My Old Kentucky Dome

[Frances]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Ken, that double archway on the entry to your oven looks beautiful! I saw the picture and thought WOW!

[gjbingham]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Ken,
BTW, did you use any strapping or other support to keep the blankets in place? I don't see anything in the photo. That's one of the things holding back from playing with the ceramic blankets right now. (that and weather)
G.

[gjbingham]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Finally, the first fire! Awesome! Somehow, congratulations seems early as your pushing onward, relentlessly. I have a feeling you won't be completely satisfied until the oven is done and the bread and pizza is cooking.

Hard to watch that beautiful brickwork get sooty out front. At least your chimney transition seems to be high enough to create draw and get the smoke going the right direction.

Mine, being made from split thickness bricks doesn't work as well. I stacked a bunch of smaller pieces into a makeshift chimney to do my first few curing fires for the arch. I'm waiting for the chimney components to arrive before I do any more fires. (Sorry James, I really plan on making some purchases to support your great efforts with this forum, but with an 8 foot chimney, I had to find the least expensive one I could locate - still $500 after shipping!.)

Ken, what do you think about Dave's suggestion for loose vermiculite vs. perlite? I was going to go with perlite as well, but Dave's got me thinking otherwise.

George

[asudavew]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Robert,

After reading about others having excellent performance with the blankets and loose fill, I think I'm in good shape. I have about 3-4 times the blanket depth that Dave has. His oven is performing amazingly well.

Seriously!
My oven was still warm inside last night (Tuesday) I'd say about 150 f..
And I fired it up on Saturday! Sunday it was holding @ 475 to 450 f the better part of the day. Never dropping below 375 f. Even after cooking the best brisket I have ever made.

Dave's happy.

Although, I would of used only vermiculite if it would of been available. NOT perlite. Perlite is very abrasive and the course-grade still has small particles that to like fly around and get in your eyes, nose, ears.... etc..And it hurts in the eye.
The medium-sized vermiculite has less dust and small particles than the course-perlite, and it was superior in handling qualities as compared to course perlite.

Trust me here. I played with both.
Vermiculite is definitely the way to go.

It would be fun the play with Matrilite though.

Anyone find an online supplier yet?

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Ken, before going with the loose vermic. get some Matrilite 18 and coat a couple inches over the blanket. Then go w/ loose vermic.

Robert,

I'm going to pass on the Matrilite. I'm pretty convinced that the Matrilite (for my oven) won't provide that much extra benefit for the time/cost/labor.

After reading about others having excellent performance with the blankets and loose fill, I think I'm in good shape. I have about 3-4 times the blanket depth that Dave has. His oven is performing amazingly well.

These blankets are pretty amazing. When you get them you'll understand .

Any other opinions out there on using Matrilite on top of what's already suggested?

[asudavew]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

So without the weather decision, would you have opted for fires before insulation?

Jim

this has been debated in several threads.

General consensus ... either way ... I did throw a half inch kaowool blanket on mine first. It got a couple big cracks.. So.. maybe I shouldn't have..

Who knows!

I say go for it!

[asudavew]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

I see fire!

Looks great Ken!

And I don't think you will have to worry too much about cracks!
Do take your time though.

With that much Kaowool, your oven should hold heat very well.

Start studying those bread threads!

Congrats

Dave

[jcg31]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Ken,
I am still debating between curing fires before insulation or after. I am a weekend away from having the flue done and a bit beyond making decisions based upon good weather (today 19 degrees and 1-3" of snow predicted) I have been able to keep the dome at around 55 round the clock. So without the weather decision, would you have opted for fires before insulation?

By the way, congrats on the draw issue, your latest confirmation of an outstanding execution.

Jim

[fullback66]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Acoma,
What is Matrilite 18?
Where do you buy it?
fb66

Ken524-Thanks for the info. on the blanket.
fb66

[Acoma]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Ken, before going with the loose vermic. get some Matrilite 18 and coat a couple inches over the blanket. Then go w/ loose vermic.

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Where did you buy the Kaowool blanket? Did you buy it from our host FB?

Fullback,

I bought the Kaowool blankets at a local refractory supply, Louisville Firebrick. They were $70/box (I'm buying a bunch of other stuff from Forno Bravo, so I think James will forgive me ).

Ken

[fullback66]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

I used two boxes of 1 inch, 6# Kaowool blanket (100 sqft total). Everything has 2 layers (2 inches) minimum. Some areas have 3 or 4 layers due to overlap. I threw all the leftover blanket on the top so it has a solid 3-4" of blanket.


Where did you buy the Kaowool blanket? Did you buy it from our host FB?

thanks,
fb66

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Finally some time for oven work! First fire went well. I used Monday's newspaper. It didn't generate much heat so I threw in some cardboard from my insulation board box. That got things going a bit. I was really pleased that the vent took most of the smoke! Only a little bit came out of the front right after lighting. After that, everything went right into the vent and out the anchor.



Everything thing cooled down very quickly. I didn't want to waste a week of good weather staring at curing fires so I decided to go ahead with the insulation and start working on the enclosure. (Keeping my fingers crossed that there won't be any cracks needing repair!)



I used two boxes of 1 inch, 6# Kaowool blanket (100 sqft total). Everything has 2 layers (2 inches) minimum. Some areas have 3 or 4 layers due to overlap. I threw all the leftover blanket on the top so it has a solid 3-4" of blanket.

This stuff is thick and heavy. I can't imagine any heat leaking out. I'll fill the enclosure with loose perlite. I found a local supplier with 4cuft bags for $16 each.

I think I'll start a new thread for my enclosure pictures.

[dusty]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

I'll make that sucker fit!

Ahh, the bigger hammer method! Been there. Not always as a last resort either.

dusty

[gjbingham]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Ken,
You're awesome! That cover's it entirely!

You'd never guess this setup from the stock photos on the internet. I think I can deal with that. I've burned out the abrasive disk on my neighbor's grinder. I'll get another an make that sucker fit!

George