UK 34" rounded square Oven Progress.

[hulkiebear]

Re: UK 34" rounded square Oven Progress.

Had a couple of productive days, but this still seems to be going on forever!

The dome is about 70% finished, the back half as good as done! Just a corner key stone to go! I am quite pleased with the finish too!

I also did the firebrick part of the front arch enterance that ties in to the dome. At the moment it is strong enough to support itself, but it will also have to support the dome and chimney, so I am going to resin a rebar into the concrete slab, vertically either side of the arch, then fix a piece of angle iron between the two, this will stop any outward force and help support the chimney.

I need to decide on the dome finish, I am worried a little about using Vermiculaite concrete, as I just can't see that it will support itself whilst going off. I think I will need to experiment with this a little.

[hulkiebear]

Re: UK 34" rounded square Oven Progress.

The dome and enterance is finished!!! Yippee!!!!

I am really pleased with it! It is really tough and solid! I have also finished the firebrick side of the chimney/entrance area, and hope to get some red clay bricks to clad and build the chimney, then on top I plan on a 5 foot stainless steel 6" dual lined chimney(which will be removable when not in use).

This project seems to have been going on forever, but now there is definetely light at the end f the tunnel!

I will post some pictures as soon as I can!

HB

[hulkiebear]

Re: UK 34" rounded square Oven Progress.

a few photos, sorry all, this thing stands up proper solid!

[dmun]

Re: UK 34" rounded square Oven Progress.

I must say, that despite my initial skepticism, that's a good looking dome. I'm still concerned about the full radial running seams up and down the dome, but it really looks good. Are you planning to fill the gaps on the outside?

Congratulations.

[hulkiebear]

Re: UK 34" rounded square Oven Progress.

Thankyou dmun,

I think if I had been working to the limits of the materials, then my design may not have worked, but the screed(as the morter is called) really worked well, and bonded the bricks together to make them very solid.

Yes, the gaps have already been filled, I was running low of screed, so added the dust and crushed up scrapes of fire brick(I'm glad they had some use). I still have 2 small bags left over aswell.

Next up is the insulation, hope to use 25mm ceramic blanket, and I guess I will need to use the dreaded vermiculite concrete ontop of that!

Can't wait to put a fire in it, but I am just about holding myself back!!!

[hulkiebear]

Re: UK 34" rounded square Oven Progress.

More good progress over the last couple of days, the brick chimney fronting is almost complete, and some of the terracotta quarry tile are down, and it is all looking good!

I did end up putting some steel reinforcing angle iron that runs right down into the concrete slb, this will definetly stop ay outward force of the entrance arch!

Ceramic blanket has been ordered and hopefully a stainless steel twin wall flue, will be won on ebay on the weekend.

then it is just a bit of rendering and painting!

[hulkiebear]

Re: UK 34" rounded square Oven Progress.

With the cracks in the FB dome sorted, I set about covering the dome with 2 layers of 1" ceramic blanket! When the guy in the builders merchants said, "careful with this stuff, it's nasty!" he was not wrong! I felt like I had been dragged through a field of stinging nettles, topless! Ouch!

Next, I covered it with chicken wire, then a scratch coat of render(I added some quick drying cement to the mix for the lower parts of the side, to avoid it slumping off!)

Hopefully tomorrow, I will do a much thicker top coat, as it sounds very thin and easter eggish!

Then early next week I have a 4 foot vitreous coated 8" flu to put on top, then job done!

[dmun]

Re: UK 34" rounded square Oven Progress.

Don't go crazy beefing up your render just quite yet: One inch of blanket is about half what's recommended. You may find you may need a few inches of vermiculite concrete before your final finish.

Good looking job, by the way.

[Nev Grady]

Re: UK 34" rounded square Oven Progress.

I agree with dmun, 2 inches of ceramic insulation isn't enough if you want the oven to hold it's heat for 24 hours or more. If you want to fire it up and cook pizzas etc there and then you shouldn't have a problem. If it's pizzas in the evening, bread the following morning and maybe a slow roasted joint for dinner you'll need much more insulation.

I've covered my dome with 5 layers of heavy duty aluminium foil, 2 inches of Insulfrax high density ceramic insulation then 4 inches of high performance mineral (Rocksilk) insulation. With an insulated aluminium box door containing 6 inches of vermiculite inside, the oven temperature after 24 hours, following a pizza session is as high as 190-200C (375-390F).

My advice is put 3 or 4 inches of vermiculite or perlite cement on there before your final render. It will make your oven more versatile.

[hulkiebear]

Re: UK 34" rounded square Oven Progress.

Tonight was the big night, I fired the oven up nice and hot, I did do it fairly slowly, as it was the first time, it took 2 hours until we started to cook.
I reckon with a bigger fire rather then I used it would heat up lots qiucker.

So, here are some pic's of the first pizza cooking and the end product! I'm really pleased, it was a long slow road, and at times I got fed up and disheartened with the whole project, but after tonight, I am so pleased I saw it through!

Now the learning of cooking starts, first off, I will keep the fire over the centre of the oven to heat the floor up more, I keep the fire at the back tonight, second, prepare the pizza's on a marble surface or similar, as we made 3 on plates, and they stuck, but they still cooked once sorted!

Last off, I was not keen on the idea of another 2-3 inchs of inculation, but after 2 hours the oven dome was very hot, still able to touch it, but this does represent a massive loss of heat, so I will be further insulating the dome!

Wood fired Pizza ovens rule!!!

[Nev Grady]

Re: UK 34" rounded square Oven Progress.

I know the feeling! That first pizza is the best ever and put's a big smile on your face!

[dmun]

Re: UK 34" rounded square Oven Progress.

Looking good! A hint: if you push your fire to the side, instead of the back, you can see the edge of the pizza exposed to the fire, and quickly see how it's browning up.

[hulkiebear]

Re: UK 34" rounded square Oven Progress.

thanks dmun and nev,

to the side sounds like a good ides, I realise that I now need to make a few more cooking tools and a door too!

the oven was still warm 24 hours later, and it rained for the most of last night, with some more good insulation, it will never cool down!

[Gromit]

Re: UK 34" rounded square Oven Progress.

I really like how you did your dome. It is a lot like some of the Le Panyol ovens with "orange wedge" sections: Le Panyol Model 99 | Masonry Heaters and Wood Fired Ovens - Maine Wood Heat Co.

[hulkiebear]

Re: UK 34" rounded square Oven Progress.

I really need some help, I have done nothing for a few weeks now, the weather has been terrible or I have been at work on the nice days, so I have not even had time to use the oven let alone finish the dome! very disappointing!

However, I have next week of work and intend to get a full day in finishing the oven(more fearing winter than needing to finish it). So, my plan is to finish the insulation of the dome and the render finish. What I would like to do is create a render dome and then pour in dry vermiculit to insulate rather than use the compromising vermiculit conrete.

The issue is, how to create a render shell! chicken wire, obviously comes into the equation, but how to hold it 2-3 inches away from the dome. I was thinking maybe a cardboard shell that could be carefully burnt out. Or possibly a fibre glass shell with render on-top(but would heat damage it?) as I have a roll of galls fibre that is looking for a purpose.

OR does someone else have a suggestion that may work?