36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

[cobblerdave]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
Sounds like that ovens being used to its fullest. From the temps you have posted its starting to get to its best performance. I can't think of anyone that has arrived at this stage of the build and has had an insulated door already constructed! It just doesn't happen at this stage it's usually a flurry of questions on tools and doors ... I was the same.
That looks like a great dome vent the wires a good idea. If I could just add a last suggestion. Roll up a tube of cereal box grade cardboard and poke it in the bottom long enough to get into the insulation layer. It will prevent any stray bit of stucco from blocking it and survive long enough for the stucco to set. It will be moist at that stage and easy to remove.
You then go to the skills suite list and tick the box along side "cement casting" ...only joking.
Regards dave

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Way to go Bruce, your hard work paid off!

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

I took a Sicilian pizza and a Neapolitan pizza to a potluck Saturday and they were well received. Don't plan on firing the oven back up until stucco is done. Oven temp was 260 F this a.m. and we will cook a few casseroles today.

Have been trying to finish shaping and wiring dome. Prepared my vent plug and am just about done. May try to start stucco tomorrow. Bruce

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

I put the insulated door in about 9:30 pm. Temps from thermocouples read about 750F mid brick center of floor and 550F about 2/3 up the dome about a foot to the right of the entry. When I checked at midnight bricks were saturated and all read within a few degrees or 620F. This morning at 9:30 temps were 515F.

A few asides. I found I could use the insulated door during the heating process by rearranging the entry bricks. Finally here is a pic of my prep table. Turned out to be pretty cramped.

[stonecutter]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Looks good Bruce. Glad to be of help, that's what it's all about.

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday
Don't need to wish you luck, with all your hard work you have made your own luck it seems. I think you have done well in curing your oven in the wet conditions you have had. It's rained here as well, not a week had gone by since Feb without rain. Ovens dry inside but the outer brickwork is damp. And you can't seal it till its dry off course. I attach a photo it's starting to grown moss so you see what I mean.
[ATTACH]37611[/ATTACH]
Regards dave

First ones out of oven.

[cobblerdave]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday
Don't need to wish you luck, with all your hard work you have made your own luck it seems. I think you have done well in curing your oven in the wet conditions you have had. It's rained here as well, not a week had gone by since Feb without rain. Ovens dry inside but the outer brickwork is damp. And you can't seal it till its dry off course. I attach a photo it's starting to grown moss so you see what I mean.

Regards dave

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Tonight is the night to try high temp pies. I have five 300 gm dough balls prepared and the oven is fired up and ready to go. Wish me luck.

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

You really shouldnt stucco in sections because that creates weak points and the layer will crack...think of it like a control joint in concrete flatwork. If its easier do several thin coats.

Thanks, will be sure I'm rested before starting a layer. Made a small fire to test chimney, seems to be drawing fairly well. Thanks again for your help with the outer arch. Otherwise I would likely still be trying to work it out.

[stonecutter]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

You really shouldnt stucco in sections because that creates weak points and the layer will crack...think of it like a control joint in concrete flatwork. If its easier do several thin coats.

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
All coming together real nice! Noticed the doors finished too and looking very tidy with it metal handles. That chimneys a stunner as well. So a period of dry wheather and the stucco is done. Can't wait for the recipes
Regards dave

Thanks, it does seem to be coming together. If the weather cooperates I'm going to try and fire it back up and make a few pizzas. Probably keep it simple while I learn to work the oven. I'm not sure how much of the dome I can render in one session. Can the dome be stuccoed in sections if needed?

I took the door to the metal fab place I had ordered the angle iron from to ask advice. They offered to finish it for $50.00. It looks good but there a lot of direct contact of the door with the metal pan so door quickly heats up. Otherwise door works well and even without a gasket gets a good seal on the entry. Bruce

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

I wouldn't leave the canopy anywhere near the oven while firing. The nylon/plastic/canvas will burn and/or melt--guaranteed. When you watch the smoke coming out of the chimney during a firing you get a sense of how much heat is coming up that flue. As you noted during the "tarp incident", it doesn't take much to damage/melt any of those tarp & canopy materials. Also if/when the wind shifts, that hot stream of air will go laterally a lot farther than you think!

I had a nylon canopy over my build, but always moved it well off to the side during firing. Even at that I got several small holes in the material from sparks coming out of the stack...and that was with a spark arrestor cap in place. You might find that by moving the canopy away from the pad (sideways or to the back you can get it out of the chimney exhaust stream adequately and have it reasonably available when you're done and can slide it back. (I even wondered at one point if it would be worth it to put casters in plastic pipe and put them on the canopy legs for rolling the canopy around.)

No doubt the canopy is fabulous to keep the dome & front arch dry -- UNTIL you are firing the oven, then it's got to be moved away from the heat/smoke stream. Hate to have you find out how flammable it really is...

Pretty much what I thought. Wheels would sure make moving it easier. I hope to be able to fire up tomorrow. Thanks for your advice. I am curious to find out how hot the adapter plate will get. Bruce

[cobblerdave]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
All coming together real nice! Noticed the doors finished too and looking very tidy with it metal handles. That chimneys a stunner as well. So a period of dry wheather and the stucco is done. Can't wait for the recipes
Regards dave

[SableSprings]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

I wouldn't leave the canopy anywhere near the oven while firing. The nylon/plastic/canvas will burn and/or melt--guaranteed. When you watch the smoke coming out of the chimney during a firing you get a sense of how much heat is coming up that flue. As you noted during the "tarp incident", it doesn't take much to damage/melt any of those tarp & canopy materials. Also if/when the wind shifts, that hot stream of air will go laterally a lot farther than you think!

I had a nylon canopy over my build, but always moved it well off to the side during firing. Even at that I got several small holes in the material from sparks coming out of the stack...and that was with a spark arrestor cap in place. You might find that by moving the canopy away from the pad (sideways or to the back you can get it out of the chimney exhaust stream adequately and have it reasonably available when you're done and can slide it back. (I even wondered at one point if it would be worth it to put casters in plastic pipe and put them on the canopy legs for rolling the canopy around.)

No doubt the canopy is fabulous to keep the dome & front arch dry -- UNTIL you are firing the oven, then it's got to be moved away from the heat/smoke stream. Hate to have you find out how flammable it really is...

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday
I agree ..... Will be perfect cover over a fold up table for your outdoor kitchen
Regards dave

The canopy has come in handy with recent rains and as Dave points out should be useful after the oven is waterproofed.

Have been working on chimney and finished today. Looking forward to trying it out though will have to move canopy to do so. How much clearance is needed?

Will try to finish rounding dome and maybe work on bricking in the landing. We cooked the past few days with residual heat from Wenensday's fire. Did a pot of baked beans, a pasta casserole, a few baked potatoes, and used the oven to dry out some firewood. Temp right now is 212 F.