New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

I used some charcoal then threw a few small logs on. Fire has been going for a while now and the oven seems to be working well. It's hot wrought to cook but I have too much ash from the charcoal to cook so I'll let the fire burn out and I'll clean it tonight. Tomorrow I'll start another fire and I'm going to cook some pizza tomorrow.

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

Got up early this morning and beat the rain to get the insulation on. I bought two small tarps to cover the insulation and put that blanket between them and then used my larger tarp to cover everything. A little overkill I'm sure but we get high winds here and want that insulation to stay dry.

I put in another load of charcoal in the oven and I will check the tarp for condensation before turning up the heat a bit more

[cobblerdave]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

G'day bigt
I wouldn't be to worried about keeping that heat going continuous . Like all water it tends to find its own level so the moisture will wick to the dryer surface . A perfect place have it for you next lot of heat I recon .
Regards dave

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

I lucked out and we didn't get freezing temperatures and haven't got rain in a few days. I have been using charcoal to start the drying process since Tuesday and have been keeping the fire going for hours overnight and getting up early to start up more so it runs during the day as well. I'd love to keep this going continuously but with work and kids that makes it near impossible.

I will be putting on my insulation this weekend and covering with a tarp in the mean time I have been using a insulated blanket that I used to cover my smoker in winter time and it's good up to 300 degrees as far as I have experienced so far. Thinking if this thing dries out I may be able to do a lower temp cook on the weekend. Can't wait

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

Only render I put on so far was a coat of home brew mortar to the outside of the oven.

I have enough Cf insulation to do 2 inches on my dome. I'm not even sure where I could get perlite at this time of year. Definately won't get nice enough weather to apply a coat of perlite/concrete mix and have it dry.



Would it be bad just to do the 2" Cf insulation and then wire and stucco? I could also source Rockwool easily so it wouldn't be much work to add that and I'm sure more insulation would be a big benefit. Will just need to see if I have the room to put it on.

[cobblerdave]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

G'day
You have dry insulation .... Great the standard is. 2 in but the more the better .
The pearlite layer is generally used over CF insulation just to , even out the lumps and bumps, and give more insulation before the render layer, at a cheaper cost.
Disadvantage is water, I think its said that a 1/3 is water. And that on the other side of of a very efficient insulation that the drying heat could not get through.
I was facing a very wet summer and was under pressure to seal the dome and used 4 in of rockwool over the CF blanket then chicken wire and render. I found that quicker than trying to apply pearlcrete between showers of rain and wait for it to dry under a tarp.
Regards dave

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

G'day
I'd start with the DRYING process now. That mortar been a few weeks now and should be starting to get a lighter colour. If you plan to cook in it you have really got to get the thing dry before going for flame and high temps. Your more likely to crack you oven if its not insulated . In saying that I cooked in mine long before it was insulated, not high temps more like 9 min pizza than 90 sec ones.
I'm more concerned that you'll get to the freezing wheather with a wet oven and I'm glad that you have not put that pearl/Crete layer on as yet , they do hold lots of moisture.
Regards dave

Thanks I will start tonight after my boys go to sleep.

I had planned on insulation then chicken wire then stucco. Do I need to also add a perlite/concrete layer before the stucco?

[cobblerdave]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

G'day
I'd start with the DRYING process now. That mortar been a few weeks now and should be starting to get a lighter colour. If you plan to cook in it you have really got to get the thing dry before going for flame and high temps. Your more likely to crack you oven if its not insulated . In saying that I cooked in mine long before it was insulated, not high temps more like 9 min pizza than 90 sec ones.
I'm more concerned that you'll get to the freezing wheather with a wet oven and I'm glad that you have not put that pearl/Crete layer on as yet , they do hold lots of moisture.
Regards dave

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

Also should I wait until Sunday before I start curing or am I Ok to start now?

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

I purposely haven't put the insulation out for that reason as I didn't want it to get wet. Unless the stars align and I have time along with good weather the insulation will have to wait until next year. However I wanted to cure the oven this year and maybe get a cook in. I'm assuming it's OK to do that?

I have tons of charcoal and can start it in the chimney starter I have and use tongs to transfer it to a stainless steel bowl that I have. Thanks for that tip, will work great

[cobblerdave]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

G'day BigT
The rain and the open insulation isn't a good combination. Keep it covered as the insulation will soak up that moisture .
As for the bird wire wrap it at round the oven cutting out the entrance, you end up with a big tube. Cut down from the top and fold down against the dome surface. Any baggy bits, grab the wire with the nose of you pliers and twist sideways. It really doesn't have to be tight just close enough to the dome to account for the thickness of the render. If you make it to tight the render can't get behind it.
As for curing... Thing drying. Use charcoal BBQ beads in a tin or pan full of holes on a couple of brick bits off the hearth. It will burn for hours safely unattended. Best no flames on the roof of the oven. You might not get it dry enough by what your saying but yet again you could get a warm spell? You never know
Regards dave

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

On Sunday I cleaned up the bricks and also got my flue attached. I want to try one 2' piece and will add another if needed.



Regarding the curing process the curing oven thread has different advice than the Pompeii Oven plans. The plans say to start with a 300 degree fire and the thread says newspaper only for a week. Which is the best approach?

My outside coat of mortar on the dome has been on Since Aug29th, however I just completed the entrance on Sunday. I'm thinking that I should wait until this Sunday to begin curing the oven.

The weather has also began turning with us getting temps as low as -3Celcius this week and when it's above zero we've gotten rain. I'm hoping to get the insulation done this year now, but not sure with the weather. Some places just south of us have started getting snow already. I have 4"x4" page wire kicking around, am I better off using Chicken wire to cover the insulation before putting stucco on? Do I need to secure the chicken wire to the brick to hold it in place?

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

Here's my arch redone

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

I redid the arch today. Tried twice and this was the better of the 2. It's not 100% but likely as close as I will get it. The brick will get cleaned up once I get my kids down for their nap

[cobblerdave]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

G'day bigT
My first arch was a dismal failure. I ended up with a square entrance as a result. Later I added another arch to the front of my oven in an effort to protect it from the elements. I saw another build on the forum who had built an arch from pressed clay pavers. I was amazed by the small mortar gapes that resulted from the thinner units.
I set out a piece of cardboard drew a horizontal line, marked out the width l had to span then 1/2 it. Drew a line up from that 1/2 way point then I layed out my pavers on the cardboard on one half. Using cardboard spacers to take into account the nearly zero mortar joint I needed on the inside edge. When I dry stacked the pavers till they looked right. Drew a line underneath the payers folded my cardboard in 1/2 and cut out my patern. You cut the drawn line out of your pattern otherwise it grows in size.
Cause then you then transfer it to your arch template and again cut out the line and there you have it.
I used this method and it worked, if you follow the link to my build it shows my front arch and you see the results.
Hope this helps
Regards dave