wanting to build a 36 or 42 Pompeii

[OTTO BRAUN]

hey guys i have been reading this forum for years. i down loades the free plans and have the cd in the mail as we speak. now the questions i have is i find no angles for first soldier course to be cut? also what other angles need to be cut? and hat size would you recomend i tend to over do every thing.

OTTO

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: wanting to build a 36 or 42 Pompeii

Go to this link and research the various projects. DJ also has a "dome" calculator to answer your angle question:

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f2/n...res-15133.html

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: wanting to build a 36 or 42 Pompeii

Welcome to the forum, Otto.

A number of builders have skipped the soldier course altogether. The benefits include ease of construction, application of gravity, potential improved line of thrust, and consistency in brick cutting.

Check out Les' first rate build here:

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f8/les-build-4207.html

John

[deejayoh]

Re: wanting to build a 36 or 42 Pompeii

Builders who start with "soldiers" don't usually cut an angle. The bricks are narrow enough on edge that it's not worth it.

However, as John points out - the standard build seems to have moved away from soldiers that are described in the plans. Most builders just start the dome with a couple rings of half bricks set flat.

And as Russell suggests - click the link in my signature and you'll find a spreadsheet to help with the angles. If you are stuck between a 36 and a 42, a 39 is a nice compromise.

[Greenman]

Re: wanting to build a 36 or 42 Pompeii

Welcome Otto

I built a 36" dome, no soldier course. I am happy that it will do everything I need from it and it easily accommodates 2 pizza and would do 3 at a push. Anyone who can wrangle 3 pizza's at a time in a hot oven has my admiration. I don't have a multitude to feed anyway.

The other consideration in what size to build is how long it takes to heat and the bigger the oven the more wood you will use. If that is a consideration for you.

With the resources that have been pointed out you will doubtless end up with a very functional oven that looks good as well.

All the best with it.

[jeeppiper]

Re: wanting to build a 36 or 42 Pompeii

I struggled with the same question and went with the 42" and am happy with the extra room. I do agree that juggling muiltiple more than two pizzas is difficult. We usually do 1 pizza at a time...sometimes two.

I think whether you choose 36 or 42....or 39....you will likely convince yourself that it was the perfect size for you and you will be more than happy with it.

[boerwarrior]

Re: wanting to build a 36 or 42 Pompeii

I built a 32 inch Pompeii and used a "half-height" soldier course. Like DJ, I didn't angle them at all - just cut them in half, laid them on end with the narrow side in and mortared the backside. That was my quickest course!

[OTTO BRAUN]

Re: wanting to build a 36 or 42 Pompeii

thanks guys i have been do a lot of reading. what about size 36 or 42. since you buit your oven would you go big or small?

[Paul_H]

Re: wanting to build a 36 or 42 Pompeii

I'm still in the planning the stages, but what you need to figure out is what you plan to use your oven to cook. If you're planning to use it only for pizza, and just for family and the occasional friends, then a 36" should be fine. If however you want to use it for cooking multiple loaves of bread, roasting suckling pig and/or trying to get your pizza skills down to cook 2-3 pizzas at once, go with the 42".

The downside of the 42" is it'll cost more too build, take longer to build and take a bit more wood and time to get up to temp. The downside of the 36" is if you come to realize you really should have built a 42", there's nothing you can do about it.

Personally I'm going with the 42" because I figure in the big scheme the added cost and time is minimal compared to what I'm looking at doing as an outdoor kitchen and I want the flexibility of the larger oven. I also figure if I'm efficient with my time I just fire the oven as soon as I get home from work and let it get up to temp while I'm prepping, making dough balls for the second rise, cutting toppings, etc. That and I have essentially an unlimited source of free wood to fire the oven so the fuel costs are of no concern to me.

[stonecutter]

Re: wanting to build a 36 or 42 Pompeii

You'll find that you won't need to worry about 2-3 pizzas at a time... Especially if you are trying for 90 sec pies. The benefit of a larger diameter oven us that you have more space between you food and the radiant heat source, which makes managing what you are baking.

As for firing times between a 36" vs 42", they aren't much of a factor, you won't notice a perceivable difference, all other things equal...like mass thickness, type and thickness of insulation, and type of fuel. I'm basing this opinion on using and building several ovens, and seeing a bunch of others ( in person)...this is just more to ponder.

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: wanting to build a 36 or 42 Pompeii

thanks guys i have been do a lot of reading. what about size 36 or 42. since you buit your oven would you go big or small?

I split the difference and went with 39". Very happy with the size.

[Greenman]

Re: wanting to build a 36 or 42 Pompeii

Congratulations. A point to anchor to is important and all of that decision making is tough work. It will get easier to take the next bite of the project now. Hook in, go hard.

[OTTO BRAUN]

Re: wanting to build a 36 or 42 Pompeii

thanks for all the input. i figure i would go with a 42'' seem to be a good size and i am a bigger is better kind of guy. seem the heat up is about the same. i got the cd in the mail checked it out and still can not find any of the cut angles. i read a lot on the forum and look for some of the calculators but cant seem to find any. need a little help.

OTTO

[Gulf]

Re: wanting to build a 36 or 42 Pompeii

thanks for all the input. i figure i would go with a 42'' seem to be a good size and i am a bigger is better kind of guy. seem the heat up is about the same. i got the cd in the mail checked it out and still can not find any of the cut angles. i read a lot on the forum and look for some of the calculators but cant seem to find any. need a little help.

OTTO

This might be what you are looking for . Deejayoh's Spreadsheet.

[OTTO BRAUN]

Re: wanting to build a 36 or 42 Pompeii

thanks gulf just what i was looking for.
one other question. how do you cut the harth bricks with the saw? just use small cuts then sand them? or is there some other method?