42" Pompeii in Paso Robles Ca.

[RandyJ]

I got the ceramic rope from menards in the wood stove area. It was a door seal replacement kit and came with the glue. I think it was about 8$. The paint I used also came from there rated for 1200F and seams to be holding up nicely so far.

Randy

[Campmaki]

Opps sorry about that. The door is 4" thick filled with ceramic board. 22 gage for the inside and sides, and 16 gage for the outside. I also put a ceramic rope around the edge as a gasket. I painted it with a high temp stove paint. It seamed to be holding up well so far.

Randy

Randy how did you hold the rope to the door? And what type of rope? Where did you get it?

[RandyJ]

Yeah something like that. I was going to use cement board to block the corners, but got in a hurry and forgot all about it.

Randy

[Novaslo]

If you can try to block off the corners. I did not do that, but bet I could have saved a few bags if I did. It is suprising how much of it it takes to fill the void in the enclosure. Good luck I hope that helps with your heat retention.

Randy

Seems like it would be easy to use some styrofoam or cheaper insultation to fill the voids a bit.

[RandyJ]

If you can try to block off the corners. I did not do that, but bet I could have saved a few bags if I did. It is suprising how much of it it takes to fill the void in the enclosure. Good luck I hope that helps with your heat retention.

Randy

[Novaslo]

Opps sorry about that. The door is 4" thick filled with ceramic board. 22 gage for the inside and sides, and 16 gage for the outside. I also put a ceramic rope around the edge as a gasket. I painted it with a high temp stove paint. It seamed to be holding up well so far.

Randy

Ok so that is the same as mine.
So the only thing that I cannot do is add 2 inches of insulation to my floor. but If I get a couple more days, that will be a complete success.
I really want 3 days of solid heat. Sounds like the perlite in the cavity might get me close.

Thanks

[RandyJ]

Opps sorry about that. The door is 4" thick filled with ceramic board. 22 gage for the inside and sides, and 16 gage for the outside. I also put a ceramic rope around the edge as a gasket. I painted it with a high temp stove paint. It seamed to be holding up well so far.

Randy

[Novaslo]

Well there are a few things I did slightly different than you.

1. I did 4"of ceramic board under the oven.

2. I wanted to be a little higher so I put patio stones under the insulation to raise it a little. I think this might also act as a little heat break.

I also have 3" of blankets.

3. I put 36 cf of vermiculite over the top of the insulation. So it is between 6" and 18" thick depending on where you look.

I also did all the heat breaks. Dome and floor

Randy

What did you do for your door?

[RandyJ]

Well there are a few things I did slightly different than you.

1. I did 4"of ceramic board under the oven.

2. I wanted to be a little higher so I put patio stones under the insulation to raise it a little. I think this might also act as a little heat break.

I also have 3" of blankets.

3. I put 36 cf of vermiculite over the top of the insulation. So it is between 6" and 18" thick depending on where you look.

I also did all the heat breaks. Dome and floor

Randy

[Novaslo]

Yes to cool to under 100 degrees it will take me 10 days or more. But I make pizza and the next day I will be at 700F if I don't do bread and scrub a bunch of heat out first then day 3 is still 600F plus. I have not done any cooking past this point. But with temps below 0 I am still at 200 degrees now on my 8th day.

Randy

Ok well Randy, you are the first guy that I have read about that get's more than 5 days of heat. So now I am on a mission. The one thing I don't have is vermiculite in the enclosure. that could really help it is clear.
For now I just have the dome inside an empty cavity simply because I thought 5 days was about as good as it got. So here is what I have.
3 inches Ceramic Blanket
2 inches Forno Fiber Board
1 inch stucco or as thin as .5 in - this is covering the blanket.
4 inch Forno Fiber Board - Sheet metal door.

The door really changed the game for me. So now I guess I will fill the cavity with perlite etc.
Do you have any other insulation items to mention? I would love for day two and 3 to be hotter than I am getting.

Thanks
Darin

[GarnerAC]

Very well done!

[RandyJ]

Yes to cool to under 100 degrees it will take me 10 days or more. But I make pizza and the next day I will be at 700F if I don't do bread and scrub a bunch of heat out first then day 3 is still 600F plus. I have not done any cooking past this point. But with temps below 0 I am still at 200 degrees now on my 8th day.

Randy

[Novaslo]

Novalso,

I love the way you oven turned out. It is amazing how many different ways there are to enclose the oven . All it takes is a little imagination and hard work. I see you said you had 4 to 5 days of heat retention. What kind of temps are you seeing at that point, and are you cooking on all those days too? I need to get better at using my retained heat. I have been doing some bread but that is about it so far, but I need to as it will take 10 days to cool down now that I have my door.

Randy

Do you get 10 days? I can't get more than 5
I would love to get more and have ideas for that. But not sure that I can with the insulation that I have today.

[Novaslo]

Darin,

Are you doing the Wok cooking in/on the entry landing? I've been using a skillet and a dutch oven there. I may have to buy a wok .

Hi gulf,
I am doing the Wok cooking in the oven and in the entry. but for the most part it is raging hot cooking the meat inside....then as it gets done....toss it in bowl. Next get it hot again. Put in some oil and then the Garlic or onions etc. let that go....then toss in the more fragile vegetables like peppers and bamboo shoots or water chestnuts. Put the meat back in and throw on the noodles - all inside the oven but tossing it in the entry...you have to watch the heat and the time to not completely murder everything. It is fast and hot.

The results are fantastic. It has Been great every time.

[Novaslo]

Novalso,

I love the way you oven turned out. It is amazing how many different ways there are to enclose the oven . All it takes is a little imagination and hard work. I see you said you had 4 to 5 days of heat retention. What kind of temps are you seeing at that point, and are you cooking on all those days too? I need to get better at using my retained heat. I have been doing some bread but that is about it so far, but I need to as it will take 10 days to cool down now that I have my door.

Randy

Hi Randy,
I would say I utilize the heat PRETTY well.... On day two I almost always have some kind of bread to bake. It is usually 5-600 degrees depending on how hot it is when I shut it down. If I am cooking on day 3 I tend do do a slow cook or a pot of something. We make Cuban beans all the time so we can do that in about 6 hours. Or I will do short ribs or anything with Ginger and Hoisin sauce. I love to make slow cooked meat to serve over rice with vegetables. On day 4 I will be in the 200 range. That is an 8-9 hour slow cook day. something like a brisket or such.

I don't always do it but I try to simply use the heat.
Also whenever it is hot, I tend to throw our breakfast in there. Anything on or in a Tortilla works for me.
How's that?