Shep's Oven Firing

[Barry Shepherd]

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

[Barry Shepherd]

Re: Shep's Bake Oven

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

Barry

[james]

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

[Breven]

Re: Shep's Oven Firing

I think James hit the nail on the head...add more wood, make it roar!

[RTflorida]

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

[christo]

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

[Jed]

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

[Barry Shepherd]

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

[james]

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

[Barry Shepherd]

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

James

Thanks for your help.

Shep

[Barry Shepherd]

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

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

[james]

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

[dmun]

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.

[Barry Shepherd]

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

[dmun]

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.