My Old Kentucky Dome

[Acoma]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Ken, as master of your thread, you are a stud! Doing so damn good. I expect you in the November running, but I guess it depends if James has several categories (completed, close, dome work, etc.). Keep it up!

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Course 10:





I used a combination of 1/2 bricks, 1/3 bricks and 1/4 bricks. Next course I'm switching completely to thirds. The steep angles are making it difficult to keep the heavy halves from sliding.

I stopped using the String Alignment System (SAS) about 2 courses ago. As the dome closes in, it's pretty easy keeping everything aligned by sight.

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

How high will your dome be inside?

Dusty, I'm shooting for 20 inches. So far, so good.

[dusty]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Ken,
How high will your dome be inside?
Dusty

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Ken, you stole my thunder.

Hey; this is my thread! I'm allowed to do that!

[CanuckJim]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

RT,

I've always used an insulated door of some sort (several different designs over time). You save an enormous amount of heat that way, and it's quite true you can bake bread one day and a roast the next if you use one. My current door is simply a piece of three-quarter inch ply with a two inch layer of Matrilite 18, a castable insulator, attached to it. There's no reason you couldn't use a scrap piece of SuperIsol to serve the same purpose.

After all, the cooling weakspot of any oven is the door, so why not plug it properly?

Jim

[RTflorida]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Ken, you stole my thunder. I believe and insulated door would do wonders for heat retention for the serious baker.
I have a 1/4" plate steel door that I made, it radiates a tremendous amount of heat after it is put in place. As it is, I'm happy. Not much into bread baking (not yet anyway). I make a bunch of pizzas, slap the door in place, and the next day I can throw in a 5 - 6 lb roast or chicken in for 5-6 hrs and all is good. A real baking I think would want more control over heat retention.

This may be a topic to throw out to the group - insulated or non insulated doors?

RT

[Acoma]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Ken and RT, i'm in. Now updated for my oven will be insulated CalSil board for the door.

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

I do not see a need to insulate the door. I have not seen anyone else state benifits of doing so. Why do you think the door would need it?

I'm going to have one. The Pompeii plans include some good ideas for building a door out of CalSil board, hardwood, or cement board (page 44). I think that's the route I'm going to go.

Once you are done with the pizza bake, the door will help the oven retain heat for baking the turkey the next morning.

[Les]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Ken - Bummer! And 54 degrees, that's no fun either

Les...

[Acoma]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

RT, it would be a good idea to create a sealent strip for door to dome entry. I do not see a need to insulate the door. I have not seen anyone else state benifits of doing so. Why do you think the door would need it?

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

3 days of rain. Today's a good day to buy more bricks and plan an enclosure!

[RTflorida]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Acoma, I see you got the memo to insulate, insulate, insulate. You may be baking for days off of 1 fire. I'm curious to see what kind of heat retention you will actually have.
Are you making an insulated door as well?

[Acoma]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

Ken, I get more and more impressed that you continue to provide 100% EFFORT. No giving up and shortcutting. With regards to formula on a heavily insulated oven for long heat retention, I am going to build mine with this formula. 42" Oven, Tuscan style.
Below is per side of dome:
Refmix mortar 1"
Insulfrax Blanket 2"
Matrilite 18 3"
Vermiculite 3"
Metal studs 1per side (2.5")

[Ken524]

Re: My Old Kentucky Dome

With the clean exterior, I assume that you won't be adding any additional cladding? I am adding the extra mass as I plan on insulating the hell out of this. I think it would be fun to go the next day and cook something from the previous fire.

I haven't decided yet. I thought it would be nice to keep the dome clean and use 3" of blanket on it. If it cracks, I can easily pull the blankets and see the extent of the problem while curing (assuming I go with an enclosure).

On the other hand, I really like your thoughts about extra thermal mass. I'm sort of leaning that way. I may go with an inch of HeatStop.