Has anybody out there built the Tom Jaine oven?

[SpringJim]

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

I think that's the problem with a lot of "traditional" oven designs....used native material, built up a lot of mass, used a lot of wood and baked for days.

With what we know now and the modern materials, you can do much better. Glad you found the forum before you were too far along. Your oven will be much happier!

XJ

[SimonWoodfield]

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

Shepster,
I started with Tom Jaines plans as well, built the base as you have. I then found this site and decided to go with the pompeii oven with the plans from this site. Various reasons, mainly that I was most likely to use my oven for Pizzas, with bread making as a bonus. Toms is a barrel style oven and the pompeii is a round one. There is a thread about the advantages and disadvantages of both on this site. I haven't back filled my base, and use it for wood storage, so far it is still standing! I am in the UK too, and have had an interesting time trying to source materials, but finally got there. I have done a couple of pizza sessions followed by roasts. I have yet to make hearth bread but will do when I can get organized, it is the starting the day before bit that always gets me, I don't generally think that far in advance!
Tom suggests that you don't need to use fireclay, after a fairly long discussion on the forum, mainly prompted by the fact that I couldn't get hold of any! I decided that he was mistaken!

Give me a shout if you have any UK based questions, I am not an expert, but have a standing (so far) pompeii, so have been through the pain!

Simon

[PeterW]

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

Shepster

I've built a UK oven too, and mine is standing fine !! I used standard 7N thermalite blocks for my base with a cast concrete deck. The total load on the foundation is around 800kg, which equates to about 2.8psi, which is well within the load spec of the blocks (143psi!)

The infill in the Tom Jaine plans also provides a heat sink - unless you have unlimited wood, it will take a lot of effort to get the oven hot, and it will stay warm for days. The key with the pompeii is insulation, and mine, with 4" rockwool and a couple of inches of perlcrete stays warm for 2 days !

As Simon says, fireclay is needed. It makes a very 'sticky' mortar, and is much easier to work with than ordinary mortar when it comes to laying the dome bricks.

If you've got any questions, shout out here, as I've had lots of useful advice throughout my build.

Cheers

Peter

[shepster]

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

Fantastic advice from all of you. I desparately want the plans you suggest but something is wrong. Whenever I get to the checkout, login again I get the message

Page not found!

The requested page does not exist or you are not allowed to access it!

What am I doing wrong.

Cant wait to get started on the Mark 2!

Shepster

[shepster]

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

False alarm. I did not realise it wanted my address etc. All done now and am have now downloaded. Prepare yourselves for a lot of questions in the coming days...................
Shepster

[james]

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

Glad you got the plans. There are a lot more details in our eBook than you will find anywhere else -- and it's a much better oven design. You are going to really enjoy it.

Keep those questions coming.
James