My Old Kentucky Dome

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

the other option is granite tiles, they are becaming cheaper now and they look better...just another option.

Thank Carlo! Does the granite or porcelain require any sort of sealer after grouting? I've heard that some natural stone needs to be sealed for outdoor use. I appreciate the advice!

I went w/ Porcelain. Made it through the winter with no problems... they advised me not to use granite as it will most likely crack in this environment.

Thanks Les. I have been warned by someone in a home store about using some types of stone. I don't remember which ones are safe. Your porcelain work looks very nice. Thanks for the pic! I definitely won't go wrong going that route.

[Les]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Les, I have the same grill, got it at Loews two years ago.

Don't mean to hi-jack this thread, but... RC - do you have the quick disconnects on the gas line. Every once in a while I smell gas and that's where it has to be coming from. When I do the soap and water trick I see nothing.

Les...

[james]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

We looked at porcelain tile at Home Depot last week. They have some nice stuff that looks like stone. That's probably the way I'll finish the landing. Fast and easy. Anyone have any advice in this area?? Is porcelain tile a reasonable outdoor finish material?

We went with slate for a rustic look, but I am guessing that it's going to be a bear to keep clean. I'm a slave to fashion.

Ceramic tile sounds perfect. Hearty, good-looking and easy to clean. If you do a good job of sealing the mortar it will keep your counter nice and fresh.
James

[RCLake]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Ken - I went w/ Porcelain. Made it through the winter with no problems. I used the recommended thin set for installation, a little more money but it obviously worked. I found the selection to be very limited, I settled for the attached thumbnail. Carlo, they advised me not to use granite as it will most likely crack in this environment.

Les...

Les, I have the same grill, got it at Loews two years ago. A year later I find out that Jenn-aire just slaps their name on it and a so-so company makes it. HD and Loews does the same thing with their wet saws. Haven't had any issues with the grill so pleased it's holding up. All the appliances for our new house were also JA and I'm glad I got their extended warranty - already paid for itself.
We'll use the grill for quick items put plan on using the WFO much more versus the rotassiare.

[RCLake]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Glad spring has arrived and you're able to start back on this project. I'm also glad to see soot on your entry area, after seeing your video and that draw I saw was great I was wondering if I had to do my chimney area over again. It seems to draw good, I'm wondering if my wood isn't season enough.
I see you have the arch/vent area covered with the blanket, have you noticed that area getting hot?
Enjoy the spring, it will get hot to soon.

[CanuckJim]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Ken,

You're a patient man: good work. Remember, the concrete screws should be just snug, not tight.

Jim

[Les]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Ken - I went w/ Porcelain. Made it through the winter with no problems. I used the recommended thin set for installation, a little more money but it obviously worked. I found the selection to be very limited, I settled for the attached thumbnail. Carlo, they advised me not to use granite as it will most likely crack in this environment.

Les...

[biondoli]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Ciao Ken, porceilan is good for outdoor, choose the ticker one as there are very tiny tiles as well, the other option is granite tiles, they are becaming cheaper now and they look better...just another option. Hope to start on mine this week end! Carlo

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Finally! Oven building weather again in Kentucky! It was a gorgeous day so I took the tarps off to survey the damage.

The settling/cracking episode in Nov/Dec knocked loose the Duratech mount, all the the bricks in the 2nd level of vent box and one on the lower level. I cleaned the old mortar off of the bricks, soaked them and re-mortared the box.

This time around, I am taking Jim's advice for mounting the Duratech mount. I predrilled 4 holes in the bricks before mortaring them. I'll put some scrap blanket between the mount and the box and screw it all down with concrete screws. If any more minor settling occurs, there should be enough give in the connection to not crack the mortar.

The second project today was removing all the mortared bricks in my vent floor (I didn't use mortar between bricks on the oven floor, just the vent floor). The mortar cracked during settling and it looked ugly. I trimmed the bricks and placed them back tightly without mortar. Looks a lot better. They will be locked into place when I pour the concrete landing around them.

