Duane's 42" Build

[Hamilton]

Hey guys, just cleared the entry arch and want to share with some that might get it. This is my first post and would like to be able to share pics but when I try to pull something from my album I just get error messages, files are to big and what have you. Using a MacBook Pro but obviously don't what I am doing.
Can you help me?

[Gulf]

Hi Duane,

Welcome to the forum. I'm not familiar with Apple computers but, it should have a program to resize the photos. If not, you will need to download a photo editing program. There are some free programs available. But, I would only use them to resize and save back to my computer before uploading them to the site. I use Google Photos for my Web Album. When adding a photo directly to the forum from my iPhone, I use this workaround: I send the pic to my email account. When sending, it gives me the option to resize. I then select the "large" instead of the "full size" option. Hopefully someone with a Macbook Pro will also respond.

Hope this helps.

[UtahBeehiver]

Roughly 1.25 mg max per photo with 5 mg total per post.

[Hamilton]

Thank you Sir and it is good to see you responding. I've been looking at quite a few post here lately and you seem to be quite experienced and involved. I may have to have one of my kids, or grand kids help me out with the photo part but I will get there.

[Hamilton]

Good to see you here as well Beehiver

[Hamilton]

Good morning
Here are my photos. Thought I replied to this thread but I guess I started another post earlier this morning. Take a look and let me know what you think and any concerns you might have.
Really thought I would be cooking by now. Getting cold out, will do what I can when I can through the winter months.

[Gulf]

Hamilton, Duane, or Frank?,

Great web alum! That's a very nice and clean looking build you have going there. The only question I have is why you placed the p/vcrete on top of (I'm assuming) better insulation?

If you want to add some pics to an individual post, you may want to try the Upload Attachments button. If you are loading from your computer, it will give you the size options.

[Hamilton]

It's Duane, Frank is my first name, my dad's name, I've always gone by Duane. Is it Joe or Gulf? Just checking out your album, I am not as artistic as yourself and Russell? "Bee Hiver". The layer above the insulation board from Forno Bravo is actually a refractory castable. "Heat Cast 40". I just felt the need to add a little more thermal mass under the floor to match the walls. Wrong or right I don't know, just winging it.
Seems to be a lot of discussion about weep holes and heat breaks lately, that I have not been aware of in the past. While I have researched this off and on over the last decade and have an unwatched CD from Raddo? somewhere here in the house, these are things I am just finding out.

[MarkJerling]

Wow! Duane, that's one of the neatest brickwork builds I've seen - ever!
Well done.

Kind regards,
Mark

[Gulf]

Thanks Duane,

Gulf is just a username, "handle" or internet guise, carried over from years ago on other forums. I go by Joe. In years past it was a little more distinguishable in my signature (lines). The forum used to allow multiple lines in the signature. Now I have to kind of squash it all together on just one line.

I don't know a lot about refractory castables. There are others on the forum that do. However, many bread bakers do want the extra mass under the brick for extended cook times. That's ok as long as you ae ok with the extra heat up time.

Weep holes and elevating the insulation off of the structural hearth are fairly recent ideas that help against moisture issues. Heat breaks are more of a debatable topic. Though, I am sold on the idea.

The foil you have between your castable layer and the insulation may be an issue trapping the moisture in the insulation layer. You may want to drill some holes through the structural hearth up to the insulation layer. You will probably get other comments from those that have advised and/or have done this after the fact.

The moisture issues are mostly a problem with folks who have uncovered igloo style ovens in inclement weather climates.

I'm not familliar with the Raddo CDs ?


Joe Watson

[UtahBeehiver]

Nice brick work, you spent A LOT time doing tapers and bevels for the tight mortar joints (I know from experience). I would second Gulf's comment on weep holes especially since the CaSi sits on the concrete hearth. Nothing you can do about the aluminum foil now but for future builders, IMHO, I would skip the foil since in can also keep water in as well. Wet insulation is one the the most common issue poor oven performance. With the extra thermal mass, it will take longer to heat up but at the same token stay hotter longer once the floor is saturated. Keep up the good work.

[Hamilton]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the kind words.
Mark I ran across your last build with the re-purposed heater bricks a few days ago, to cool!
Russell your build, the artistic detail coupled with the craftsmanship throughout every step of the process is just amazing to me, you can tell it was very well thought out.
How many ovens have you guys built?
Going to go ahead and drill a few weep holes form the bottom, but given the way I built the stand I can only access the front half of the oven, will have to hope that will suffice. The foil was used to keep the calsi board from getting wet and soaking up water from the castable so it would cure properly, never thought about it being a problem.
I think I understand the use of a heat break, keeps the heat in the oven where it needs to be and not losing it to the front where you don't need it and don't need it or want it.

[MarkJerling]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the kind words.
Mark I ran across your last build with the re-purposed heater bricks a few days ago, to cool!

Thank you Duane. I've only built the one! Some others here have built multiple ovens.

[Hamilton]

Hey guys.

Temps are coming up, finished up row #9 with bricks that were cut before I had to shut it down for the winter and set a couple of anchor bricks for #10
Bricks are cut for course 10 with the exception of a couple that will need to cut as I get there.
I have spent the last couple of months creeping in the background and looking at some of the archived builds, wish I would have spent more time creeping before I started this project, my approach would have been a bit different with the build.
I think it's going to be alright though!

Here we go!

[MarkJerling]

Hey guys.

Temps are coming up, finished up row #9 with bricks that were cut before I had to shut it down for the winter and set a couple of anchor bricks for #10
Bricks are cut for course 10 with the exception of a couple that will need to cut as I get there.
I have spent the last couple of months creeping in the background and looking at some of the archived builds, wish I would have spent more time creeping before I started this project, my approach would have been a bit different with the build.
I think it's going to be alright though!

Here we go!

"Alright"!?!?! It's a work of art! Only thing I can spot which may be an issue is the photo does not show much of a door reveal, i.e. a "step" between your inner arch and outer arch to allow you to place a door and seal the opening.