Oven mass

[That's Amore]

I am in the process of curing my 42" pompeii dome and I must say so far it is going well. I just completed my fourth fire and from this, it was the first time I felt the heat on the outside of the oven. This happened when the little bit of sticks and 3 pc's of wood were flaming great but the heat on the outside of the oven came after the fire was at the coal state with a very small flame. the temp reached about 450 to 550 deg F in the dome. This leads to my question, the top of the oven was very hot because we all know that the flame is directly bellow and the sides of the oven a little cooler, so would it be a good idea to add more mass on the top of the oven or would this create problems. Just so you know I plan on enclosing the dome and I will use the ceramic blanket 3' on the side and probably 5" on the top and am thinking, should I put loose vermiculite or is what I am doing enough.

Sorry for the winded message But I thought the more info the better.
If anyone can help me out it would be great.

Cheers!!

[dmun]

Re: Oven mass

I don't see any need for additional mass at the top. The oven is hotter at the top because heat rises. I don't think having more masonry on the top would change this simple fact.

[ThermoJax]

Re: Oven mass

I used an electric skillet and could feel the whole dome, especially the top feel pleasantly warm. You might want to try something like that. It seems to me that you get a constant measurable heat that you could slowly cure. Plug the door up with something like an R-13 insulation to keep the heat in there. I can imagine it taking alot of moisture out. I did that for a week at 250, waited another week without it, then a week at 400. ( I think that just because the skillet was set at 400 does not mean that the dome was all the way up to 400)

Good Luck

(the curing schedule sure does suck...I am so ready for that "scary fire"

Tom

[That's Amore]

Re: Oven mass

By the way I love the geodesic and thanks for the info I have already completed my 5 th curing fire and so the skillet idea is a little to late for me at this point. I did notice a little smoke coming from the dome at the top and I hope it is nothing to worry about, I plan on finishing the curing process then adding some refractory cement to cover what I believe to be small cracks in the motor joints just in one small area. Any thoughts Thanks again guy's