We looked at porcelain tile at Home Depot last week. They have some nice stuff that looks like stone. That's probably the way I'll finish the landing. Fast and easy. Anyone have any advice in this area?? Is porcelain tile a reasonable outdoor finish material?

Next step is to pour the landing then get some concrete board and roof for this thing.

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Gardens, however, I have a lot of experience with.

GREAT! We need more gardening expertise here . I'm as novice as they come.

I can tell you that San Marzano tomatoes don't have the disease resistance that others do- so in hot and humid Kentucky...

I might just try the starving for water technique this summer on my Romas

I'm definitely doing some Romas this year. I know they will grow well. Maybe I'll get lucky with San Marzano's and have a mild summer! Which reminds me; it's about time to order some seeds!

Thanks for the info! (and welcome to the forum )

[egalecki]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

I'm still collecting information so I can build my own "perfect" oven here, and learning a whole lot.
Gardens, however, I have a lot of experience with. I can tell you that San Marzano tomatoes don't have the disease resistance that others do- so in hot and humid Kentucky (I grew up there, just south of you, Ken) you may have some trouble with the wilts and blights.
One book I have (by an Italian) suggests not watering tomatoes much at all after they set fruit- so they concentrate their flavor. Maybe that's why the San Marzanos in the can taste so good? I haven't tried that myself, I am a terrible softy when it comes to my plants. I always tell myself I won't plant every seedling in a pack, that I WILL throw away the ones that don't fit where I want them, but I just can't bring myself to do it. So I end up with tomatoes, peppers and eggplant coming out of my ears.
Any way, the year I planted tomatoes from seeds which I had, um, accidentally brought back from a trip to Italy, I got beautiful costoluto genovese- big, crazy wrinkled on top, and absolutely the best eating ever, but not very good San Marzano.
I might just try the starving for water technique this summer on my Romas, after all, they're determinate anyway, so once they finish that big haul, they're done anyway. Or maybe just on a few of them. Can't change a garden softy overnight...

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Hey Jerry,

I sent you a private message. I'd be happy to talk pizza ovens! When are you planning on building?

Ken

[jerry ragland]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Ken, I am in Louisville also and would love to talk with you sometime.
jerry

[gjbingham]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Jim et al,

I concur completely. I don't dispute the fact that they are superior tomatoes. I really agree that local conditions may just be perfect for creating the famous tomatoes.

The comparison to wine grapes is absolutely right on the mark. Some places are better than others, for a variety of reasons. In the case of the wine grapes from France, it turned out that the Californians could often grow and vint a superior product, as proved numerous times by double blind testing. Not always, but in many cases. That might also be the case with the famous tomato....., but who's testing.

One of the greatest things about living, eating, and drinking in the old world is that you enjoy partaking in the offerings and produce of the local community, and are less subject to world transportation of of produce to fill a void during the off season. That was much more true a few hundred years ago. I have no doubt in my mind that the San Marzano Tomatoes developed their reputation based on years of success and that it is well deserved. I think it very worthwhile to attempt to reproduce their success locally, just as we have in building our personal ovens to enjoy one of the favorite meals of Italy. Enjoying the produce of your vegetable garden on your handmade pizza in your personally built pizza oven....... what could be better?!
(I just know they won't grow worth a poo in the NW)

Salute!
George

[Hendo]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

I'm going to get some San Marzano seeds this summer and give them a shot

If you do, Ken, you may want to consider planting them directly in the pot or soil that they'll ultimately grow in. I planted some seed in small 'seed raising' containers using the appropriate mix and they ... well ... haven't done very well. They took a very long time to germinate, grew to their first leaves and then ... stopped. I tried transplanting a few and noticed that they had very long roots, which leads me to think they should have gone straight into the ground, like other plants which tend to put on a lot of root growth in the early stages.

The pic (posted previously) shows the punnet which is now destined for the bin - this is several weeks after sowing. Most disappointing!

Paul.