door for firing oven

[Thailandnotes]

I have not yet built a door for my oven.
I'm currently burning it's 4th curing fire.
I have a wooden template for the shape of the door.
In the picture the template is angled to allow air to enter along the floor of the oven.

With it in place, the fire inside the oven rages.
Without is the fire struggles.

I realize every oven is different, but I'm wondering what normal.
This a Pompeii 36 inch oven.

[cobblerdave]

Re: door for firing oven

Gudday
"Normal" is cured and dry. How long have you fired it?
Regards dave

[Thailandnotes]

Re: door for firing oven

I've fired it 4 times in 8 days. My basic question is....does a normal "cured" Pompeii oven work best with a draft door or should the fire in the oven roar without one?

[david s]

Re: door for firing oven

I believe that a draft door creates too rapid a rise in temperature to be safe to the refractory surrounding the fire. A temperature increase of around 400 C/ hr does not allow enough time for the refractory to expand evenly and can lead to more cracking. If your oven does end up with lots of cracks then it won't fall to bits, but you will be able to blame the rapid temperature rise caused by the draft door. It would be like firing a kiln with the burner on full straight after light up.... expect problems, not only will the pottery be likely to be ruined, but the kiln's life will be shortened. Better to fire a bit slower with the door fully open IMO.

[Greenman]

Re: door for firing oven

I use a blast door but restrict the air intake once it is going properly. I find that it just keeps the heat where it is wanted during the warm up stage and makes sure that the smoke goes where is is supposed to. I agree with Dave about the rapid heat up not being ideal. I usually allow 2 hours to gently bring the oven up to full temp and saturated, it is all about control I reckon and a door that has some airflow control works for me.

It also has the benefit of gaining some economy of wood use.

IMHO

[Gulf]

Re: door for firing oven

I have a blast door, but I seem to think that slowly adding wood works the best for me. Like David, I think that bringing the dome up to temp slowly is the best. No cracks so far! (fingers crossed) .

With a full open door, keeping the flames in the oven, and not up the flu, is the most efficient use of wood that I have found .

[wotavidone]

Re: door for firing oven

I have a door with a cutout section that I refuse to think of as a blast door.
I use it to exclude the ever present winds that drive us crazy in my home town. They blow in the door, even though I tried to site the oven with its back to the wind, and cause a waste of heat and smoke to come out the front. The door addresses that issue, and I balance the indisputable increase in heating rate by being careful with how much wood I add at any one time. I too subscribe to the theory that an excessively rapid heat-up can't be good for the oven.

[oasiscdm]

Re: door for firing oven

Hey guys how about some picks of these draft/blast doors.

[brickie in oz]

Re: door for firing oven

Hey guys how about some picks of these draft/blast doors.

There is a whole thread on them here somewhere.

[oasiscdm]

Re: door for firing oven

Have searched and Buggered if I can find it. I know yours as I have Seen it when I picked up the bricks.. and you have photo on the show us your door thread.

But that is not the thread I believe there ids one specifically on draft doors.

[wotavidone]

Re: door for firing oven

Here's mine. It's pretty simple - a half circle of stainless steel sheet cut to fit in the outer arch, with a cut out at the bottom to let some air.
The door is positioned far enough out that it does not restrict flow of combustion gases into the throat.
Since this door really does accelerate the burn rate by directing a stream of air at the base of the fire, I tend to be careful how much wood I add.