smaller oven

[NCMan]

Re: smaller oven

NO, definitely not, it's dangerous. That's why you must wear a mask or respirator. Because the clay has been fired and then minute particles ground off, any tiny particles that get into your lungs cannot be removed as easily as unfired clay which turns to mud. The larger, sharper particles tend to stay in the lungs and cut the little hairs in there and cause diseases like silicosis.
The dangers of breathing silica dust | WorkSafe Bulletin | WorkSafeBC

David.....I said that a bit tongue in cheek......just kidding. It was meant to let them know it creates lots of dust. I want to add that a regular dust mask is insufficient to properly protect a person in that situation and one needs to wear a respirator. My 2?.

[cobblerdave]

Re: smaller oven

So I geared up and cut and mortared my door arch today. It took forever but I finally got them just right. Mortaring them in was taxing, since adjusting one moved the others, but at last I think it is passable. Nothing like the gurus on this forum, but it'll cook a pizza when I'm done (I hope.)

G'day
I've seen folk build an arch then build the dome to it, others build the arch as the dome goes up row by row. Never have I seen someone build a dome to door height then build the entrance. Well done! I'm impressed!
Regards dave

[david s]

Re: smaller oven

For those folk who don't believe a small oven is big enough to feed a crowd, I just picked up my 21" mobile oven that I hire out. It was a local fishing club and they cooked 90 9" pizzas (two at a time) maintaining a fire on the side constantly in one evening. This is a record for my oven, I had previously done 70 in one night, but 90 is outstanding. Being small my oven has its roof pretty close to the food (also a touch lower than a hemisphere) so 90 sec pizzas are pretty easy, this also means the dome recharges the floor temp pretty quickly.

[dingodan]

Re: smaller oven

So I geared up and cut and mortared my door arch today. It took forever but I finally got them just right. Mortaring them in was taxing, since adjusting one moved the others, but at last I think it is passable. Nothing like the gurus on this forum, but it'll cook a pizza when I'm done (I hope.)

[david s]

Re: smaller oven

And prepare to snort lots of brick dust.

NO, definitely not, it's dangerous. That's why you must wear a mask or respirator. Because the clay has been fired and then minute particles ground off, any tiny particles that get into your lungs cannot be removed as easily as unfired clay which turns to mud. The larger, sharper particles tend to stay in the lungs and cut the little hairs in there and cause diseases like silicosis.

http://www2.worksafebc.com/i/posters/2009/WS%2009_04.html

[NCMan]

Re: smaller oven

Two hands on the grinder and a boot on the brick works pretty well.

And prepare to snort lots of brick dust.

[david s]

Re: smaller oven

Two hands on the grinder and a boot on the brick works pretty well.

[dingodan]

Re: smaller oven

I'm really feeling the truth of the "build two ovens" statement. My buddy wants one too. I should have built his first!

[DavidApp]

Re: smaller oven

Be real careful how you hold the bricks as you cut and shape them with the angle grinder. It does not have teeth on the diamond blade but I think it could do a number on your hand if it got in the way.
On smaller pieces I would hold them in a vice if you could if not at least rest them on a solid surface.
Eye protection is also a good idea.

David

[david s]

Re: smaller oven

So I just cut some brick with the angle grinder. Worked WAY better than I thought it would. I love the advice I get on this forum.

David, how high of a door would you suggest? My form is built to 12" now and it looks plenty tall. I think my turkey would fit through there! However, I trust the experience of the forum.

My door is 6.25" X 15.75" and will just fit a 5 Kg turkey. A 12" high door will fit a monster.

An 18.5 high dome X 63% = 11.65

The problem with a small oven is that the percentage of internal dome area that the door takes up is larger and therefore you get more heat loss. My door area is just under 100 sq ins. (yours will be way more). Your oven is a third larger in diam than mine, but being taller would have a lot more volume. You are probably stuck with your current door width being already several courses high. Forge on, I'm sure it should be fine.

My dome is a little lower than a hemisphere, yours considerably taller, but let's say they were both exact hemispheres, then your diameter is 33% larger, area 78% larger and volume 137% larger.

[dingodan]

Re: smaller oven

So I just cut some brick with the angle grinder. Worked WAY better than I thought it would. I love the advice I get on this forum.

David, how high of a door would you suggest? My form is built to 12" now and it looks plenty tall. I think my turkey would fit through there! However, I trust the experience of the forum.

[david s]

Re: smaller oven

David- I am aiming for an 18.5 inch interior height and a 12 inch door height. Thoughts?

If your oven diameter is 28", then an 18.5" internal height is taller than a hemisphere. Because your oven is small your taller height will allow you to have a higher door height which is an advantage. I built a 2" taller version of the 21" ovens I make for this very reason and I was a little worried about how it might perform. As it turned out I could not detect any difference in the way the modified oven fired or performed.
Yours is significantly more, but I think you'll be fine.

[david s]

Re: smaller oven

I built the forms for the door arch, and I have an angle grinder and a diamond blade, so I am on my way!

Wear a mask, the brick dust is dangerous.

[dingodan]

Re: smaller oven

I built the forms for the door arch, and I have an angle grinder and a diamond blade, so I am on my way!

[DavidApp]

Re: smaller oven

Hello Dingodan

One cheap way to cut the bricks is with an angle grinder and a diamond blade. Makes a lot of dust unless you soak the bricks good but it works.
Not as neat as a brick saw but if you have a 4 1/2" angle grinder a $35.00 blade will get you cutting.

David