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  • Shep's Oven Firing

    I started my oven in April and did not fire it until June. As I'm the only one I know who has built an oven, I dont know that much about them ,I have a few questions if anyone could answer them I would appreciate it. I have never been able to to have the temp. exceed 600 degrees, it may be my wood,I use only local poplar. Also how long should it take to reach 600 degrees, and how hot should the outside of the dome feel at that temp. I have approx. 4 inches of refactory insulation on top of my dome and have covered that with 3/8 P2000 insulation. also how long should I expect the oven to retain at least 200 degrees? By the way It's a 27 inch oven with a factory dome.

    Thanks
    Barry
    Last edited by Barry Shepherd; 11-06-2008, 01:22 PM. Reason: adding

  • #2
    Re: Shep's Bake Oven

    What am I doing wrong? I'am not getting any answers to my questions.

    Barry

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Shep's Oven Firing

      Hey Shep,

      I moved your posting to Oven Firing -- I think it will get more attention here.

      It sounds to me as though you just haven't built large enough fires. You should be able to get a smaller oven up easily past 700?F in about 40 minutes. You want some serious flame. It sounds like you got the small oven dome kit from Superior. Is that right?

      Basically, go for it with bigger fire and let us know how it goes. Each oven is different, so you can enjoy the process of getting to know your oven, and seeing how long it holds heat for baking and roasting -- and then for lower temp dish, such as beans and lentils.

      Also, take a look at the FB oven firing video. That might have some useful info for you.

      James

      Forno Bravo Video | How to Fire a Wood Oven
      Pizza Ovens
      Outdoor Fireplaces

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Shep's Oven Firing

        I think James hit the nail on the head...add more wood, make it roar!
        Check out my oven progress here: http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/phot...dex.php?u=4147

        See ALL of my pictures here:
        http://picasaweb.google.com/Brevenc/...OutdoorKitchen

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Shep's Oven Firing

          Although not the best choice for maximum BTUs, poplar should burn plenty hot to go beyond 700 degrees. The build a bigger fire mantra holds true; as I was originally told - build a scary fire, if you don't step back and say "holy crap", it needs more wood.
          My only question - you mention dome insulation and it sounds like you are good there; what about under the hearth?

          RT

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Shep's Oven Firing

            I use poplar for early part of my fires and switch to hickory. it burns quickly and hot.

            The poplar I have "pops" and will throw ash on pizzas sometimes.....

            Christo
            My oven progress -
            http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f8/c...cina-1227.html
            sigpic

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Shep's Oven Firing

              Hey Shep,


              RT has my question... Describe your insulation under the oven hearth? If this is not well insulated, your structural hearth will pull lots of heat away from the oven.

              If the insulation is good, then it is probably a question of fire intensity - think 'holy crap'.

              JED

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Shep's Oven Firing

                Jamie

                How do I view the vidios? And my oven is a Superior, and I have not made a holy crap fire, I was afraid it would blowup. I have 4 in. of refactory concrete under the hearth. What about winter firing? I'm not sure where this message is going.

                Thanks
                Shep

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Shep's Oven Firing

                  Hey Shep,

                  Just click on the link and it takes you to a page with a YouTube video. It will work on any computer.

                  To summarize -- it's time to build up to one heck of a fire! :-)
                  James
                  Pizza Ovens
                  Outdoor Fireplaces

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Shep's Oven Firing

                    Originally posted by james View Post
                    Hey Shep,

                    Just click on the link and it takes you to a page with a YouTube video. It will work on any computer.

                    To summarize -- it's time to build up to one heck of a fire! :-)
                    James
                    James

                    Thanks for your help.

                    Shep

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Shep's Oven Firing

                      Originally posted by RTflorida View Post
                      Although not the best choice for maximum BTUs, poplar should burn plenty hot to go beyond 700 degrees. The build a bigger fire mantra holds true; as I was originally told - build a scary fire, if you don't step back and say "holy crap", it needs more wood.
                      My only question - you mention dome insulation and it sounds like you are good there; what about under the hearth?

                      RT
                      R.T.
                      I have 3in. of refactory cement and a layer of silver foil under the hearth. After your advice about a HOLY CRAP fire i think that might be my problem,yet when i put my hand on top of the insulated dome it is too hot to leave my hand there, I read somewhere that it should only be warm. I have about 3 to 4 inches of vermiculite mixed wit concrete in top of the dome. I have 3/8 P2000 insulation over the vermiculite it only gets warm. If I get it up to 700 degrees how long should i keep it fired at that temp.? And how long after i remove the fire should it retain temps of 250 to 300 degrees.

                      Thanks for your interest
                      Shep

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Shep's Oven Firing

                        Shep,

                        You should download the FB Wood-Fired Cooking eBook. It has lots of graphics and descriptions of how to fire and manage your oven. I think that will take a lot of the mystery out of it.

                        One the enclosure heat, it is possible that you are still driving moisture out of the mortars and insulation. That moisture makes the enclosure walls warm as it leaves the oven. After a series of fires, the inside of the oven gets hotter and the enclosure cools down.

                        Check out the eBook. It's free on the FB Store.
                        James
                        Pizza Ovens
                        Outdoor Fireplaces

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Shep's Oven Firing

                          I have 3in. of refactory cement and a layer of silver foil under the hearth
                          Is that a lightweight insulating refractory product, or a heavy solid product? You may have an uninsulated hearth floor, which will give you no end of trouble. Aluminum foil doesn't do much: the caustic masonry products rot it out pretty quickly.
                          My geodesic oven project: part 1, part 2

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Shep's Oven Firing

                            DMUN

                            Here is what I have in my hearth floor. 1st I have 2 in. fire brick, a layer silver foal, then 3 to 4 inches of refactory concrete, and finally 3 inches of regular concrete as the top of my base.

                            Thanks
                            Shep

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Shep's Oven Firing

                              3 to 4 inches of refactory concrete
                              There are literally hundreds of castable refractory products. I don't know what's under your floor. What I'm getting at is whether you have any insulation under there. If not, it's going to be hard to get your oven up to temperature no matter what you burn, or how long.

                              I wish I could say this is an unusual situation. We hear about many ovens built with no insulation or bad insulation (sand, gravel, broken glass) under the floor. There's no satisfactory fix to this problem.
                              My geodesic oven project: part 1, part 2

                              Comment

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