pier holes 42"deep, framing the base and adding the crushed rock and rebar tonight in the rain. The village inspector comes in the morning?.. Assuming all goes well and the weather holds, we will be pouring concrete on Saturday. I welcome any advice the experienced builders here can offer.

I will post additional photos soon.

Wondering if anyone has concerns in the northern areas with frost penetration and lifting and or shifting of slabs on grade. At the very least I would put a couple inches of rigid styrofoam under the slab to try to prevent this.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: 42" Pompeii - Northern Illinois

Oh yeah, there is something saying about "who ever has the most gadgets or toys........." and I am as guilty as the next person. You should see all the gadgets in my "dog" house (the garage).

[I am Giuseppe]

Re: 42" Pompeii - Northern Illinois

Thanks for all the comment regarding thermocouples and temperature control.
I'm thinking I might forego the thermocouples, as someone here mentioned WHEN they fail they will be virtually impossible to change.

Today was pour day!? I need to thank the family and friends that made short work of about 4,000 lbs of concrete. I was a little worried how things were going to go but all turned out well. Biggest challenge now is to keep it from freezing tonight (low temps 27F). I'm going to tarp for the evening?. Next couple of days should be in the 50's.
I will post the photos later?. I having a little trouble in that area.
[IMG]http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/photoplog/images/20263/small/1_Pour_day_2.JPG[/IMGhttp://www.fornobravo.com/forum/photoplog/images/20263/small/1_Pour_day_3.JPG

[Campmaki]

Re: 42" Pompeii - Northern Illinois

Thanks for all the comment regarding thermocouples and temperature control.
I'm thinking I might forego the thermocouples, as someone here mentioned WHEN they fail they will be virtually impossible to change.

Today was pour day!? I need to thank the family and friends that made short work of about 4,000 lbs of concrete. I was a little worried how things were going to go but all turned out well. Biggest challenge now is to keep it from freezing tonight (low temps 27F). I'm going to tarp for the evening?. Next couple of days should be in the 50's.
I will post the photos later?. I having a little trouble in that area.

Your concrete should fine at 27 degrees because it gives off heat as it cures. I would be a little concerned if it were to get down to the high teens.

[stonecutter]

Re: 42" Pompeii - Northern Illinois

No, he should still cover it below freezing, because the outer layers will freeze, heat from the slab won't stop it.


Straw and a tarp is a cheap insulator and a lot of guys I know still do this. They sell insulating tarps too..under 50 bucks will get you one that will cover the slab.

[Campmaki]

Re: 42" Pompeii - Northern Illinois

No, he should still cover it below freezing, because the outer layers will freeze, heat from the slab won't stop it.


Straw and a tarp is a cheap insulator and a lot of guys I know still do this. They sell insulating tarps too..under 50 bucks will get you one that will cover the slab.

I guess I neglected to say it should still be covered with insulated blankets being the best, common sense.