Here are my cracks at 3rd fire 400 degrees

[pzachef]

I was careful sterno's for the first day fire and 200 degrees.
Second day 300 degrees with kindling and some paper.
Third day kindling and some small wood to 400 degrees and noticed the cracking from front arch thru reveal and inner arch.
The dome from the inside still looks solid with no cracks.
Seems to be getting tighter as it cools.
Advice needed, please see photos.

Thanks, Bob

[Tscarborough]

Re: Here are my cracks at 3rd fire 400 degrees

Cook pizzas!



Seriously, no issues there. The wider the mortar joint, the more cracking, but it is not structural, won't hurt a thing.

[pzachef]

Re: Here are my cracks at 3rd fire 400 degrees

Thanks for the response. It just hurts to see them after so much time and work.

[ThermoJax]

Re: Here are my cracks at 3rd fire 400 degrees

I think its part of the letting go process. It's like a kid... there gonna do want they want. This thing isn't gonna fall down, even if the mortar burns out, it will still stand. Somehow, I get the impression that most ovens get cracks. Yours is a good oven, and will serve you well throughout the years. Plus, no one else you know has one. So, You Rule !!!!!

Tom

[dmun]

Re: Here are my cracks at 3rd fire 400 degrees

Once your oven settles down, and you are a dozen full fires into the process, you can go back with a diamond blade in an angle grinder, grind out the offending joints, and repoint it with the same mortar you built with. In the meantime, enjoy your oven.

[pzachef]

Re: Here are my cracks at 3rd fire 400 degrees

Yeah, it's true, it's lke my baby and I don't want anything to happen to it. Funny but, i really do appreciate the supportive and encouraging words from those of you who have been thru it already. Another photo attached from yesterday, pre-cracks.

[fxpose]

Re: Here are my cracks at 3rd fire 400 degrees

It's like getting a small ding on your brand new car. It'll pass. I have a beautiful crack inside the dome. My oven now has character...

[pzachef]

Re: Here are my cracks at 3rd fire 400 degrees

Well tonight is my 500 degree burn. I hope to see last nights cracking shrunk to a line when I begin this evening. It was starting to reduce while cooling last night. I'll eventually have to decide if I'm going to leave them or fix them? My enclosure will eventually cover the front or outer arch so, I need to decide before I get that far.
I am anxious to build my permanent enclosure here in south FL. I used the insulating board and not the vemiculite slurry as a base to build on so, I have a canopy above and a temporary wood framed sidewalls. I sweat everytime we have rain because I worry so much about getting the board wet.

[mikesuttie]

Re: Here are my cracks at 3rd fire 400 degrees

I have an identical crack on exactly the same side of the same brick in my outer arch. It opens up a bit when the oven is pizza temp and contracts when cools. It won't affect the structural integrity of your build and the pizzas will be none the wiser. Boootiful build by the way, enjoy your hard work and fix little issues later on over a nice cold beer.

[pzachef]

Re: Here are my cracks at 3rd fire 400 degrees

I'm sercretly hoping not to see more cracking as I continue the curing process. I'll post more after this evenings burn. And yes, "mikesuttie" beer or wine is definitely in order.....maybe I won't notice the crack so much after a few.

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Here are my cracks at 3rd fire 400 degrees

Nice looking oven! Great brick work! Don't worry about those cracks, but I do like dmun's suggestion if the crack in the front bothers you for aesthetic reasons.

[stonylake]

Re: Here are my cracks at 3rd fire 400 degrees

I insulated my dome and started to stucco before i got my oven that hot. I faced my arch with terra cotta roof tile that I cut, and 2 of the mortar joints have cracks.. oh well. Had a big fire last nite and most of the brick cleared up, first pizzas tomorrow!

[pzachef]

Re: Here are my cracks at 3rd fire 400 degrees

I didn't insulate yet because I thought it was to be done after curing? Have I done wrong?

[pzachef]

Re: Here are my cracks at 3rd fire 400 degrees

Before I start my 500 degree fire, I wanted to share the cooled down photo's after last night fire and cracking. It appears to have shrunck back down to a fine line crack, see these new photos as compared to the ones I posted in the beginning of this thread.

[stonylake]

Re: Here are my cracks at 3rd fire 400 degrees

I had several fires in my oven while i was insulating and doing stucco... started with a trouble light with a 100 watt bulb, did sterno twice, and various sizes of fires. i have a crack about a third of the way around (135 degrees of the circle). i need to get a thermometer, i had the mother of all fires saturday, cooked pizza for the first time... the oven was too hot.. 90 second pies. i wish that i had built my arch/vent a little higher like you did... i get a bit more smoke than i want, but maybe i can fix part if that with more chimney.