Sarah's Progress Photos

[sarah h]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Thanks all, and Dusty, glad you like the avatar!

Had the 3rd fire tonight - I don't know if it has something to do with the outside temp but it seems to take more wood than recommended to get the inside heat up. In the end, the temperature in the middle of the chamber was almost 300F, the top of the dome itself was likely hotter, I was able to put my hand on the floor (where there weren't coals!) at all times and the only heat on the outside of dome came after the fire was out. I don't know if I'm doing this right but there don't seem to be any cracks yet ... from what I can tell in the dark - I'll check again tomorrow in the light of day.

Working in the dark is a pain - I narrowly avoided a face-plant tripping over a stray cinderblock but still managed to wrench my back, bruise a knee and take a chunk out of my shin - if I'm not more careful I'll be catching up to Dave in no time!

Here are a few more pics.

Sarah

[Frances]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

I cured my oven without a thermometer, just building continually bigger fires for a week. The lower courses didn't really seem to heat up much at all (on the outside) and they seemed to get wetter if anything, until the last fire, when the whole dome got heated up and dried out all the way through. It didn't glow like dave's did, but it did heat really well without cracking.

I think curing must be a bit of both, drying and heat attained. As long as you continue slowly and surely it doesn't matter much which is taking place at any given moment. Does it?

It'll all work out in the end... Cool isn't it?

[dusty]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Sarah, I am excited to see the oven fires. Very cool! I like that one that you put next to your name. Looks kinda scary in there. Oooo! Midevil, sort of. Dungeonesque. Maybe I'm still in the halloween frame, but I like it!
Congrads and have fun with the pizzas. Hope to be sharing receipes soon.

dusty

[gjbingham]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Sarah,
Congrats.! Great looking fire. The oven looks clean and awesome. I think you'll be really proud of the finished product. Can't wait to see that first pizza or bread. I feel like mine is a long way off.

GB, your not using that quote of yours as the answer to the condensation concerns? Kidding.

Acoma, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Actually, I'm experiencing the exact same phenomenon. The lower mortar in the oven is wetter than the upper, for obvious reasons. I started partially blocking the oven off during the curing fires to try to bring the heat down to the floor of the oven.

It appears that the fire gets it's O2 from the floor. If I block the bottom, the flames diminish quickly.
G.

[asudavew]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Outstanding!

Take your time, and have fun!

Congrats Sarah

[Acoma]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Sarah, I know you have paid great attention to detail throughout, don't forget the curing rule: 100, 200, 300...to 700 (7 day cure). Your'e so close, don't rush.

[sarah h]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Thanks Carlo and Frances!

Fire No. 2 tonight!
Bigger than yesterday, and I could actually feel some heat on the outside of the dome! This is just like the best part of going camping .. without actually having to go ... and then you get to go inside and be comfortable when you're finished playing with the fire! Cool!! I'd have toasted some marshmallows, except they always fall off the stick and they'd make a mess of my oven. I'll wait till I can do bigger fires that would burn off any lost ones.

I'm not sure if I'm attaining an adequate level of heat for firing - I placed an oven thermometer inside the dome, quite close to the fire, and it only ever got to 150F, even though I ended up adding more wood than suggested for a second fire. Does curing the oven have anything to do with the actual heat level attained or is it simply the process of drying it out?

I though I had a lot of wood when we first started building but I can already see that what I've got won't last the winter ... well, if it gets too cold and snows too much, it really won't matter - hope not!

Sarah

[Frances]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Sarah welocome back , I missed reading your updates. Lovely fire you've got there, I look forward to seeing the bigger ones!

[biondoli]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Congratulations Sarah! It is magnificient! Ciao Carlo

[sarah h]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Here it is ... the moment I'd been waiting for ... FIRE!

The glow of it was a wondrous sight to see, the heat it gave off was heaven (I travelled to winter and back on the weekend, quite unprepared - happy to be back where there's no snow & it's warmer) and the chimney drew beautifully!!

We found the chimney cap at Home Depot, sold as a rain guard in the ductwork section, for about one-third the price they wanted for a very ugly 'proper' chimney cap. While this thing, looks-wise, is only marginally better in my opinion and very flimsy, I'll paint it black and add some screening and it should do, at least till the finish work it complete. Then I may try to find something a bit more unique.

But for now, all that really matters is that ... it works!!!
I can almost smell pizza ...

Sarah

[Acoma]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

GB, your not using that quote of yours as the answer to the condensation concerns? Kidding.

[gjbingham]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Wierd stuff, that mortar.

[asudavew]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

I have condensation, too, even after a week of firing the oven. There certainly seems to be a lot of miosture in there

Mine too.

The top of the dome is glowing away, and the outside at the top gets quite warm. But the soldier course still is at ambient temperatures on the outside. I suspect there is still plenty of moisture in the lower parts of my oven.

[Frances]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

I have condensation, too, even after a week of firing the oven. There certainly seems to be a lot of miosture in there

[sarah h]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Heavy condensation? Yes! That's one reason why I'm concerned about enough ventilation. And now I have to entrust the oven care to others while I go away for three days !