Hi all from Aussie

[david s]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

Because of the nature of perlite and vermiculite they suck water into their tiny pores,mbut if you mix it correctly there will not be much excess. Therefore there is little moisture absorbed by the blanket. If you put plastic between the dome and the vermicrete layer it will melt and burn creating very toxic fumes that are bad for the atmosphere. Some people (me included) have tried using al foil as a moisture barrier, either beneath or over the vermiculite layer, both as a reflective layer to retain more heat and as a slip layer. It does not melt and degrade but does a very good job of trapping moisture from escaping. Better to vermicrete straight onto the blanket IMO.

[david s]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

thanks guys, much appreciated.
the reason i am not doing a pompeii style is because i was given the refractory mortar & blanket,

how does this govern the choice of design?????

[Aussie Pete]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

before i go into it...define "pompeii style" exactly?...

[david s]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

In short a hemisphere with the flue at the front and the door between the oven and the flue entry.

[Aussie Pete]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

ok....so my oven is a pompeii style oven, except the door is outside the flue.

i just need some baffle pics & ideas, will look at yours david
thanks.

[david s]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

If you haven't already, I think you should download the free Pompeii plans from this site.

[Gulf]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

ok....so my oven is a pompeii style oven, except the door is outside the flue.

Why not plan on two doors, one that is traditional and one that can be set outside of the flue. It will give you a little more versatility.

[Johnny the oven man]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

Ive seen a 2.5m diam. wood fired commercial oven that had both front and rear doors, worked really well. It was for making Pitta bread so the time in the oven was very short, thus the need to have greater access to remove the product before it burnt.

[brickie in oz]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

define "pompeii style"

Cowering in a corner while getting covered in ash.

[Aussie Pete]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

evening all...
David, i have downloaded the pompeii plans, and i am incorporating ideas from this and other ideas i have seen....probably not the norm, but to my experience level i am comfortable doing it this way.
And honestly, really...its all about the finish product (as long as it works & its what i have invisioned), to me its about being out there doing the man'ly thing, pottering about in the backyard building my very own pizza oven, laying cement, cutting stuff, measuring this,lining up that.
Its my idea of doing something i really want to do and have, i dont have a very big shed, so in the backyard mucking around on a PIZZA OVEN is well....pretty good pass time to me.

Crap.... was i ranting..sorry.

I just sit back sometimes...and think.. (i'm making a pizza oven), now how many people can say that?

Ok...i have to finish this project now and stop thinking about it, i have soooo many ideas on what to do, partly things i have read, some things i have seen, so i'm kinda putting this oven together with a picture in my head and wingy it from there. i know what your thinking.(this guy is a nutter)...No, i am studying different ways & ideas, i've done some research, i think i get confused sometimes, because you read or hear about other methods that could work in your oven, but you've already commited to your original idea, then i try to compromise and go from there....Crap....does that make sense??...geezz, and i'm not even legless.
Sorry to a lot of Americans on here, you may not quite understand what i'm on about, but hopefully the Aussies here can relate or atleast understand my mentality...or should i say thinking

In short...i'm looking forward to getting out there tomorrow and get this oven done & dusted...wish me luck.

[Aussie Pete]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

is it inperitive to wet the bricks before joining?. I'm about to do the arch, just wanting to get everything right so they dont fall down on me.
Should they be soaked or just wet?
Does it really matter.
they are refractory bricks on the arch
thanks

[brickie in oz]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

is it inperitive to wet the bricks before joining?. I'm about to do the arch, just wanting to get everything right so they dont fall down on me.
Should they be soaked or just wet?
Does it really matter.
they are refractory bricks on the arch
thanks

Ive built hundreds of arches and never had to wet 1 brick.
Its an oven builders myth that you have to wet the bricks before you lay them.

[Aussie Pete]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

thanks Al, i was hoping you were on to answer that one.

[cobblerdave]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

ok....so my oven is a pompeii style oven, except the door is outside the flue..

Your building a round oven...right?....why bother complicating things with a internal flue and damper at all. A pompeii will smoke a little while firing up then an amazing thing happens as the heat builds up the oven clears of visible smoke. All the heat is contained in the oven and doesn't go up the flue with the smoke. I have a mate with a tunnel oven with an internal flue to run efficently it spends most of its time with a tile over the flue.

Regards Dave

[brickie in oz]

Re: Hi all from Aussie

I have a mate with a tunnel oven with an internal flue to run efficently it spends most of its time with a tile over the flue.

No offence Dave, but your mate built it wrong then.