Oven Build in SC

[videts38]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Hi deejayoh,
Thanks for the compliments. Yes, I found a pretty good price on the IFB . I think the cost was almost half what the CF board would have cost me. I think the place I bought them were clearing their inventory. Believe me, I think I would have prefered the larger board to the IFB but all said and done it wasn't too difficult. And with the vrete and IFD the height of the floor came up to a more desireable height.

[texman]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Thanks Utah,
Appreciate your willingness on any questions. I have read GianniaF blog a number of times and will probably be reading it a bunch more in addition to others. I am concerned about the tie-in of the arch/dome and the dreaded droop!!

Gianni's is documented very well. Keep in mind how much of the inner arch that you want to protrude to be part of your vent. Russel and DJ did a great job on their arch as well. Stick with those and you have it made. The hardest part for me was the setup and where that arch actually sits in relation to the center of the dome. Gianni's method of using that board cut to the dome curve and top of arch is the best way IMO. It will make more sense as you start building.
Tracy

[deejayoh]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Looking good! Laying the floor is a pretty easy (and very satisfying) job. With the skills you are demonstrating, you will blaze through it. Only really thought provoking part is figuring out how to avoid small brick bits at the edges - which you appear to have sorted out for your IFB course.

Speaking of that - when I priced IFB it was quite spendy. More than the CF board IIRC. Did you find a good price on it?

[videts38]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Thanks Utah,
Appreciate your willingness on any questions. I have read GianniaF blog a number of times and will probably be reading it a bunch more in addition to others. I am concerned about the tie-in of the arch/dome and the dreaded droop!!

[videts38]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Hi Colrain01340,
No I haven't put to much thought into the door yet but will need to sooner or later. But from my readings on the forum you need to have an insulated door (or something) to be able to do any baking of breads and other goodies to ensure the oven holds the heat. Not being a welder/fabricator I'm sure that will be an out-sourced item!

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Oven Build in SC

I used a slurry but I have seen people use a dry mix as well. Spend the time to figure out a taper arch and when you build trust your IT. It will help you marry the dome and arch and minimize the dreaded droop. GianniaF really has a good explanation on determining angles of your taper with good input from others. Yell if you have questions.

[videts38]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Thanks Russell, I picked up a 1/4" nothched trowel last night! I was going to go for a dry sand/fireclay mixture because like you mentioned I thought the IFB layer would suck all the water out of the slurry. Are you aware of any adverse effects of using a dry sand/fireclay mixture to set the floor?
I've been looking over GianniFocaccia or Karangi Dudes builds as well as yours and about a hundred other ones. I get kind of mind boggled after a while and just go for it and just accept it. Which makes me nervous at times. (lol)

By the way, I've been following your counter work and like what your doing. I'm planning on something along those lines also. I appreciate you taking the lead!!

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Good idea on leaving the forms up on the vcrete. My toes buggered up my FoamGlass insulation layer. Use a 1/4" notch trowel to lay your fire clay/sand mix. Just like setting floor tiles. If you use a slurry you may need to water down the IFB be keep them from sucking all the water out of the slurry. I see you are designing your opening, consider a tapered arch, it will make the dome tie-ins easier. Look at GianniFocaccia or Karangi Dudes build for a baseline. Keep up the good work.....addicting hug!

[colrain01340]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Any thoughts on the door for the oven? Sources, functionality, and pricing?

[videts38]

Re: Oven Build in SC

I finished cutting the dome floor this weekend. Then I removed the forms I had for the archways and was quite happy (and surprised) that they came out as nice as they did. There were a couple of air bubbles but nothing to bad and this will be veneered over anyway. The curves were nice and smooth. Now the curved landing area is another story, I'll have to do a little grinding to smooth (round) it out a little. Nothing to bad though. I also opened the forms up on the insulating layer and insulating firebrick to get a view of how that turned out and again was quite happy on how it looked. Then I buttoned it back up to keep it protected while I'm working on the dome to prevent any kicking it might receive. I then proceeded to make the opening template for the dome (12.5"H X 20"W). I'm not aware of a particular radius that is supposed to be used for this so I ended up tracing a bucket I had in the garage. Unless someone tells me otherwise I believe it should work.
This afternoon I hope to level out the top of the IFB with some sand and fireclay to start the placement of the dome floor. For some reason I believe this is going to be a PITA, but I hope not.

