26" cast refract in 3 horizonal slices?

[WpgMbCan]

Hi all. Another newbee here. I am addicted and obsessed with this forum and have answered most of my questions. What a great community. Thank you all for your advice and patience with us newbees.

I would like to cast a dome in 3 horizonal pcs over a dome mold, one on top of the other so I can disassemble and reassemble on site. I am thinking of casting the first third leaving a flat horizontal edge, let it cure, cover edge with tape or plastic to allow for separation upon completion of entire cast, cast the second pc over the first and repeat again for the cap. Will this method work for my purposes? What are the pros and cons of this method? Any and all feedback and advice is welcome. I am itching to get started my build.

[david s]

The two main reasons I can think of for casting in sections are firstly that any large section has a greater tendency to crack because of uneven heating leading to uneven thermal expansion. Casting in sections designs in thermal expansion joints. The second reason is that it makes the sections more manageable if they are to be moved. If the oven is cast in situ then this moving problem is eliminated. I used to cast my domes in one piece, of which my oven at home is an example and after 11 years is still working fine with only hairline cracks and regular use. I now cast in three sections, front rear and lid, all roughly the same weight, making handling far easier.
For a mobile oven that is being dragged around on a trailer subject to bumps and vibration, a single casting may be more suitable. I made my first mobile oven using a single casting, but rebuilt it after about 8 years use, with my now three piece oven. Time will tell but it’s fine so far. Some other manufacturers also offer an option of a single casting for mobile ovens.