Oven Curing

[Groves]

Re: Oven Curing

Anytime a dome temp is lower than a floor temp, I would suspect foul play.

[Jim Bob]

Re: Oven Curing

Groves,
My contractor made that one mistake with the probe depths into the firebrick. The floor brick has the probe within 1" of the floor. He didn't tell me but his small bit broke when drilling the one in the dome and it is only about 1.5"- 1.75" away from the interior of the dome. So, I was expecting some variance, BUT not 210 degree difference!
May be forced to spend another $100- $150 on an infrared thermometer so I can cross check those temps.
Jim Bob

[Wiley]

Re: Oven Curing

Well Jim Bob, all I can say is I am very pleased with my cheapo infrared thermometer I bought from Harbor Freight Tools. On special I paid $29.95 and have compared it at lower temps to a friends high priced model designed for measuring temps on engines and it has been spot on. I used probes on my enameling kiln/furnace when the probes were connected to a process control computer and controlled the temp thru SSRs and the temp was very programable. That was an indoor protected environment. So I am familiar with probes meters etc.. Long term outdoor use of probes and the accompanying electronics (even if only a simple analog meter) to me is problematic. So far I have not regretted my choice.

Wiley

[Jim Bob]

Re: Oven Curing

Wiley,
I went directly to Harbor Freight and found one a little more expensive--- $59.99. But it does register temps up to 1100 degrees F and has a 16" flexible end for seeing around corners.
Thanks for the tip. Now I will have a cross check for better cooking.
Jim Bob

[mannextdoor]

Re: Oven Curing

Does the oven need to be insulated before the oven is cured? Will it hurt for the oven to sit out in the weather, without being covered, if I wait until spring to fire the oven? Just the dome without any insulation on it, or should I tarp it?

Mannextdoor

[Frances]

Re: Oven Curing

Does the oven need to be insulated before the oven is cured?

That question has been debated a great deal...

The final verdict I believe was that it's probably better to insulate first, because the thermal stress on the dome is smaller if it can cool down slowly.

That said, it doesn't seem to matter all that much. If you have a good reason for curing before insulating (i.e. getting it done before Winter... ) your oven will still work beautifully.

But you definitely need to tarp and uncured oven over winter. In fact I'd cover a cured one, too.

Go on, wait for it to cure for a week, then fire it up! You know you want to!!

[mannextdoor]

Re: Oven Curing

Thanks for the input. I will keep a tarp on it. You just have to wait one week? What happened to the 28 day cure? If you insulate and then fire. Do you take the insulation back off to inspect for cracks? Or just inspect from the inside? Your right, I would like to see a fire in it. But if I have a greater chance of getting a better oven with a longer cure, I would opt for the better oven.

Mannextdoor

[tmcnam]

Re: Oven Curing

Hi All,

I got in a bit of a hurry and built a bigger fire than I wanted and have a 1/8" crack from the chimney base up part way up the dome with smoke coming out. I have yet to see a reply as to what to do about these cracks i.e. how do you seal them? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Tim

[Frances]

Re: Oven Curing

I really can't see your oven being improved in any way from waiting all through the winter until firing it up. Rather the contrary. The one week wait would be a minimum though, cement continues hardening for years but hardens fastest during the first week (or so I read on the forum )

I do know that regular cement work (like the hearth) can be continued after a week. If 28 days are advised for the dome... well its still less than waiting until spring time.

A lot of builders have placed an insulating blanket over the oven while curing, so that they could remove it to check for cracks afterwards... but I don't remember reading about anyone who actually had cracks that needed mending from the outside, so that would seem like a opotional extra.

What I ended up doing with my oven was to cure it first, then wrap it with isulation and cover it with a layer of tarps to wait for spring... which meant I could use it all through the winter and by the time I covered the outside in a layer of concrete the inside was well and truely cured.

Remember, increase the temps slowly, cracks do happen to the best ovens, but whichever way you decide to go, I'm certain it will work out fine!!

[pjcampo]

Re: Oven Curing

So if I am doing 1 layer per day, should I be wetting the previous layers daily also, or just wait until the end (say, a week of total build time) until I wet it. I would think waiting until finishing would not keep the lower layers wet enough.

[FornoEd]

Re: Oven Curing

I am new to this family of wood oven bakers, so I will be needing some advice as I am anxious to get started. I am ready to start curing my Primavera oven here in SE Pennsylvania and I am wondering given the climate should I go ahead or wait (really do not want to) until the spring. Also, the instructions on curing the Primavera oven say to reach the set temperature, for each day, and maintain that temperature all day and let the oven cool at night and begin the next day at the next day's increased temperature. I have read on the forum that once you reach the temperature for the day, you should then let the oven cool until the next day. Which method is preferred and does it matter given the daytime temps are around 40oF and night are 30oF or below.

[ERASMO]

Re: Oven Curing

Forno

Welcome
I am also in SE Pa. I also have a Primavera oven. I love it!!
I recently cured my oven and had no trouble in our climate. I did not have my oven door when I started curing. I just followed the temperature rules as best as I could and it all worked out fine. I brought the oven up to the required temperature and kept it their as long as I could and then let it cool down and started the next night with the higher temp. I work six days from 6:00 until 4:00 so I just worked on it every night when I got home.
YouTube - WOOD FIRED OVEN PIZZA PART ONE FORNO BRAVO GALANTINO PRIMAVERA 60

Check out my videos.

[Acoma]

Re: Oven Curing

Frances, I had cracks on the dome exterior that needed mending. Curing is such an animal that cannot be tamed.

[Roger]

Re: Oven Curing

Welcome FornoEd

Don't wait!!! you will miss out on 3 to 4 months of Primavera fun!
I also have the Primavera oven and I cured mine on the weekends only.
Erasmo is right, do the best you can and things will work out fine.
I might be in a little colder area here in Minnesota. I do fire-up my oven slowly in the cold. I/We might be a bit more careful because we don't want to crack or ruin our new ovens, but the more I use the little oven the more impressed I am with the Quality and Performance. So far the oven looks as good as it came in the crate, no cracks.

Good Luck,

Roger

[Acoma]

Re: Oven Curing

If own gets theirs from crate, curing by directions is basic. Blankets help to retain the heat. If building your own, well....whole new ballgame. Just an fyi from a "winter builder".