Adobe Pompeii

[GlassKitchen]

It's almost done :-)

Chris

[GlassKitchen]

Re: Adobe Pompeii

[GlassKitchen]

Re: Adobe Pompeii

[Jed]

Re: Adobe Pompeii

Hey Chris,

This is an interesting looking oven!

What have you used to build your brick? Is it a local clay? and what all did you mix in with the base material?

Are you planning to insulate the dome?

I will be interested to see your results! If the material holds up to the heat of the fire, it should work beautifully.

Keep us posted with progress and pictures!

JED

[Frances]

Re: Adobe Pompeii

Yeah, what he said...

I don't know why, I love my brick oven madly, but I'm just also fascinated with clay ovens. So do keep us posted, it looks great!

[Frances]

Re: Adobe Pompeii

Oh hey, this thread belongs oven in alternative ovens, it'll just get lost here.
...right James?

[GlassKitchen]

Re: Adobe Pompeii

The adobe was a local dirt/clay I used to make some bike jumps in the yard, straw and water. I let the bricks dry about a week.

The mortar was about 20 parts adobe to 1 part concrete. We let the initial shell dry about a week, then small fires leading up to the big one pictured above (the food was delicious!).

Then layers of adobe slapped on and smoothed out by hand. I moved the chimney back, with the thought that the dome might heat faster having hot air moving on both sides. The top is about 9" thick, the sides are about 6". I can stand on top of the dome, so I think that's good.

It's pretty much shaped out now, just need to wait another week or so, then small fires and such. Weather is looking great, high 70's for 5 days, so hopefully it will cure fast. I'm hungry.

After a few large fires, I'm going to seal it with a 1 part portland cement to 3 parts screened soil mix. It can always be repaired/kept up with the same mix.

I've never done this before, it may collapse in a shower of sparks, but it's been really fun, and the little bits of food have been wonderful.

Only downside of the project was needing another bag of concrete, bringing it into major cost-overrun, from the budgeted $3.50 up to $7.

I've got an IRT, I'll get some temps and pictures when we get going This forum has been great, as well as the Forno Bravo pdf. Thanks guys!

Chris

[GlassKitchen]

Re: Adobe Pompeii

Two other things.. the floor of the oven is fire brick that is floating from the rest of the structure. The base is the old well for the property.

Chris

[eggplant]

Re: Adobe Pompeii

looking forward to seeing the next set of pictures GlassKitchen. Nice Work.

[Jed]

Re: Adobe Pompeii

And expect a bit of grief from the Master of Operations at your home for a 100% cost overrun!

I solved the problem by not creating a budget, however, I did spend substantially more on the finished product, and I bet the pizza from either oven is just as fine!

Good work!

JED

[GlassKitchen]

Re: Adobe Pompeii







We decided to go for it, it seemed to work. It really gave us a 60-90 second pizza, it exceeded all expectations. No cracking or collapse

The top of the dome got up to 1050 and settled around 1000 throughout the cooking. The sides were about 850, and the floor was around 700-800. The exterior was 140 at its hottest point. About 4 hours after the last piece of wood the dome was about 700, sides about 650, with a nice bed of coals.

We didn't make bread, I'll never make that mistake again. We could have easily done some roasting after pizza and then baked at least one batch of bread.

Next morning the oven floor was around 100, sides about 125, dome about 160. The inside of the dome was fine, no cracking, everything made a nice 'tink' sound when tapped, nothing fell. I am amazed.

Thanks again for the forum!

Chris

[GlassKitchen]

Re: Adobe Pompeii







Chris

[jwnorris]

Re: Adobe Pompeii

Considering the horrific cost, nice looking oven.

J W

[egalecki]

Re: Adobe Pompeii

This is very cool. You did a really nice job on it!

[GlassKitchen]

Re: Adobe Pompeii

Just an update.. we are using this thing almost every night. Grilling, smoking, beef, fish, had a great pork BBQ last night, chicken tonight, roasted and grilled vegetables. It's so much fun to have the range of heat, you could never cook like this on a conventional oven.

Thank you so much for this forum, and all of you that wrote descriptions and took pictures. It's the best resource in the world. We really appreciate it, never would have happened without all you good folk

Chris, Lissa, and Ari