Domes

[stonecutter]

Re: Domes

The power of a fairly thick expanding steel dome will crack just about anything reinforced or not. It is probably more important to maintain good contact between the refractory cladding and the steel dome. If the cladding layer cracks into three or four pieces this will allow the steel to still have good contact and therefore conduct its heat through to the cladding better. Stainless steel needles are the recommended reinforcement for castable refractory but they don't come cheap. Chicken wire will rust out (I've tried it) heavy steel reo expands too fast and cracks the refractory that surrounds it too, hence the recommendation for ss needles.

Here's Wileys link
http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f43/...html#post28632

Wiley has considered this issue and his solution is shown here
http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/43/s...html#post36926

Control joints with a bond break...very creative.
Btw, I wasn't very clear....I'm wasnt implying the cladding won't crack by adding reinforcement, but hold it together.
This is what I'm talking about - http://www.mcnichols.com/products/wi...ainless-steel/
not galvanized chicken wire.
Though I know you use needles in your castables. I'll defer to your experience with those, as I've never used them myself.

[david s]

Re: Domes

Yeah that stuff could work well although you still have the problem of making it conform to a compound curve and that takes a fair amount of time. Random fibres simply mix in with the castable.
If I were doing this build I'd be using home-brew as my castable because it's easier to work with and because of the high cost of calcium aluminate products. I probably wouldn't be bothering about reinforcement either as strength in this layer is not really a requirement. I don't think Wiley reinforced his cladding either, at least there is no reference to it in his thread.

[stonecutter]

Re: Domes

Yeah that stuff could work well although you still have the problem of making it conform to a compound curve and that takes a fair amount of time. Random fibres simply mix in with the castable.

Cut into triangles and overlap the edges....done. But the fibers seem a whole lot easier.

[TropicalCoasting]

Re: Domes

I haven't read that thread but I'll take a look. I like the idea of the steel shell with some masonry cladding for a fast heat up oven. It would be great if wood was scarce or expensive. Maybe I'll build one someday.

Make it a twin rocket stove and it runs on sticks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_EdNdTBJ2s
Great for midweek cooking or low input artisan bakery