gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

[Cheesesteak]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

Does that crack follow the seam you see running underneath the frame? What is supporting the concrete (between metal frame and concrete)?

Tell me about the weird California weather. We were getting into summer a couple of weeks ago - high was 53 yesterday and rain/thunder/lightning. More rain today - the opening day of the Amgen Tour of California (bike race) was cancelled yesterday and today they moved the start out of the Tahoe basin because of snow . . .

[Mike D]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

Yea cheesesteake, this weather is not normal. It is slowing me down, but what can I do.

Mike

[gt40]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

Does that crack follow the seam you see running underneath the frame? What is supporting the concrete (between metal frame and concrete)?

Tell me about the weird California weather. We were getting into summer a couple of weeks ago - high was 53 yesterday and rain/thunder/lightning. More rain today - the opening day of the Amgen Tour of California (bike race) was cancelled yesterday and today they moved the start out of the Tahoe basin because of snow . . .

The crack is not following the seam but is 70 degrees perpendicular. I have a rebar grid in the concrete with some remesh so steel is reinforcing it throughout inside the mix. I was going to weld a cross bar but my contractor said the frame was already overbuilt. Here is the pic i put up earlier that shows the support underneath:



Thanks everyone for the feedback

[BriggsARNP]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

How tall is that thing? it might just be the photo but it looks like the stand is almost taller than people around it.

[gt40]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

How tall is that thing? it might just be the photo but it looks like the stand is almost taller than people around it.

It's not that high but it is higher for 2 reasons. First, i made it 3" higher than the Pompeii plans. They show a 32" height at the top of the concrete upper foundation. I decided to go a hair higher so I made the frame 3" higher than the cinder blocks would normally be.

Second, I am building the oven off a raised deck so I had to compensate for the deck height of 12". Together, the oven height is 15" higher than a normal ground level build. If you are on the deck where the oven opening will be, it will only be 3" higher than normal.

With the metal frame covered with hardy board, It should be a really large amount of storage

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

GT40,

Your stand rocks. Lotsa room and bomber stability.

Nice adjustment on the support slab height. Even though the FB plans were intentionally simplified for the novice (like me) builder, looks like you're the type to tweak your design and make it yours.

Can't wait to see your build.

John

[gt40]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

Update:

Picked up 72 soft firebricks + 1" thick ceramic fiberboard for the insulation under the dome. Basically we will have 2.5" soft fire brick with 1" ceramic fiber board i.e. 3.5" total insulation under the cooking floor bricks. I got a great price on the bricks and spent around 300 total.

In reading many posts on Forno Bravo, I realized we might as well go big. After measuring the foundation, we are going to make it a full 48" /1219mm cooking surface and try for a lower dome height of 18"/457mm.

Hope to start the dome this weekend. I am probably crazy for trying for the lower dome but I figure it will heat faster for pizza in the larger size.

[brickie in oz]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

and try for a lower dome height of 18".

Dont forget to lower the door height too then.

[Mike D]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

That's a big oven. How many people are you planing on feeding?

Mike

[gt40]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

Hi gt40,
I have built a 48'' oven with a 23'' dome height and 14.5'' door arch height.
It takes a fair bit of firewood to get up to temp. Sometimes I place a 24''x6'' log on top of the 12'' logs that I start up with. I hope you have access to free firewood like I have.

Cheers Doug

Thanks for the input and for all the detail you posted on your oven building thread. I just got done reading it before this.

I am hoping that the lower dome and lots of insulation will lead to reasonable heatup times. I am going with 2.5"/64mm soft firebrick with 1"/25.5mm ceramic fiber board insulation on top of that for insulation under the floor and 6"/155mm of ceramic fiber blanket on top of the dome.

Based upon input here, I guess I will go with a 13"/330mm x 18"/457 oven opening"

That's a big oven. How many people are you planing on feeding?

Mike

I figured with all the work, we might as well go a bit larger. I don't want to be thinking I wish I had more cooking surface. We generally cook for a dozen or so but we had 40 people over a few weeks ago on my bday.

[gt40]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

Update:

Well, we made the floor of the oven today. Hope to start on the dome tomorrow.

The floor consists of soft fire bricks cast into the concrete and then ceramic fiber board with rigidizer on top of that. total of 3.5"/89mm insulation till you get to the 4" of concrete under it.

First we cut a circle out of the ceramic fiber board and then used it as a template for drawing the cut lines on the bricks



I have never cut a brick in my life but the virgin HF brick saw worked great.

Here are some shots of the finished floor:

Measured a full 48 inches/ 1220mm:


Closeup:


Overview shot:

[gt40]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

Hi gt40,
You are progressing well, just a couple of things I have noticed, if it is not to late.
You went to a lot of trouble to lay your hearth in a herringbone pattern but it needs to be at a 45 degree angle to stop your peel from catching. May be you could just rotate 45degrees before you start the dome.
The other thing is you seem to have set the oven a long way back from the entry.
My entry is only 20'' from the front of the landing to inside of the door arch, the door sits only 15'' from the front of the landing. At that depth it is pretty difficult to place logs in the fire, I certainly would not like it much more deeper with an oven so big. You might want to rethink that if you can. Placing and retrieving pizza is not a problem using long handle peels but tending the fire is another thing. Just my opinion from my previous experiences.

Cheers Doug

I really appreciate the feedback. You are absolutely right on the hearth needing to be rotated. The wifey said the same thing. I can easily rotate stuff still at this point and the pics were taken for the dry fit before we start. I hadn't realized the issue of the hearth being too far in the middle. I just measured it and it is 20"/508mmm from the edge. I should be able to move it to 15-16" and stay under the soft firebricks.

Thanks again

[gt40]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

Update:

Rotated the orientation of the herringbone pattern and moved the location of the oven so it is closer to the front. I also started my first soldiers.

Shot from the side showing how things are closer to the edge now:


Backside- I know that the bricks get covered and no one will see the outside after we are done but I cleaned them anyway:



I am quite tired and my hands are shriveled from the diy refactory mix I made. The build is coming along considering we just started everything 9 days ago. I am anxious to see how efforts to make the low dome will fare.

Thanks for looking

[Mike D]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

You need to wear gloves! I have been wearing 2, just to be safe (as I read on this forum, from other people). The mortar will burn your hands. I have been using silicone/laytex gloves under a normal pair of mason gloves.

Mike

[gt40]

Re: gt40's Pompeii Oven 42" build log

You need to wear gloves! I have been wearing 2, just to be safe (as I read on this forum, from other people). The mortar will burn your hands. I have been using silicone/laytex gloves under a normal pair of mason gloves.

Mike

Yeah, I took all the safety stuff seriously on wearing a mask at all times and stuff but i missed that part :P My fingertips are toast- wearing a few bandaids today. I will definitely have a healthy respect for the mortar going forward.