[deejayoh]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Congrats on getting started with the cutting. I remember that being quite a good feeling. Now just wait until you start mortaring!

To your heatbreak question - I did something similar in my oven. I used a piece of 0.75" x 1.5" stainless tube, set on insulated firebrick to bring it to the oven height. You can see it here behind the soapstone. I ran the IFB all the way under the soapstone in order to get it up to level and provide less opportunity for heat transfer from the oven to the landing

I think the piece that you have will work fine - but you should fill it with CF Blanket or v-crete as you are planning. I left mine empty, but there is some limit to how wide an air-space you can have in a tube before you get a convection effect - which can be worse than having no heat break! There is quite a discussion of this on my thread here, if you are interested.

As for angling the bricks - Personally, I would not. I find they are pretty brittle when cut with small edges and would not want to risk breakage in the long run. Just my $0.02

Dennis

[videts38]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Thanks Russell and Tracy for your opinion. Yes, I have a bucket for clean water and pump, the bucket underneath was to catch all the firebrick remnants that will also be recycling into my HB mortar. I also had to remove the rubber booty; it's a thick rubber and was interfering with pushing the brick through for the cut. I was surprised at the small amount of dust that was created; I mean I thought I was going to be overwhelmed with it. But it was not that bad.

[texman]

Re: Oven Build in SC

Very nice cuts on your floor. I agree w/ Russell-use the stainless if you like it. It will look good and will provide an adequate heat break. Get that saw in a "handy" place close to oven. You are going to make MANY trips back and forth and create a HUGE mess. It is a blast and a lot of work, but no other oven will be the same as yours.
My water pump on my saw lasted about an hour. I replaced it with a 100 gl./hr pump and kept that new pump in clean water in a bucket and it worked well. Think about what you want to do with all the fireclay you will be creating. Keep some, but you will have around 200# of the stuff i guess. i used a bucket to catch the dirty water from the catch pan and then used a garden hose to drain that to an area away from the kitchen. Lots of mess management in this project and it keeps the Mrs. kinda happy.
Tracy

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Oven Build in SC

the fun begins...i used a ss tube as a heat break, is it effective? Lots of opinions out there, even some tables of thermal transmission of materials, btw ss is not too bad and you have a air channel too. Imho if you have the ss and it fits in well use it. I see a bucket under the wet saw, fresh water supply for pump? If not consider one saves on pump life good luck will be watching

[videts38]

Re: Oven Build in SC

WoooHooo!!! Finally cut my first firebrick!! And I was excited as much as I was nervous. I started to shape the WFO floor last night. I didn't get as far as I wanted but everything takes time between setting up, working for about an hour and a half and then cleaning up. But......I'm cut'n bricks! Here's my set up for the saw, I believe I owe banhxeo76 for the handcart/saw idea, so thank you sir. It helps to get the saw into the yard and is a good working height. So after setting up I got to cutting the floor firebricks. I was a little nervous about how they were going to round for the floor but after a few cuts I was put at ease. It's not that difficult; just have to take your time.

I have a question for anybody to answer: I plan a heat break at the oven entrance floor. I've seen a few on the forum and think it's a good idea. My bricks are 3" thick and I have a 3" square piece of stainless tubing with a wall thickness of 0.230". I planned on packing it in with vcrete for added insulating properties and also to angle the bricks that come into contact with it to minimize surface contact between the two. Is this to big of a piece of steel tubing for the concept? Will it act as a heat sink instead of a break? I attached a picture of the tube next to a brick.

I'd appreciate anyone's thought on this.