I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

[glennb]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

Looking good Carlos,
I had my first fire last night too, but kept it going for about 3 hours by feeding it bits of kindling. Temperature averaged about 300F over that time, so ready for a bit more tonight.

I think the consensus for curing fires is longer and slower is always better, so if you can keep it going at 350F tonight for as long as you can, it should be alright.

[carloswlkr]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

Many thanks. I agree, the tapered bricks leave a clean, tight arch. The decision to Use them was in part inspired by your build (obviously not geodesic, but the goal of using less mortar), so I appreciate the compliment. I think it had much more to do with the bricks than any beginner's skill/luck, but as I was building the dome itself, I didn't use any supports. Each course sustained the next. The arches, of course, were a different story!

[dmun]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

I really like your arched entry. It's nice to have tapered firebrick - that makes for a clean tight arch.

[carloswlkr]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

I had my first fire last night. Lasted about an hour, and the top of the dome never got above 300F. Actually, I probably could have used a little more fuel, because I don't think it even reached 275 for any sustained period of time. But since the mantra is slow and steady, I'll leave it at that for now.

I like the way the oven draws, even thought I don't have the chimney attached yet. Most of the smoke quickly exited my vent area, and only occasionally when the wind picked up, would it come out the opening. I expect that the chimney will help it draw even better.

Any recommendations on how long I should try to sustain the 300 (and now 350) fires? The updated instructions just say 'as long as possible'. Is an hour enough? Or should I keep it going longer?

[carloswlkr]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

Round or square chimney pipe? A contractor is coming tomorrow to take measurements and assemble my chimney pipe. We'll be installing stainless steel from the vent up to the ceiling of the ranchito (2 1/2 meters, or around 8 feet), and a good 2 meters (6 to 8 ft) of galvanized pipe from the roof line up. The cost is the same for 8" round, or 8" square. The volume of the square pipe is slightly more, but do the corners cause any significant amount of turbulence in a chimney of this size? If not, I think my wife wants to go with square to contrast the round igloo...

Thanks in advance.

[carloswlkr]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

It is actually firebrick. They may look like tile in the photos because they are quite wet... I had just washed away the excess mortar and cleaned the front. Hence the shiny look.

The foundry where I buy my bricks has something like 23 different sizes, including these 3/4" 'tiles' and slightly thinner 1/2" ones (currently installed in my kitchen oven!). I liked te look of the bricks, and wanted to carry it over onto the counter space. Seemed like the best way to finish the borders of the oven landing.

[exceloven]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

Looks great, What is on your counter, stone or tile?

Mark

[carloswlkr]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

very satisfying indeed. I'm sure the first pizza will be the best part, though!

[glennb]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

Hi Carlos,
Your oven is looking great!
It's really satisfying to see the front finished off and looking neat isn't it?

[carloswlkr]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

I finished work on the landing and opening arch this weekend. I left an inch and a half reveal between the landing tunnel and inner arch. My vent is probably about 2/3rds or 3/4 of the width of the opening, and a half a brick in depth. I haven't acquired the stove pipes yet, so I'm not sure exactly how I'll tie them in. My wife wants stainless steel, but the quote I got from one supplier came to around $500 (10 feet of 8" round stainless to the roof, then 6 feet of galvanized steel above the roofline).

I hadn't really thought through what to do about the counter space to the sides of the oven when I started on the project. The solution was to lay firebrick tiles. I used them to finish the boarder of the oven landing, too. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I may continue the tiles on the corners of the stand if they end up showing through after I finish the insulation work. I think we're going to stucco the face of the stand.

Anyway, all for now!

[exceloven]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

I used a small 500 watt halogen light in the dome before my fires and it worked well.

Mark

[carloswlkr]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

thanks! all good ideas. will focus on finishing the opening arch and attaching a chimney first!

[sarah h]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

I'm betting it's do-able but even if not, you could still have a lower-temp curing fire that night and just do some kind of appetizer (like Dave's crab stuffed mushroom caps?) in your oven to show it off. Or just a fire ...
Good luck!

Sarah

[j6ppc]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

It's worth lookin into... I don't have one, but will ask around to see if any friends do. they're not particularly common down here :-)

Alternately you could run a 150 watt or so light bulb inside w/ the archway closed off. I'm guessing the heat from it would certainly warm the interior enough to help things dry out.

[carloswlkr]

Re: I've finally started our oven in Costa Rica

It's worth lookin into... I don't have one, but will ask around to see if any friends do. they're not particularly common down here :-)