Heat bank filler

[COHIBA]

Hi everyone, j
Have started my hi tech oven and was finding it very difficult to get decomposed granite to fill the heat bank. What have you used and what can be used ? Could I use yellow bricked sand instead

[WJW]

Re: Heat bank filler

By "heat bank", I assume you mean a location in the oven (presumably under the hearth bricks) filled with a substance which can be used to hold and store heat for the purpose of retained heat cooking?

If so, I'm sure there are lots of things you can use, including simple concrete cladding. But why not simply place two layers of firebricks in the hearth? Or one layer with the bricks aranged on their side so that your hearth is 4.5 inches thick?

For that matter, what are you planning to cook? The hearth is the portion of the oven which takes longest to heat. To much mass will take a long time to get up to temp.

I have no heat bank and my hearth is only 2.5 inches thick. No cladding below. Just three inches of fiberboard insulation between the slab and the hearth.

I bake a lot of bread, between 20 and 30 loaves on a given day. I bake in two or three batches. My oven easily cooks that amount of bread with the heat retained from a single firing. I'm certain I could cook fifty loaves on a single firing. If I were going to start making more bread than that, I might add a layer of splits to the hearth to increase hearth mass by 50%.

Bill

[brickie in oz]

Re: Heat bank filler

Forget the heat bank, thats old school thinking, an Alan Watt oven is it?
I built my first oven along the Alan Watt lines, didnt take me long to figure out he has it all wrong and knocked it over to build one properly.

[COHIBA]

Re: Heat bank filler

Well I have his book plus a few others , and the heat bank looked like a good idea. It seems maybe it is not .. Should I just fill it with pearl Crete ? Or just fill it with brickie sand . . Thoughts?

[TropicalCoasting]

Re: Heat bank filler

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f3/hi-6417.html

[Laurentius]

Re: Heat bank filler

One thing you can certainly say about Brickie, he a truly, "Been there, Done that", guy.
He will not lead you astray, but his people skills, sucks.{^^}

[WJW]

Re: Heat bank filler

I don't think his people skills suck...i just think it's an issue of communicating via internet forum boards. There are no voice inflcetions, facial expressions, body language cues, etc., that we are all so used to receiving in a normal conversation.

If a guy just answers a question and states his opinion in a straightforward way, it can seem like he's being short with you, or is annoyed, when in fact he may be the nicest guy on the planet who couldn't be happier sharing his knowledge.

I tend to write novels when I post to make sure my message and mood are being adequately received. Often to the point that I'm sure people thinking "OK, I got it. Shut up already."

Anyway, it's a great forum with great info.

Bill

[Laurentius]

Re: Heat bank filler

Hi Bill,

That was not to be taken seriously, Al is my brother in arms, his no BS approach is a welcome and needed aspect of this forum. Some people are so PC, that they allow newbies to make costly mistakes, when the direct approach would have been most beneficial. I've had people contact me asking if Brickie was angry or didn't like them. So, its just a little joke for the BRICKMASTER.

[brickie in oz]

Re: Heat bank filler

I dont have a problem with anyone Im the happiest guy on the planet, I said happy, not gay.....

[Bacterium]

Re: Heat bank filler

Don't forget the wood oven mantra

....insulate....... Insulate.....insulate.....

I''ll be happy 2.....once I have more insulation

[brickie in oz]

Re: Heat bank filler

Just to clarify for those that dont know, Alan Watt is a disciple of Alan Scott.
Alan Watt is a ceramicist from Canberra and dreams that he is the be all and end all of oven design.

He knows and teaches the basics, ie, large uninsulated heat sink, insulation on top of the oven if you can be bothered.

I attended one of his two day courses ($300) and at the time was mightily impressed with the results............until I found you lot........

All things changed after that, and Im glad..........owhhhh......group hug......group hug...........

[Laurentius]

Re: Heat bank filler

Praise fire, rejoice! Al, has been down the road of misguidances, misinformation and misdemeanors. He has been burned, smoked and stroked, but now he's looked in the depths of insulation and has seen the miracle of science in application. Glory be to the wisdom of paying your dues with the right tools. So here's a shout out to the Brickie of OZ!

[mrchipster]

Re: Heat bank filler

Praise fire, rejoice! Al, has been down the road of misguidances, misinformation and misdemeanors. He has been burned, smoked and stroked, but now he's looked in the depths of insulation and has seen the miracle of science in application. Glory be to the wisdom of paying your dues with the right tools. So here's a shout out to the Brickie of OZ!

Here...Here...I hope some day soon to re-visit the land of Oz and if I am any where near I expect I will pay a visit to Brickie the Oracle of Whittlesea.

Chip

[brickie in oz]

Re: Heat bank filler

Nawh guys, Ive gone all misty.......

[Bacterium]

Re: Heat bank filler

Didn't the oracle turn out to be a female..maybe brickie is hiding something