Low dome 42" in New Zealand

[KiwiPete]

Re: Low dome 42" in New Zealand

The stainless steel cable goes around the oven to counter the lateral force created by the low dome. Without it, the walls would push outward and the oven would collapse.

That is correct. Although in truth, because the refractory mortar I used is really strong (by way of trial I tried to smash two pieces of brick that were bonded together with it. Rather than breaking the mortar, it broke the brick), I suspect it would be fine without the steel cable.

But I'd rather be safe than sorry.

[KiwiPete]

Re: Low dome 42" in New Zealand

Wrapped the oven in some CalSil blanket and chicken wire/mesh.

Next stage: make a form around the dome from some bendy plywood and pouring about 4 inches of perlcrete around the sides and over the top.

Can't have enough insulation...

[KiwiPete]

Re: Low dome 42" in New Zealand

The weather has been pretty bad over the last three weeks so progress has been slow.

Last weekend I did manage to get some work done in between showers.

I fitted a form made from some flashing steel and poured/shaped perlite concrete around the side and over the top. My vent has been fabricated, so if next weekend the weather is any good, I can fit it and do some curing.

[TropicalCoasting]

Re: Low dome 42" in New Zealand

Looks real good and seems quick and easy.

Was the steel arch for brick cutting convenience or aesthetics ?
Are you concerned it will draw lots of heat out of the oven?
Are you concerned it will heat and distort at a different rate to the bricks and cause problems down the track?

[mrchipster]

Re: Low dome 42" in New Zealand

The weather has been pretty bad over the last three weeks so progress has been slow.

Last weekend I did manage to get some work done in between showers.

I fitted a form made from some flashing steel and poured/shaped perlite concrete around the side and over the top. My vent has been fabricated, so if next weekend the weather is any good, I can fit it and do some curing.

It looks from the photos that you have already started curing.

[KiwiPete]

Re: Low dome 42" in New Zealand

Looks real good and seems quick and easy.

Was the steel arch for brick cutting convenience or aesthetics ?
Are you concerned it will draw lots of heat out of the oven?
Are you concerned it will heat and distort at a different rate to the bricks and cause problems down the track?

The steel arch is there for a couple of reasons:

- all commercial Neapolitan ovens have a steel arch/entry.
- the previous oven I did had a cast vent (doing it in brick was beyond me..) and I wanted to do something more traditional.

Re expansion, cracking etc: Like I said above, all Neapolitan ovens have a steel arch and have been built like that for many, many years (centuries). So if there was going to be an issue, they would have found out about it by now.

[KiwiPete]

Re: Low dome 42" in New Zealand

It looks from the photos that you have already started curing.

True, but without a proper vent, I ended up getting so much smoke in my face, that I started smelling like a smoked sausage.

So decided to wait with further curing until perlite and vent were in place.

[mrchipster]

Re: Low dome 42" in New Zealand

True, but without a proper vent, I ended up getting so much smoke in my face, that I started smelling like a smoked sausage.

So decided to wait with further curing until perlite and vent were in place.

How is it coming along?

[Andrew D]

Re: Low dome 42" in New Zealand

Hi Pete.Oven looking great.Im at the stage of about to build my dome.What mortar did you us??And where did you get it??Cheers Andrew