Dome/Door height ratio with

[Lburou]

Thinking about a Neapolitan dome.

QUESTIONS: When you make a Neapolitan style dome, how does that change the optimal dome height/opening ratio?

Thinking of a 40-42 inch base with a 18-20 inch ceiling, or, is that enough change from a classic shape to have the desired outcome?

I still want to cook turkeys, wild hogs, etc., and would like a 12 inch X 20 inch (arched)opening.

[Lburou]

Neapolitan Dome/Door height ratio

OK, I didn't ask the real question in my mind....

I'll try again: Does the Napoletana dome shape limit oven versatility?

Rationale: The 63% dome height/opening height ratio will result in a lowered oven opening and restrict the size of the items on the menu..

I guess the answer is clear to everyone but myself, however, I may have found the answer in the FB glossary:

Neapolitan Oven
A style of Pizza Oven that features a lower Oven Dome height and more aggressively curved dome shape -- seen in and around Naples and in ovens built by Neapolitan builders throughout Italy. It is said to be tuned for cooking Verace Pizza Napoletana.

I've moved away from the plan to make a barrel oven. The standard pompeii oven seems the best all round oven for us too.

[Neil2]

Re: Dome/Door height ratio with

"Rationale: The 63% dome height/opening height ratio will result in a lowered oven opening and restrict the size of the items on the menu.."

Not really. Even with the 18 inch oven height you will end up with a 11 3/8 high door. This is plenty high enough to get a turkey in. For comparison check the height in your kitchen stove, measuring between the lower rack and the bottom of the burners. You will find it is not much more than this.

[Lburou]

Re: Dome/Door height ratio with

"Rationale: The 63% dome height/opening height ratio will result in a lowered oven opening and restrict the size of the items on the menu.."

Not really. Even with the 18 inch oven height you will end up with a 11 3/8 high door. This is plenty high enough to get a turkey in. For comparison check the height in your kitchen stove, measuring between the lower rack and the bottom of the burners. You will find it is not much more than this.

OK, you are saying that the 63% rule applies in all cases. I guess I'll make a standard dome in order to have the clearance I want for roasting a piglet

I'm still 'seeing through a glass dimly', my grasp of these construction truths is feeble at best. So, thanks again for your patient response

[lwood]

Re: Dome/Door height ratio with

Yes, 63% is an imperative. Actually it can vary a little, maybe 60 - 65%, but that is what optimizes the exit gases to heat retention. You don't want 100% because all your heat will go out the flue. Too small of an opening will not allow the combustion gases to flow properly. 63% is optimum. So yes this is an issue with a low dome oven. If you build a larger oven, it becomes less of an issue..

[Tscarborough]

Re: Dome/Door height ratio with

Exactly, Lwood. The larger the oven, the greater the amount of "slop" available. In a small oven, you will be limited by the height of the door in relation to the dome, but the width only comes into play when figuring out the flue size needed. Roughly 10% of the area of the door opening is what your flue should be, and a little more is better.

[Lburou]

Re: Dome/Door height ratio with

Exactly, Lwood. The larger the oven, the greater the amount of "slop" available. In a small oven, you will be limited by the height of the door in relation to the dome, but the width only comes into play when figuring out the flue size needed. Roughly 10% of the area of the door opening is what your flue should be, and a little more is better.

Have you seen people increase the height of the dome to, say 22-23 inches, while leaving the base circumference at 42 inches, allowing a higher oven landing height and still keeping the 63% ratio? The wild hogs in my area will need a little taller oven opening

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Dome/Door height ratio with

A large number of builders have admitted their final dome height ended up an inch or two higher than planned because of construction 'variances'. Unless one is building a low-dome oven to cook pizza exclusively, I wonder how much a difference this really makes.

[Lburou]

Re: Dome/Door height ratio with

A large number of builders have admitted their final dome height ended up an inch or two higher than planned because of construction 'variances'. Unless one is building a low-dome oven to cook pizza exclusively, I wonder how much a difference this really makes.

Thanks! That is an encouraging report

I'm almost ready to pour the hearth. After that, the oven floor and first chain of bricks.

If I would start the dome today, it would be with a soldier course (with the angle on top) and then a false floor 3 or 4 inches above a 40" oven floor with a Hendo tool installed on it. Then I'd build a 19" Neapolitan Oven dome above the floor. Apply the 63% and have a taller opening for the landing. Sound crazy?

[Tscarborough]

Re: Dome/Door height ratio with

It doesn't sound crazy, but if I understand your plan, you may have structural issues, with the dome exerting too much force on the soldier course.

[Lburou]

Re: Dome/Door height ratio with

It doesn't sound crazy, but if I understand your plan, you may have structural issues, with the dome exerting too much force on the soldier course.

I take your point....

How about making the first chain a ring of brick cut in half and
standing on their ends, with the thin edge (2 1/2?) facing

inside the oven instead of the full brick soldier course described above?

[Tscarborough]

Re: Dome/Door height ratio with

Well, if you are interested, I could certainly post the links to the information required to calculate the requirements, but some of them are pretty esoteric and will require some rather large wild ass guesses on your part.

As a rule, it is better to proceed under best practices and established methods.

[Lburou]

Re: Dome/Door height ratio with

Well, if you are interested, I could certainly post the links to the information required to calculate the requirements, but some of them are pretty esoteric and will require some rather large wild ass guesses on your part.

As a rule, it is better to proceed under best practices and established methods.

I've made a few WAGs, still alive

So, you are saying its taking an uncomfortable risk trying to have it both ways....?

Although an edumicated man, the esoteric data would be wasted on me

Thanks for your input and patience. I know it takes a lot of time to respond to newbies over and over again....I appreciate your help!

[Tscarborough]

Re: Dome/Door height ratio with

No worries. Worst case scenario your oven collapses and you have to start over, so if you are confident with your design, my advice is to go for it.

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Dome/Door height ratio with

Lburou,
For what it's worth, my oven dimensions are almost identical to what you are planning. After difficulty getting my soldiers to mortar together properly in 100F heat, I switched them out to horizontal courses. I feel better about eliminating the outward thrust the dome places on soldiers (thank you dmun and TS) and feel my dome is structurally more solid.
John