32" build in north TX

[strobes]

Hi,
finally I started to build, have base and finishing the stand. Planning the oven. And at this point I need some help from the Forum.
I decided to build 32" to shorten heat time. Hope to have it ready in an hour.
Main use would be 8-10 pizzas with small fire going. After pizza a Turkey or beef roast. May be couple of loafs of bread.
For this use, do I need any extra thermal mass?
My plan is to use 27% silica 9"x4.5"x2.5" brick. Oven's floor right on 2" FB board. And 2-3" blanket around oven. No cladding on dome. Door height 11", width 12". What do you think? Any comment or critique are welcome.
Thank you.

[deejayoh]

Re: 32" build in north TX

Welcome!


The thermal mass with 1/2 bricks will be fine. But you might want to think about more insulation under - especially if heat up time is a priority (and you want heat retention for bread). Go with 3 inches if the extra height is not an issue.

I assume your dome will be around 16.5-17" high, in which case 11 inches sounds about right (maybe a tad high) but you probably want to go with a much wider door. Like 20-22 inches. Think about the door as a semi-circle. A 12 inch wide door isn't even going to accept a standard 14" wooden pizza peel! Maybe that was a typo?

[thebigt]

Re: 32" build in north TX

I just finished my 32" oven and the door height was 11" and the width is 16". I have a 12" pizza peel which has been working fine for me. Though after using it a bit a wider door would be nice but I'm still pretty happy with mine.

[strobes]

Re: 32" build in north TX

The height is not an issue, yes I can use 3" FB, may be add a layer of insulating concrete.
But on the subject of the door, I see the point that 12" wide door is too small, I guess 16" just about right. Bigger door may will cause significant heat dissipation? ( even with insulating door)
thebigt, how long takes to make it hot for a pizza? How many bricks were used? ( just to calculate thermal mass. I think my build would take about qty 120 that is without arch, just dome. how thick insulation did you use?

[thebigt]

Re: 32" build in north TX

It takes me about an hour to an hour and a half and I used about 120-130 firebrick but my entrance was made totally out of reclaimed chimney bricks. I used 2" below the oven and 2" on top.

[ScottnDawna]

Re: 32" build in north TX

Hey!!!

We are north of Dallas planning our Pompeii build. Where were you able to source your supplies around here?? Firebrick is fairly easy but the insulating board and blankets are tougher.

[strobes]

Re: 32" build in north TX

Hey!!!

We are north of Dallas planning our Pompeii build. Where were you able to source your supplies around here?? Firebrick is fairly easy but the insulating board and blankets are tougher.

You got PM

[Brave]

Re: 32" build in north TX

I agree the original door width of 12" is too small. 16" is fine and won't cause a great deal of heat loss. I think the height of the door has a greater influence on the heat dissipation.

[strobes]

Re: 32" build in north TX

Happy New Year! The Weatherman was right, it rains here in North Dallas so now is a perfect time to type some updates while watching the Murderer's Row?
Well after a week of cutting 196 bricks and placing them with 15 gallons of homebrew in right places, the keystone was installed right in time for me to clean up and go for New Year celebration.
While building I have had 100 watt bulb inside the dome to prevent mortar from freezing, occasionally night temperatures were below 32F. And promote curing. So clay in mortar would shrink for next day work. In my opinion he extra water in mortar bloats it volume and cracks appear when water evaporates. And by the way ?dry? bricks absorb water from mortar so it shrinks during brick installation faster compare to dehydration by evaporation. Wet clay has volume 8% greater than dry. How do I know? Well my house has seasonal movements...

[Tscarborough]

Re: 32" build in north TX

You are correct in that the drying of mortar induces shrinkage, so it should be as dry as is possible for the intended use. However, this does mean that mortar is generally wetter than concrete, and if using dry firebrick, as you should, it should be like sloppy peanut butter. It is noted by masonry standards that there is NO given formula for mortar, it has to be job adjusted. Unless it is 100 degrees and the wind is blowing, do not wet the brick, for example.

[strobes]

Re: 32" build in north TX

Weather was marginal here so I was taking small task ? cleaning inside oven by removing hearth bricks and cleaning mortar leftovers that dropped while dome was build and separating tarp from dome so condensation collected on the bottom of the tarp does not go on the dome again.
And here some pictures. I was experimenting with 16 gauge metal sheet that I cut and installed on top of insulation, it proved to be useful: bricks weight is distributed well over insulation, floor bricks are easy to remove-install, they still perfectly leveled. And you can see a wire that goes from top cap to the metal piece that will be used to secure insulation. By the way the cap in a satellite dish that I cut.
Inside part I cut out was used to finish the dome. I used bottle jack to keep it in place and it was the support to install last couple of courses of bricks.

[DavidApp]

Re: 32" build in north TX

It is looking Good.

I would hate the thought of having to remove and replace my hearth bricks under the dome. It was enough of a task the first time when I had full access to the floor. I used a temporary plywood floor to protect the bricks from mortar and a way to anchor my IT device. The temporary floor was cut in half and held together with batons to ease removal.
I did learn that tapping a hearth brick with a soft mallet to try to level it can chip the edge of the brick. Luckily I only had to remove 3 bricks to get to the chipped one.

David

[strobes]

Re: 32" build in north TX

It is looking Good.

I would hate the thought of having to remove and replace my hearth bricks under the dome. It was enough of a task the first time when I had full access to the floor. I used a temporary plywood floor to protect the bricks from mortar and a way to anchor my IT device. The temporary floor was cut in half and held together with batons to ease removal.
I did learn that tapping a hearth brick with a soft mallet to try to level it can chip the edge of the brick. Luckily I only had to remove 3 bricks to get to the chipped one.

David

just to mention the metal sheet has to have cuts to relive stress created by linear thermal expansion of the steel. For example 40" steel plate will expand .3" but bricks will expand .12" at 750C

[strobes]

Re: 32" build in north TX

Few more pictures from the build, thermal break between dome and chimney arch, arch and my first " fire" setup with electrical heating element with temperature controller I build for my souse vide.

[DavidApp]

Re: 32" build in north TX

Hello Strobes

I like the heater setup.

I am going to use a gas burner to do the same thing when I get to that stage. Seems a better way to do the early heating, can be controlled and kept going for a few hours without constant attention.

The first Pizza is almost there.

David