Steel Dome Oven

[Frances]

Re: Steel Dome Oven

...so far it looks just like everybody else's build......

Well, except my framing never looked that neat. Nice double form you've built there!

[berryst]

Re: Steel Dome Oven

That thing is awsome. Should work very well.

[Wiley]

Re: Steel Dome Oven

Thanks Berryst for the kind words.

Note to self in next life (and anyone else who might be interested): When making a form for pouring concrete that is a double form (pour one; inset 2nd form and pour it) pour all the concrete parts first. Pouring the slab and then pouring the vermicrete worked fine ...fine that is until I went to later pour the concrete surround. Oh, I did all the obvious things: stub rebar so the slabs would mechanically join and rough texture for same reason, but I didn't allow for the sponge characteristics of the vermicrete. When I went to pour the surround the vermicrete wanted to soak all the water out of the fresh concrete. Made it a pain to work and finish. Would have been alot easier to pour what would end up being a basin and then later pour the vermicrete into that.

Live and learn and forget by the time the lesson is needed again :-)
Wiley

[SpringJim]

Re: Steel Dome Oven

soaking that vermic layer or using a layer of plastic could help too!

[Wiley]

Re: Steel Dome Oven

SpringJim,
I tried soaking the vermicrete once the problem became obvious, and instantly realized the mistake in that as the vermicrete was a unit/mass only when dry and the cement holding it together was too new to actually hold anything together when wet again. When pouring the vermicrete a thin layer of cement rich water rises to the surface, as it dries/cures this thin layer of cement holds the surface together; sprinkling with water simply disolved that layer and made the vermicrete a loose mass of wet vermculite again. :-(

The whole problem would have been avoided by pouring all the concrete first and then the vermicrete.

As for plastic I would be wary of placing plastic anywhere that couldn't be removed. It may take a while for heat to get down to where it is in the structure and the fear of some point in the future having a pizza party and the oven ripping hot and all of a sudden the crinkled noses and the question, "What's that smell?" I've smelled plastic bags that have been blown under cars and caught by the catalytic coverter. Not a very nice smell and I would not be willing to take the chance in my WFO.

Wiley

[berryst]

Re: Steel Dome Oven

I'm doing things a little different too. I'm using perlite. It does not absorb water at all as far as I can tell. I poured a 4" perlcrete insulation layer last night and today played with the first fire bricks . Yes, I did go to work a little bit late.

I'm sort of doing a cross between an igloo and a barrel. The operative word for me is barrel with tapered ends.

With the amount of steel you have it seems like you could just insulate the dome and skip the brick...just a thought Where did you get the dome?
berryst.

[berryst]

Re: Steel Dome Oven

AAAAHHHH!!! End of propane tank....read the first post again!

[berryst]

Re: Steel Dome Oven

did you get your crushed basalt at shine quary? Is it working yet? .....the basalt that is.

[Wiley]

Re: Steel Dome Oven

G'Morning berryst, Yes, I purchased the 1/4 minus crushed basalt at Shine Quarry. Nice people to work with.

At present I am putting down my first layer of splits (1 1/4" thinckness firebricks). This is the surface that the dome itself will set upon. This is because I am concerned the expansion and contraction of the steel dome would other wise wear into the vermicrete over time. That would cause a separation between the steel dome and the basalt/fondu concrete and make for heating problems.

Upon the splits and only inside the dome itself will be a layer of full size (2 1/2") firebricks. This will make for a thicker bottom layer than is called for in the Pompeii Plans. That will increase the time needed to reach pizza temps, but on the plus side it should also increase the holding capacity once at temp.

Today is the Fourth and while my wife gets to go to Seattle and watch the fireworks at Gasworks Park with the kids and grandkids I get to stay home and watch the dogs and work on the WFO... Lucky Me :-)

Wiley

[berryst]

Re: Steel Dome Oven

this is the same thickness I chose for my floor
I'd rather be here than gasworks any time!

[Wiley]

Re: Steel Dome Oven

Update wth photos....

I got to spend "The Fourth" cutting and shaping the hearth bricks which fit inside my steel dome. All went well although I had brick dust everywhere :-(

But today I got to power wire bush my dome and then set it on top of the stand. Inspite of working alone, all went very well. :-)

Wiley

[dvonk]

Re: Steel Dome Oven

Heavy machinery!!!

PS. By the way, what is the length (depth) of your oven lending?

[Wiley]

Re: Steel Dome Oven

Dvonk,
The depth of my landing is approximately 11 inches with an additional 13 inches space in front of that. My opening transition is adjustable and that is the maximum distance. When I did my test fire that was the position that seemed to draw the best and where I expect the final fixed position to be.

Design for this whole seemed less on paper and more "in the field" or "as she came out". When I cut the entrance I deliberately left the doubler ring on the bottom. This was to keep the structural integrity of the hemisphere, as a consequence the hearth bricks extend into the landing. Good or bad time will tell. One thing I wanted was to be able to replace the interior bricks should the need arise and this option allowed that.

The extra space in front is so that I will be able to cut and shape some fire bricks in front of the opening to remove the curve of the doubler ring and leave me with a straight edge. In front of this I will have a granite countertop. A piece of recycle I picked up years ago. It will stick out over the front and be supported by brackets I will make and attach by means of two SS bolts I cast into the top slab. Haven't finalized the design for all that. In my mind's eye I see what I want and that's subject to change moment to moment. Makes putting design details down of paper kind of difficult as most things are subject to change as problems reveal themselves.

Wiley

[dvonk]

Re: Steel Dome Oven

I've asked that because I've just started to use my oven and found that even short landing and opening (totally 15") make the fire works not so easy. My dome is 43" and it tricky to reach the center of the floor.

[Wiley]

Re: Steel Dome Oven

Dvonk,
Interesting that you should ask because I decided that I needed to fit up my granite slab in order to besure the refractory will marry with it. I took a couple of photos.

My depth of entry is 11 inches the depth of the counter top is a whopping 21 3/4 " more. At first I was figuring I maybe needed to cut off a bit of the slab of to make it narrower. Then I began to see and think what I could and could not do with the slab this size.

Cons: I could not reach in and touch the back of the oven. How often would this be necessary I don't know, maybe for cleanout of ashes but I have a shovel and brush for that.

Pros:I could reach and see everywhere within the dome save for the small blind spot on each side of the opening, which would be blind regardless.

Pros: The counterspace would be nice to work as one would have a place to put pizzas and etc. without having to carry it anywhere. A simple partial turn and slide it off. Same for removing bread roasts etc.

Pros: I have some apprehension on just how hot the outer rim of my entry will get. With it further back one is less likely to have an unwary person inadvertantly touch it and get burned.

Pros: I wanted to build a shelf below the counter to hold things like the infrared thermo etc.

Cons: peel needs to have a longer handle.

Cons: wood will be harder to place in oven.

Cons: looks unconventional, most ovens have little counter space. The only one I found in a short search with any similar sized counter is the ancient oven in the restaurant in Pompeii where there is singificant space on either side of the ovens opening beneath the chimney. Looking unconventional isn't a bother but usually there is a reason things are the way they are.

Here's the photos: Thoughts? Anyone?

Oh and the odd looking dam like thing around the back is the form for the refractory. I figured it would help to contain the bottom so I could build higher on the dome on the first pour and not have the bottom slump. Last photo is with the slab removed the interior light is a reflection off the solarium behind me, excuse the solar flares. I thought it convenient that it worked out to have such illumination of the inside of the dome.

Wiley