McPiazza Build Thread

[McPiazza]

Hi all, I wanted to first say thank you for the wealth of information I have pulled from all of the very impressive builds I have seen on here. I decided about two months ago that I was ready to dive in and buy some materials and build an oven. After about 3 weeks of searching I found most of the materials I needed and I was off and running. I find that my work ethic is much stronger if I have a timeline I need to meet, so I set my deadline for completion of the dome for the first week of December so I could have time to break it in and use it the week of Christmas.

Here are the specs:

46 outside diameter, 37 inside diameter
Goal Dome height interior 23.5 inches based on my math
Door width is 18" height 14.5"

So here are some photos of my progress to date..

I hope you enjoy and I will try to respond if anyone has questions as soon as possible, not spending a ton of time online with my need to get this bad boy done.

[McPiazza]

Re: McPiazza Build Thread

Can everyone see my photos? Having issues on my other device seeing them.

[Greenman]

Re: McPiazza Build Thread

I can see your pics ok.

[McPiazza]

Covering/Insulating Question

I am done with the dome working on vent, arch etc...however my mind has moved on to how I am going to insulate and cover the dome. I found a local retailer and got some 2" and 1" ceramic fiber blanket to enclose it with, if my math works out it will be 3" total around the dome. I think that should be sufficient, what do you all think?

Second part of my question is this, I am going to leave it as an igloo, and thought about forming copper sheet over the insulation layer to create the waterproofing needed? Do you think with the 3" of ceramic fiber blanket that it will still get hot? or just warm?

[Greenman]

Re: McPiazza Build Thread

People generally (all as far as I know) finish their 'igloo' with light wire mesh over the blanket and then render over that. I put a layer of vermicrete over the blanket, then the render/stucco and a coat of acrylic sealer over that.

Having the dome well waterproofed is important and it would be more difficult to get that seal without the render etc.

Those builders who have encased their dome in cut brick, tiles or copper that I have seen on this forum have sealed the dome first and then made it 'pretty' after that.

I know nothing of working copper other than the one that was documented on here. It was a lot of work but a thing of great beauty when it was completed. Sadly I don't believe that thread is available any longer.

My .02 - seal it very well before anything else.

[McPiazza]

Re: McPiazza Build Thread

Greenman, I appreciate the input, my question is if I can form complete copper cap for the dome would it be necessary to cover the insulation with anything additional. I have learned that the additional compression that would be created by another layer of anytype of concrete on top of the ceramic fiber blanket would actually decrease the efficiency of the product. If the copper cap was formed and sat outside of the insulation with an air gap I am curious if it would work. The cap would be like a swim cap,fully encasing the dome making it waterproof.

This what I am thinking about right now.

Thanks again

[Greenman]

Re: McPiazza Build Thread

There would be no reason that what you describe would not work. I am not sure how you would form it to be waterproof but as I said, I know nothing about working copper. I imagine that there is a way.

Provided it didn't allow water to enter anywhere including where it meets the base and you have it vented to allow pressures to equalise and any moisture/steam that is generated to be able to escape it should be no different to a shell formed by render/stucco which is what I have.

With the render applied in a number of layers compression of the blanket was not an issue when I did mine.

Good luck with that. I am interested to see how it ends up, should look good and a little different to the standard fare.

[McPiazza]

Re: McPiazza Build Thread

So a little update, got the dome finished and cladding applied a little over a week ago. So I decided it was time to start some drying fires...thought I would share a photo,since my wife and kids are sick of me talking about it...

Small newspaper fire.. tightly crumpled into balls burning one at a time for the better part of an hour, kept the top of the soldier course at about 100F and the top of the dome was about 150ish...all seemed to go really smoothly...

Fingers crossed we will be moving to fire number two today...