Planning - questions

[Tim F]

Hi all! I'm getting a bit further with my oven planning and have a couple of questions.

I have one site in mind but I'm worried it might bother the neighbours with smoke - the chimney would be about 3 meters from the side of their house. Does a brick oven produce very much smoke?
This location is also nearish some tall fruit trees. I can prune them back a bit but how worried about sparks should I be - will a spark arrester be enough?

The other question is about what type of brick to use. All of the plans I've seen on here use firebricks, but I bought a book on brick ovens (Russell Jeavons book) and he uses red bricks in the ovens in his restaurant. What are the advantages of using the firebricks?

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer!

[nissanneill]

Re: Planning - questions

Hi Tim and welcome aboard.
Nice to see another local on board. We are certainly making up the numbers, especially those from good old SA.
I also have read Rusell's book and have been several times to his restarant to check out his ovens.
I have 2 more ovens to build for friends and I will not be using firebricks but following Russell's use of common red bricks. Alot of forum members believe they will crack and spawl but go down and have a good look in his ovens which have been used commercially for 5 years 3 days a week and not one cracked nor spawling.
As far as smoke is concerned, it depends on the wood that you use and how dry it is, ie how long it has been dead rather than kept out of the rain.
My 40" Pompeii has 3 lengths of 8" flue and is only 1 metre from the neighbours fence and directly beneath a large gum tree, cvomplete with a spark arrester but that is really a waste of time and effort putting it on as I have never seen any sparks out the chimney.
Check out my build at:

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f8/n...-1-a-2005.html

and follow the links through the entire build.
I would check with Littlehampton bricks and buy their solid 4"clay pavers for the entire build. I think that I will be using those for cost and durability as they sell heaps for such ovens.
Everything you need to know and ask has probably been covered in my posts, so do a search of my profile and read, read more and then ask questions.
You are welcome to come down and check it out if you prefer, just send me an email direct.

Neill

[Tim F]

Re: Planning - questions

Awesome, thanks for the advice. I might take you up on your offer at some point too!