Colorado Pompeii-Thermometer/door help!!

[leolech]

hello from Colorado!- 42" pompeii coming along well but I coul really use some help with a couple questions from you experts out there!
1. I am looking at the remote thermometer from FB. The pompeii instructions say that I should mount the probe into my cooking floor while the FB lady said that it shoud go into the dome about 6" from the floor. Any thoughts? Is this thermometer worth it?
2. I am looking at having a door made for my oven in the style of the old FB door (no longer avail) that was offerred as an option for the pompeii. I am thinking of having mine made 22" x 13.5" x 1/4"to account for a 1" door stop. I heard some folksn making door with slotted vents. Any thoughts here? is 1/4" thick enough??
THANK YOU SO MUCH!

[cobblerdave]

Re: Colorado Pompeii-Thermometer/door help!!

Hi


As you can see from the pics this door is made from 75mm ( 3in) hebel..airated concrete block with an outer of ply mainly to bolt it together and keep the handles cool. It was built from scrap to see it it worked and its worked so well that I have never bother to make a prettier version. The airated block makes it lightr than it looks but it give it excelent insulation.
Use it to block of the oven after pizza at night at say 450C (930 F) and next day at 12:00 you'll have 160C to 200C ( 390F to 320F) which is perfect for baking breads and roasts. It insulates well enough to maintain those temps for another 6 to 8 hours dependant on how long you have the door off the oven.

Regards Dave

PS the temp gauge is brought of the net for $20 and is rated to 500C ( 940 F )

[leolech]

Re: Colorado Pompeii-Thermometer/door help!!

Thanks Dave. Never thought of any door ideas other then metal but it sounds like yours is fine.where did you see the thermometer? Any ideA who makes or sells it?

[Neil2]

Re: Colorado Pompeii-Thermometer/door help!!

"where did you see the thermometer?"

Check at places that sell/repair barbecues. They sometimes have ones that go up to 700-800 F for $10-$15.

Or, or do what I did, raid your local dump to salvage one from discarded barbecue lid.

[Lburou]

Re: Colorado Pompeii-Thermometer/door help!!

I had a welder make two doors. One to modify air flow into the oven while firing it, plus an insulated door with the thermometer in it. The thermometer is about three inches above the oven floor.

[cobblerdave]

Re: Colorado Pompeii-Thermometer/door help!!

Lee B
neat looking doors. be proud of the workmanship!!! I'll have to make the time to produce something neater once the kitchens done....

Leolech
The termometer was brought from an Aussie Co. called "pacific brands" over the net for $24, I would think that the postage would kill plus it only reads in degrees "C" not 'F". What it basically is is a dial with a 6 in (125 mm) probe
to get through the door. I think they called it a pizza oven probe thermometer.
The secound door of Lee B's the one for using whilst the fire still going is called a "blast Door" ?
anyway I'm sure if you punching in blast door into the search bricky in Oz had a thread on one not that long ago

Regards Dave

[david s]

Re: Colorado Pompeii-Thermometer/door help!!

Dave,
How thick is your Hebel insulating panel?
I tried a number of things to insulate the door including Hebel. I used a piece around 1" thick, made a few and they all cracked right down the middle after half a dozen firings. Maybe they weren't thick enough.
I also discovered that screws were a bad way to attach the panel. They get really hot and start to char around the threads, become loose and eventually fail. I now use 316 stainless steel 3/16" bolts. Don't use galv.it's toxic and uses all diam. To reduce heat conduction.

Dave

[cobblerdave]

Re: Colorado Pompeii-Thermometer/door help!!

Dear Dave
Used 3 in cause thats what bunnings had at the time...would have prefered 2 in due to the weight its pretty heffty.
Definitly no Gal!! Used bolts rather than screws and non stainless as it was a bit of an experement. If you have a close look at the photos part of the bottom panel is cracked....but to date it hasn't caused any problems.
After the kitchen is finished I plan to build MK 2 with metal edges? perhaps a metal coating. Definitly a wood face...I like wood and it gives you a good area to scew a set of handles that don't get hot. I really admire Lee Bs doors but am not as good a metal worker as woodworker.
Overall I must say the hebel door has great insulating properties and is easy to find ....if I dropped it tommorrow and broke it I could build another by the end of the day...cut the revel with a handsaw and chisel like butter

Regards Dave

[david s]

Re: Colorado Pompeii-Thermometer/door help!!

Dave,
I think the thicker panel may be the answer. Yours is three times thicker than what I tried, although being made from portland I think it will always crack given time. Mine cracked in exactly the same place. Maybe when you get round to replacing it you could increase its longevity by resisting the temptation to put it in place if the oven is over 300 C.
I've made mine fairly light so you can use it one handed.
Dave