Has anybody out there built the Tom Jaine oven?

[shepster]

I have started building the oven based on the plans in the Tom Jaine book.
I have doubts about the thickness of the walls. I have constructed the slab and walls and am about to backfill as per the plan. If anybody else has built one It would be good to talk!!!

[SpringJim]

Re: Has anybody out there built the Tom Jaine oven?

What about some more details on your concerns? Too thick or too thin? What are you trying to accomplish with the Tom Jaine?

[dmun]

Re: Has anybody out there built the Tom Jaine oven?

"Backfill" sounds ominous. Can you give us some details? What's the plan for insulation?

[Ken524]

Re: Has anybody out there built the Tom Jaine oven?

Shepster...

Welcome to the board! With those kinds of questions and concerns I would strongly recommend that you STOP building and post some photos of what you doing.

[shepster]

Re: Has anybody out there built the Tom Jaine oven?

Yep I have stopped building! The walls are constructed of 100mm wide concrete blocks. The wall is 4 blocks high and only single skin. He suggests (Tom Jaine;building a wood fired oven) that the void in the middle which is 1.7m x 1.7m be backfilled with sand and rubble etc. Problem is I am concerned about the pressure that would be on the walls. Once backfilled, 3 lintels are placed across and the backfill is used to cast the base
Any opinions.............?
Photo to follow

[Ken524]

Re: Has anybody out there built the Tom Jaine oven?

Yeah, I really need pictures. I don't have Jaine's book and don't really understand what you are talking about. Are you building an oven stand right now or the actual oven?

[shepster]

Re: Has anybody out there built the Tom Jaine oven?

Forgive me as a newbie am trying to work all this out.
Picture is in Hearth and stand area as shepsters base or PhotoPlog - Error

[jengineer]

Re: Has anybody out there built the Tom Jaine oven?

Now we got it. The walls do not have structural support to keep them in place. I would be concerned about the sides not being ties in place. The walls at the moment are essentially free standing. Backfilling means that the void will take the place of structural support. In a sense you have built a retaining wall. The rubble once it is properly compacted should nicely form the base. Our concern now will be to make sure that it is structurally sound. This may be a economically viable method but is not one that we use as the area under the oven can be used for storage and in some cases allows access to put in more insulation if it is needed. If you fill it in and your insulation is not sufficient then there is no way to go back and correct it. Our motto here is insulate insulate insulate and use the correct materials to do so.

Has this been build on a concrete slab or has the soil been leveled?
By using cinder-blocks for a wall the Pompeii plan is solidly built. You can get a free copy of it by looking in the shopping area.

Again it would help the forum if you can spend a few hours on a word file and give some more detail about the build before you get too involved. It is easier to restart at this point than further down the road.

je

[shepster]

Re: Has anybody out there built the Tom Jaine oven?

Thanks
The plan that I have been following says that the compacted sand etc forms part of the heat store. In fact I live in a 400 year old house and we found one of these completely encased in about a metre of sand.
The base is a 9 ich reinforced concrete slab so no probs there.
What do you use for insulation in the base? I was going to use firebricks bedded on mortar once the hearth base was cast.
I will have a look at the other plans.
Thanks for advice

[shepster]

Re: Has anybody out there built the Tom Jaine oven?

Have tried downloading the plan but it seems access is denied. Is that anything to do with me being in the UK?
Shepster

[asudavew]

Re: Has anybody out there built the Tom Jaine oven?

Go to the Forno Bravo store.
Sign up there. (separate from here)

Put the plans in the basket. Place the order. It will cost you $0.00.

Then an email will be sent to you with a link to download them.

I suggest holding your progress until you read the plans.
And try reading through a few threads with well documented pictures and instructions.

Dave

[mfiore]

Re: Has anybody out there built the Tom Jaine oven?

Is there a foundation under your block? Can't tell from the photo. These ovens are heavy, and need a solid foundation. Again, look at the plans (free) and the forum for several ideas about the best foundation to suit your climate.

[Ken524]

Re: Has anybody out there built the Tom Jaine oven?

I second what Dave said above. There are *dozens* of us here that have built 100% successful ovens using the Forno Bravo Pompeii plans. They are virtually foolproof.

Most of us can't give input to the Jaine design because we are not familiar with it. I can just about guarantee you success with the Pompeii oven.

Here's the direct link to add the (free) plans to your shopping basket:
Pompeii Oven Instruction e-Book (pdf) :: Instruction Manuals, CD ROMs & eBooks :: Forno Bravo Store

I'm glad you found us and started asking questions!!

[Wiley]

Re: Has anybody out there built the Tom Jaine oven?

Seems this Tom Jaine is a bit of local color, certainly he isn't lacking in the self esteem department. Here's a link to an interesting site regarding the fellow and a quote (which I thought at first was meant as a joke but apparently he is serious):


"I had to be passed by the boss of the Consumers Association. He thought I was a limp-wristed fool from start to finish. I nearly blew it at the interview." After five years, Tom returned to Devon and became a baker. "I was the world expert on bread, built my own bread oven, and wrote my bread book, Making Bread At Home."

Here's the link:
Weekend Telegraph profile of Tom Jaine and Prospect Books

There is an interesting photo of Tom conversing with a dinner yet to be which starts the article.

Wiley

[dmun]

Re: Has anybody out there built the Tom Jaine oven?

The plan that I have been following says that the compacted sand etc forms part of the heat store

Wow you got here just in time. I know there are ovens built surrounded by sand, gravel, broken glass, etc, that are being promoted as traditional ovens. If you have to heat up a huge mound of masonry every time you want to bake in your oven, you are going to be wasting a tremendous amount of time, wood, and money. The mantra of FB forum is (repeat after me):

Insulate! Insulate! Insulate!

There is nothing wrong with using a thinner base wall and rubble fill to support your concrete slab. Most of us have built a stronger wall, and left the bottom open for wood storage, but that is optional. You need, however, to surround your brick oven with insulation. Under the oven most of us have used four inches of lightweight concrete made from vermiculite or perlite, or two inches of a high tech insulating pad like Calsium silicate. Above the oven, most of us have used a layer of mineral wool refractory insulation, and then more vermiculite concrete. There are a lot of variations to this plan, but the need for insulation never varies.

Read everything you can here. There is a wealth of actual, practical experience in building and using ovens that work.

Good luck with your project.