28" Pompeii

[mrchipster]

Re: 28" Pompeii

Thanks Aegis, but according to your thread, you've already had a pizza party, which technically puts you farther ahead in the process than I .... My upper arch and brown and finish coats will have to wait for spring, as freezing weather is in the forecast...missed it by that much.

I like the "Get Smart" reference.

Chip

[ggoose]

Re: 28" Pompeii

I like the "Get Smart" reference.

Chip

Thanks Chip...it seemed fitting

Curious about your concrete countertops... is that a black tint? Any special aggregate? What was your finishing/polishing process? What was your source of info/knowledge to do the countertops?

aprivard...you sound like me about a month ago . I learned alot about the process from youtube videos. I also purchased a Buddy Rhodes dvd on making countertops. I used the Quikrete countertop mix to which I added some glass fiber and 3 bottles of charcoal color. It took 4 80# sacks of the the product to make my two countertops. I let them sit in the forms for a week covered with plastic, them pulled the forms and let them cure on 2x4s for another few days. Then I filled the bug holes (little air pockets resulting from my poor vibrating while the cast was wet) with non-sanded grout. This gives the counter a bit of a two-tone look. It didn't fill them all, but close enough for a first attempt. Next time I'll thin the grout a bit more with a latex additive to better fill the holes. I then polished the countertops and sides with a wet polisher and diamond grit pads starting at 400#, then 800#, then 1500#, and finally 3000#. The surface is glass-smooth. If you want to expose more aggregate, start with a 50 grit pad and work to a 100#, etc. I sealed the countertops with a lithium-based sealer/hardener. It is not acid resistant, so I have to clean tomato, vinegar, etc. up immediately. I will add an acid resistant sealer next spring. Hope this helps...

gene

[ggoose]

Re: 28" Pompeii

The weather and my schedule have come together so as to permit more work on my oven. I have built a wooden door for the firewood storage area and completed the upper arch facade for the oven entrance. A neighbor fabricated the oven door. I still need to add the brown and finish coats to the upper portion of the oven...

gene

[Lburou]

Re: 28" Pompeii

Your oven looks like its always been there! Congratulations

[ggoose]

Re: 28" Pompeii

Thanks Lee; it HAS always been here...since last spring

[ggoose]

Re: 28" Pompeii

I applied the brown coat today; all that remains to be done is the finish coat...

[Pompeii Nate]

Re: 28" Pompeii

Goose,

Any chance we can see the door's other side? I was considering doing something just like that and was curious how you did yours? (sorry if you did already and I missed it)

Nate

[ggoose]

Re: 28" Pompeii

Sure Nate...

The door is simply a piece of the ceramic floor insulation wrapped in steel. The width of the door allows it to stand on its own. The handles are from the hardware area of Home Depot, with the ends flattened (the part where the attachment screws would go). And of course a hole drilled between the handles to allow for the passing of the temperature probe. I painted it with hi-temp wood stove paint. It is holding up on the door OK, but is beginning to rub off of the handles...leaving those their original silver color might have been a better idea.

gene

[deejayoh]

Re: 28" Pompeii

Nearly completed facade...I added the countertop yesterday. The outer brick arch and 2 coats of stucco remain.

Gene -

Happy to have discovered your build this morning! I am looking at doing an enclosure that is pretty similar to yours. I am especially interested in your countertop design. Did you pour that in two pieces and then install? I've been trying to figure out how to fill that 5" gap, and had been thinking poured in place - but I like the look of your finished oven quite a bit.

[ggoose]

Re: 28" Pompeii

Thanks deejayoh,

I did pour two seperate counters, then just stacked them. The different sizes of the two give a bit of interest to the counter. I used Quickcrete countertop mix and some color additive, along with some ladder wire for strength. So far it is holding up well...

gene

[Pompeii Nate]

Re: 28" Pompeii

Gene,

thanks for the pictures. That is exactly what I had in mind instead of buying a bunch of thermal couplings and an expensive display unit (though I am not going to lie, I think that would be great but just not in the budget). So that brings me to my next question...where did you find the high temp thermometer with a probe that long? I have no idea where to even look.

Thanks again!

Nate

[ggoose]

Re: 28" Pompeii

Nate,
This is what I purchased; seems to work: King Kooker 8-Inch Deep Fry Thermometer

[Pompeii Nate]

Re: 28" Pompeii

Thanks Gene! I will check that out.

Thanks!

[ggoose]

Re: 28" Pompeii

I was asked the dimensions of my oven:

Inside dameter: 32"
Interior dome height: 16"
Oven door height: 11"
Oven door width: 16"

I cooked my first pizza last night. Just a simple cheese pizza; it cooked in 4 minutes . I used whole wheat flour, so the crust was slightly underdone. I'll try again tonight. As a side note, the oven temp this morning was still at 350 degrees, so I made some blueberry muffins; they came out great! This may become addicting...

gene

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: 28" Pompeii

Gene,

Been following your build off and on over the past year. The finale looks great. I wish I had a neighbor like you to fab my oven door. That guy did a fine metal work job. The matching arches are a nice touch. Congrats on your first pizzas.