Insulation information

[Kemo]

Re: Insulation information

Dusty,

I like the shims along the top of the arch. That looks pretty cool. Gets me thinking...

thanks for posting the pics,

[dusty]

Re: Insulation information

OK... get out of the box and let me know what you think about this hair brained, lazy idea.
I have set the floor and placed the first row of half brick around the perimeter to see how it looks. But now I don't want to pick them back up!
I'm thinking of putting tape up around the back side of the perimeter bricks, like a form, and filling all of the thin little triangles with mortar. I am using the sand, portland, clay, and lime mix. What if I mix the mortar really wet, put it in a zip-lock bag, cut off a corner, and squeeze it into the triangles like a cake decorater? I could spray bottle the bricks first to wet them, sqwirt it in, stir the mortar with a sharp object to get it to the sharp end of the triangle, and repeat. This wouldn't mortar the first cource to the floor, except for maybe some seaping cream, but, other than that, I think it might work. Do you?....Uno?

[dusty]

Re: Insulation information

Actually, That's the back door. I knew that the arched doors would look striking, so I put in two! One visable from the house, and one from the hot tub!
You kinda see both doors, and my friend Brent, in the first pic before the hearth was poured. Above the front door, third picture, I will build the entry arch to the oven to match.
Dusty

[Acoma]

Re: Insulation information

Dusty, I like the wood storage arch, nice change with the slim shims.

[dusty]

Re: Insulation information

Excelent tutalidge Acoma!
This is the best photo I have that shows how close my oven's edge is to where my enclosure wall will someday be. Red bricks will face the entire side that the arch is on, and then go across the side that my little level, square, and two red bricks are on. Since this was taken, I have shrunk the oven one inch (now 40"). Now that I understand how to do it, I'll take a better one and maybe post some of the others that show my progress so far. My oven sits in the middle of an L shaped outdoor kitchen.
Thanks a million Acoma.
Dusty

[dusty]

Re: Insulation information

Yea James,
At first I though... Why are all these computer geeks making wood fired ovens? It didn't take me long to realize that, hey, these guys aren't geeks! They are just like me. They just got good on the computer so they could learn more and talk to others about one of their passions. Very cool.
I'm stiving now for geekhood. This is much more fun than checking my e-mail once in a while.
Dusty

[james]

Re: Insulation information

:-)
Lifelong learning. This group let's you explore construction, thermal dynamics, bread, pizza, flour, Italian food, and digital photography -- all in one place.

James

[dusty]

Re: Insulation information

OK Acoma,
I, with the help of my son, have downloaded the pics to "my pictures" and into a folder labled "oven photos". I await my next instruction. I'm learning all kinds of things since joining!
Dusty

[wlively]

Re: Insulation information

I I wonder if anyone has any statistics on the temps on the outside of the blanket at full heat..that would be nice to know.

Hey, I found one. Well for Isofrax you can find a data table that gives hot face/cold face values. Unfortunately they give no k values for there products so that doesn't help. They list no table for the Insulfrax, but they do list Insulfrax paper and Isofrax paper and the Isofrax has a lower k value.
At 1202 deg F the cold face is;
343 with 1"
248 with 2"
182 with 4"

Reference:
http://www.unifrax.com/prodinfo.nsf/By+Trade+Name/AED3824C5972AB1885256EDA006F2643/$File/Form%20C-1452%20Isofrax%20Blanket.pdf

[Unofornaio]

Re: Insulation information

I think you cant go wrong if you use the blanket and fill the rest with vermiculite..I mean you do reach a point in any insulation scenario where too much insulation just doesn't do more for you, but if your enclosure is that tight, at 20.00 and bag you are going to use what 2 bags?..I say why not just add it... I wonder if anyone has any statistics on the temps on the outside of the blanket at full heat..that would be nice to know. Then again this all depends on your anticipated usage of the oven you may not need reach maximum insulation capacity for what you are going to use the oven for.

[dusty]

Re: Insulation information

Les,
That is what I don't get yet. Does that mean a 1" blanket equals 3 to 4" of vermiculite? 'Cause I could add 6 or more iches of vermiculite on the top and corners. Or do you tend to need both?
Dusty

[Les]

Re: Insulation information

Dusty,

Go with the blanket, If I remeber correctly, it has 3 - 4 times the insulating factor of vermiculite.

Les...

[dusty]

Re: Insulation information

Just wanted to thank you guys again for all the insulation info. I am now ready to roll again. I've decided to incorperate a few of the ideas instead of any one.
I'm definatly using Uno and Daves idea of making the enclosure wall thinner in those four spots. This will give me 2 more inches for insulation. Drake and James convinced me that insisting on a 42" oven isn't that important. A bit smaller one would be just fine. I decided to go 40" which will give me 1" more for a total of four. My original plan was to use no insulating blanket but now that I know what one is, (thanks Drew), I think I will try to hunt one down.
Is the blanket highly recomended or does the loose vermiculite alone tend to be fine?
Thanks again,
Dusty

[asudavew]

Re: Insulation information

That is how I ended up with a 38" oven. It retains heat like crazy, heats up quickly, and never gets hot on the outside...I only had room for about 3" on each side, and put 2" of the ceramic blanket on each side and 1" of vermiculite.
Drake

Drake,

I like the idea of only 3" inches of insulation. But I am curious about your outside temps, because I will soon be at the outside insulating stage. How hot does your dome get on the outside?

Thanks a bunch!

[jwnorris]

Re: Insulation information

An inch or so will not jeopardize the function of your oven near as much as inadequate insulation. The key word here is insulation.

J W