Oven Chemistry

[fourlambs]

As I fumble through this curing process I have read many threads that talk about the stages the oven goes through but I am curious about the 'bricks turning white' bit?

What is happening to the bricks to make them turn white? On my 3rd curing day the entire inside of my dome has gone black from the smoke I guess (note I have used old red bricks), should i expect these to eventually turn white with continued firing?

Surely continued smoke = continued black? Or is it something to do with moisture?

Cheers

Phil

[shuboyje]

Re: Oven Chemistry

Going white, or more commonly "clearing the oven" is when the temperature is hot enough to burn off the smoke, soot and tar. The black you currently see will go away and the brick will be clean. Just like a self cleaning oven. It works the same way.

[ATK406]

Re: Oven Chemistry

If you pay attention, you can actually smell the soot burning off the bricks, the smoke will take on a slightly darker grey and you will smell the plume (not a nice smell at all). It will last a few minutes (more if you have been doing a lot of smoking and have built up a lot of soot/tar on the bricks - like I do). A raging fire doesn't produce a lot of smoke, but when the dome begins to clear, you can smell it.

[brickie in oz]

Re: Oven Chemistry

should i expect these to eventually turn white with continued firing?

Your oven will turn red.

[david s]

Re: Oven Chemistry

When the black soot burns away you are left with the colour of your bricks. If they're white then the oven dome will turn white. If the bricks are red then the oven dome will turn red. The intensity of the flame will make any colour brighter and paler.

[cobblerdave]

Re: Oven Chemistry

Gudday
And the next time you fire it , it's soots up and the process starts again.
Fire is in all of us, flashing up a cold oven , 2 hours later you can still have a 9 yr old attention .... Completely. You figure out perhaps its in our makeup
Regards Dave

[fourlambs]

Re: Oven Chemistry

Wise words from all of you. I hit 400'c yesterday and for a short period experienced the magic!