Glass fibre stove rope

Hi Guys,

I'm making good progress on my oven, built around an Ephrem 2061 from France. Photos to follow soon! (The oven dome is pre-cast in two halves, from volcanic rock.)

Because it's just a basic dome and base, you have to build an arch in front of it to support the chimney. So, I've done this - with high density firebricks, and I will also soon be building a decorative arch in front of that, made from wirecut engineering bricks. There is a gap of about 10mm between the oven and the firebrick arch, and again between the firebrick arch and the decorative arch. This is to act as a thermal break, to stop heat being conducted away from the dome, and also to stop the decorative brick arch (or the tiled fascia) cracking due to heat.

I have some glass-fibre woven stove-rope (from Dudley Designs) to pack into the gaps, it is quite squashable and has gone in OK. However, I am a little concerned that the fibres could be toxic, and if so the likelihood of them landing on the food.

I'm guessing that the heat will soon fuse any microscopic strands together, or else carry the loose ones up the chimney. But, should I be caulking the rope with something heat-resistant and flexible, and if so, what?

My second question is that I have added a layer of calcium silicate blanket (similar to FB blanket?) to the dome, and 'glued' it on with heat-proof silicone. This silicone is said to be good up to 300 degrees c., but what will happen beyond that? The dome is about 50mm thick and I'm guessing non-porous, so as long as no toxic 'burnt silicone' products can seep through... Maybe I should have used some other adhesive, I don't know.

I'll try to get some photos up soon, this whole thing has taken me since March to get this far, and I still haven't started on the roof!

Any advice much appreciated...

Rich

Announcement