George's Pompeii progress

[Acoma]

Re: George's Pompeii progress

George, I remember past conversations about draw. With smoke coming out the front, would you say 75% would be right? Does this last the whole time? My thinking is that this 8ft. flue may be cold for a long period, making the draw harder. Have you attempted to start a flame closer to the door to heat the flue much more rappidly, and would this help? Who knows? I wonder if this is an issue for all lone flue users?

[gjbingham]

Re: George's Pompeii progress

Robert, it seems to draw really well, or at least a lot better, when it's burning hot, which is what you would expect. I'm sure your theory about getting eight feet of chimney to draw is accurate to a point. I generally build the fires closer to the front to start with because I seem to loose firewood toward the back and sides as I burn.

My gut is that the low arch (read semii-flat) and small vent (6 X 11 inches) vent does not capture all the smoke pouring out of the dome and across the entryway ceiling, which is 20 inches across. You can see some smoke turn around at the door and go back up the vent, while some spills out the front.

I intentionally built the decorative arch an inch lower than the firebrick entryway arch in order to minimize problems with smoke. What, me wrong????


RC: Good thing the wife is a huge bread fan. She'll happily stay at home if I bake her good bread (hasn't happened yet). Looks like another night out!

[Acoma]

Re: George's Pompeii progress

George, I am confused. Ken has his at 5" approx. If yours is 6" it has to coralate to the height of the flue, and some engineer out there has the answer to this draw issue of yours.. Somehow the vent (w*D)*flue coralates. Mine is going to be 5.5 to 6 by 10" My flue will be 36" standard.

[gjbingham]

Re: George's Pompeii progress

Robert,
I'm not sure I get your drift regarding the flue issue. The space I left for the vent opening was 6" X 11" inside the arch (which is about 3 inches external to the angle iron/oven opening) and tapers to 6 X10 on top of the arch. I built a chimney anchor plate seat on top of that that reduces the size down to 6.25 inches on each side.

The point I was trying to make is that the vent opening inside is only about half the width of the vent arch. My flatish archway (2.5 inch rise over 20 inch span) allows smoke to bypass the vent and spill out along the sides (and out the front). A wider inernal vent opening, it seems to me, would capture more of the hot rising air and direct it towards the chimney. At least that's my thinking.

A higher entryway arch would have probably minimized the problem, but there's no turning back now, huh?

I just took a math lesson from JCG 31 on RCLake's thread, so I'm not so sure of anything anymore.

[dusty]

Re: George's Pompeii progress

I just took a math lesson from JCG 31 on RCLake's thread, so I'm not so sure of anything anymore.

Yea... I sorta looked at those graphs and calculations... facinating, but too early in the morning. I will try to digest them after more coffee and a couple asprin.
I have started to fire mine up again and I understand your concern about the width of your vent opening. Mine is only 4 1/2" deep but the full 18" across. Smoke is not allowed to excape out of the sides. I don't have my chimney mortared in place yet (it is just sitting there), but no problems yet with draw. (Knock on wood). I do have problems, just not the draft variety!
Good luck.

dusty

[Acoma]

Re: George's Pompeii progress

George, I went back to page 10 of your thread to see the arch design better. I do see now where the rectangular shape could result in smoke bypassing the chimney where the vent does not capture all escaping. I could gather that what Ken did to his would have helped here too.

Coud you possibly get an angle grinder and expand the vent more towards the walls to capture it. Might be a small headache but offer more rewards. The draw might improve too.

[gjbingham]

Re: George's Pompeii progress

Dusty/Robert. I completely agree. The vent should run almost the entire width of the entryway. Maybe I misread the numbers on the plans. Anyway, I did to some grinder work in there. That is really nasty work. Dust, flying debris, noise, can's see 'cause the safety glasses are coated. Yuk!

I only widened it an inch or so on each side in about 10 minutes. I will take it out farther/wider in the future. It's not a huge issue right now, as the smoke stains come right off the decorative arch with a sponge and it's going to get cold outside for the next week or so. Also, with the draft door in place, no visible smoke gets out.

Thanks for your comments. Now I need help with my pizza dough shaping. I cooked today with good but not fantastic results. Pics in the next day or so.

George

[dusty]

Re: George's Pompeii progress

I only widened it an inch or so. It's not a huge issue right now
George

Glad to see the focus has shifted to what it is really about. Your breads look fantastic and the oven only smokes for the first few minutes.
I know all about that grinder. I use it as a last resort. It is one of the main reasons I refer to myself as "dusty".
Keep the glass half full.

dusty

[Acoma]

Re: George's Pompeii progress

Dusty, so true about the grinder. I am about to embark on Sir Grind a lot Grinder tomorrow.

[gjbingham]

Re: George's Pompeii progress

Ahh, 21 degrees outside. Gorgeous weather, but I'm not going outside unless the house catches fire.

Here's my pics of Sunday's first pizza attempt. Kinda sad - a Hawaiian Special (Canadian Bacon & pineapple) was the first pie in. Seems like something a bit more special would have been fitting, but the kids were screaming for food.

My wife and I reverted back to my favorite Greek/Eastern Mediteranean pizza - Kalamata Olives, Fetta, red onions, mozzarella, San Marzano sauce, basil, EVO. Yummy, but you can see I wasn't too successful getting the dough flat without overhandling it. The oven floor was only at 750 when they went in, and I kind of rushed them a bit, so the dough wasn't good eats. They probably needed another 30 seconds to a minute in there.

Practice makes perfect with the pizza dough, I hope. At least it helped with the ciabatta that followed. Third try was a charm with the bread, especially since I got the laser thermometer. What a lifesaver!

[gjbingham]

Re: George's Pompeii progress

Here's the ciabatta's crumb picture. It didn't upload on the last post. Great recipe Jim!

[gjbingham]

Re: George's Pompeii progress

Wow! Is that a lousy photo or what???

[asudavew]

Re: George's Pompeii progress

Wow! Is that a lousy photo or what???

indeed

but the bread looks great!

[Frances]

Re: George's Pompeii progress

Wow, cool George! I think your pizzas look yummy and the bread looks really good, too. The last photo though? Not the best one you've ever taken...

About your comments for improvement, I find its kind of comforting to know the learning curve on this project doesn't end with completing the dome.

[gjbingham]

Re: George's Pompeii progress

You're finding the learning curve a little steep at times too, huh Frances. At least it's fun trying. I need to lower my expectations a bit. I think. Thanks for the comments. (you too Dave).

I'm off to get a chord of Oak today. That, with all my other stores, I think I will be good for firewood for a few years.

Regards!