Hello from Austin.

[texassourdough]

Re: Hello from Austin.

Hi David!

36 inches works fine. Real versatile size. You will learn to manage your fire and keep it and the coals under control! ) The nice thing about bigger ovens is more room to keep the pizza away from the coals and fire and enough room for two or three pizzas. But you will probably end up a better oven manager than someone with a bigger oven!

Build On!
Jay

[DimTex]

Re: Hello from Austin.

Texas,

Maybe you can answer a few questions for me:

1.) The vermiculite/perlite & portland insulation layer? How come the instructions say create a layer 4 inches thick and covering nearly the entire base area but in pictures I see many folks only pour a layer under their dome and landing area (entry). Which is correct? Is the vermiculite and portland layer not structurally sound enough to bear the weight of the dome?

2.) I see some photos where the builder puts the first course of dome bricks atop the oven floor and some where they abut, again which is right?

3.) Finally, I have it my head to create a fireplace lined with firebrick in the storage area and then vent the smoke through a pair of removable firebricks in the landing that will align with the flue/stack? Has anyone ever tried this?

[texassourdough]

Re: Hello from Austin.

Hi DTex!

My oven is built around a refractory shell and is higher mass in the floor (with 2-3 inches of cement on top of my cement vermiculite) than the Pompeii so I have two strikes against me in trying to answer your question. It is my understanding that the cement/vermiclulite will support the dome once dry. My vermiculite/cement only has to hang onto the floor slab and that seems to be no problem. I don't think I would bring the vermiculite/cement all the way out under the landing though - part way makes sense to create a bit of a thermal break/insulation when the door is closed and you want to hold heat in, but... that is fairly fine detail.

IF I wanted a cooking fireplace I would not put it under the oven. However, what you want to do should work but realize you will probably need firebrick and refractory cement wherever it can get seriously hot (and it will if you use the fireplace!) I would tend to go ahead and build the cooking fireplace to the side and give it a separate chimney. Yeah, dull and ??? but...

Part of the good news is that almost anything will work. People build ovens from mud, brick, rock, etc. and while some work better than others most of them work and often fairly well. My oven has too much hearth mass for its dome mass and so my hearth cools too fast (if it isn't really loaded) but...no big deal, just rake the coals out periodically and reheat the hearth. But it holds heat pretty welll becaue is has more mass than most.

My experiences in San Antonio suggest to me that you want to make sure that you can keep your dome dry (inside the stucco). I personally am probably going to put a gabled roof and walls over my dome to keep them dry. Yes, there are other ways, but...I want to be certain. Firing up a wet oven is not a happy occasion for it will not hold heat and won't cook the way you want to - so I want to make sure my oven is DRY!

Hope that helps a little!
Jay

[dmun]

Re: Hello from Austin.

1.) The vermiculite/perlite & portland insulation layer? How come the instructions say create a layer 4 inches thick and covering nearly the entire base area but in pictures I see many folks only pour a layer under their dome and landing area (entry). Which is correct? Is the vermiculite and portland layer not structurally sound enough to bear the weight of the dome?

Your vermiculite concrete area only needs to extend out beyond the walls of the oven, so that your oven is completely surrounded by insulation. The easiest way to do this is to just pour a full insulation layer on top of your support slab. You can restrict the insulation to just beyond the shape of the oven, but that involves some more creative form building. An advantage to this is that you don't have the crumbly vermicrete exposed on the edge.

2.) I see some photos where the builder puts the first course of dome bricks atop the oven floor and some where they abut, again which is right?

They both are right. Personal choice. I built my dome on the floor because I thought it would distribute the weight a bit better, but both ways work fine.

3.) Finally, I have it my head to create a fireplace lined with firebrick in the storage area and then vent the smoke through a pair of removable firebricks in the landing that will align with the flue/stack? Has anyone ever tried this?

If you're running it past a building inspector, No two fireboxes can share a flue. Even if you aren't, having a fireplace right under the cooking area isn't a very good idea. You're going to roast your legs when you're cooking? One approach to doing this is to build your oven on the diagonal, and have the oven on one side facing the cooking area, and the fireplace offset ninety degrees to face the seating area, with a two flue corner placed chimney. And venting a fireplace through the oven isn't a good idea at all. Outdoor fireplaces have enough trouble with draw without having a weird, leaky smoke chamber halfway up the flue.

[DimTex]

Re: Hello from Austin.

Thanks for the information

[Miasma]

Re: Hello from Austin.

Back, About to start on my third build. Will look for pictures. Hello everyone!

[Lburou]

Re: Hello from Austin.

Back, About to start on my third build. Will look for pictures. Hello everyone!

Lets see some pictures!

What are your lessons learned?