gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

[gt40]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

Well, I have been running a fire since wed and gradually building heat. Finally got the dome to start to clear. No smoke coming anywhere out the top except the chimney and it still is sound after getting the center of the dome over 1000 in the center floor at 600:



clearing the dome for the first time:



Since it isn't a pile of bricks, I will start putting the blanket on it next...

[benguilford]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

It sounds like it's going brilliantly! Glad to hear that your chimney is drawing well, that's a neat design.

[gt40]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

After lighting some small fires the past 3 days, I picked up some wood and started a small wood fire. After a couple of hours I added more wood and now the dome is 550 degrees and the floor 320 range. I also have some hairline cracks on the outside of the dome and one on the bottom of the outside arch. Everything seems structurally sound and I believe I could stand on the dome like I did when it was cool. Are all these cracks on the outside mortar normal?

On another note, it draws awesome at least

[chidding]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

Sweet, looks like its drawing like a charm!

Lets hope with the increased heat the draw is even stronger.

Nice pics aswell! keep em coming! love seeing first fires!

[gt40]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

gt40, Thanks so much for posting all your build pics! I am going through and studying your build with much interest. I had considered doing the something similar with my chimney/flue, though to get the chimney further back to increase clearance with my porch/house.

Also my local firebrick supplier has both red and buff colored, the red is about 20 cents a brick cheaper, so I really liked seeing your dome with red fire bricks to get a comparative look (most I have seen are buff).

I finished my slab foundation last week and have a stack of blocks to build into my wall/stand this week, so I still have a ways to go!

Thanks for the feedback. I am just figuring things out myself and this place has been awesome for info so I thought I would document my build so others can learn from what I did wrong... and hopefully right

On another note,

I did my first curing fire with the forge burner barely on. Got the oven up to 200 degrees:



After that, I wanted to do a smoke test to check out the draw. I took a slice off a duralog and put it in a steel bucket I had. Then I lit it with the torch and put it in the oven.



As you can see, the smoke was a clear line in the top of the oven with clean air going in below and it draws! Virtually no smoke was coming out of the oven even though it was generating a lot of smoke and not a lot of heat. This was with the recirc flue and 2 feet of duraliner sitting on top of the square opening while I wait for my anchor plate to arrive.

I will be gradually curing the oven over the next week so we can do a real test.

Thanks for looking

[apagios]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

gt40, Thanks so much for posting all your build pics! I am going through and studying your build with much interest. I had considered doing the something similar with my chimney/flue, though to get the chimney further back to increase clearance with my porch/house.

Also my local firebrick supplier has both red and buff colored, the red is about 20 cents a brick cheaper, so I really liked seeing your dome with red fire bricks to get a comparative look (most I have seen are buff).

I finished my slab foundation last week and have a stack of blocks to build into my wall/stand this week, so I still have a ways to go!

[Cheesesteak]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

THe oven seems to be working fine in this picture:



gt40 - keep going and let us know how it works out. I suspect the soot on the outside of that arch were from the initial firings - when you look at the pics of the first fires it appears as though there's no flue at all.

[gt40]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

[QUOTE=brickie in oz;116857]Lot of soot on that new arch for it to be drawing "great". QUOTE]

MHA fires their ovens wet in the interest of time it seems so I can imagine it would just be all messy and smoky regardless of flue design.

I don't know if this is an "improvement" or not. I had extra bricks and I like to try things. We will know how the draw is soon enough.

I will be looking to see a few things. Initially, whether it has decent draw. After I insulate it, the big questions will be time get up to temp and , how it holds heat with a door in place.

I am really looking forward to going beyond conjecture and just lighting a fire in the thing

[david s]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

I'd be doubling the height of that stack. It goes back 2 feet, so should have 4 feet extra vertical.

[brickie in oz]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

they are more horizontal than me and have 2 feet of chimney tile but it seems to give great draw.

Lot of soot on that new arch for it to be drawing "great".

[david s]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

It should be easy enough to add more if needed.

[gt40]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

Agreed with above, but really its not perfectly horizontal.. its moreso a 45 degree bend isnt it?

Yeah it is around 45 degrees. I guess we should know in a bit after I get to start lighting curing fires.

If you scroll through the MHA link I posted, they are more horizontal than me and have 2 feet of chimney tile but it seems to give great draw.

[chidding]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

" I am gaining 3 feet of chimney before I even go vertical so I hoped for better draw".

A horizontal chimney does not create any draw. In fact my Daniel Rhodes kiln bible says "each foot of horizontal must be compensated for by 2 additional feet of chimney"
So make it taller than you think it should be.

Agreed with above, but really its not perfectly horizontal.. its moreso a 45 degree bend isnt it?

[david s]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

" I am gaining 3 feet of chimney before I even go vertical so I hoped for better draw".

A horizontal chimney does not create any draw. In fact my Daniel Rhodes kiln bible says "each foot of horizontal must be compensated for by 2 additional feet of chimney"
So make it taller than you think it should be.

[Les]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

maybe it would heat up faster as the hot exhaust from the oven is in contact with the dome from the inside and the outside.

Awesome - sounds reasonable to me. James may be making an edit to the plans.