Sarah's Progress Photos

[sarah h]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Frances,

My understanding is that I'll likely end up using it in both places - back more, as you point out, behind the chimney, to hold in the heat for longer baking times, but also when there is still a fire (or coals), to adjust air flow and control sparks if the wind is coming from a bad direction. My door will fit in both ... once the sides are sanded or ground down just a hair - it ended up too tight a fit, but fixable.

It was really cold last night (-5C) but I seem to have been successful so far at preventing the dome from freezing and it's supposed to warm up again. Only problem is that all that covering is preventing moisture from escaping so I'm sure it's not drying as much as it should. My guess is that I should perhaps delay the start of firing a bit beyond a week . If anyone has any comments on this, let me know!

Sarah

[gjbingham]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Sarah,
Though I just finished mine two days ago, and it is well above freezing, it will rain for the next week or so. I'm using an electric heater in mine for periods of 20 - 30 minutes at first with the oven wide open.

Today, I finally blocked off the opening with fire brick and ran the heater for about a half hour. It gets up to around 100 degrees/37 C and I can see greater changes in the interior mortar joints and exterior cladding with every warming.

I'm waiting a week or so to officially put fire in this thing and just keeping temps like a hot day in August. I figure that is safe enough and will make the curing fires safer down the road, when the temps may easily be much colder.

George

[Frances]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Sarah, I think keeping the moisture in for the first week is good, as it lets the cement component harden better. After that I would try to get as much moisture out as fast as you can (while of course not rushing things either ) because once the dome is dry it should be able to stand the low temperatures better... At least that's the way I thought it works.

Bit of a catch 22 situation isn't it? I'm covering my oven every night for fear of rain or freezing, so the dome doesn't dry out as fast as it should, so its more likely to get caught by the frost before its ready for it.

Hey, a multi functuional door! Now that is cool!

[sarah h]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Thanks George and Frances,

I've just nipped home at noon to whisk the tarp off my oven - it's just too cold in the mornings now - and let some air circulate. The inside is lovely and warm to the touch so I figure my night-time heating job is doing the trick.
While the earliest day I could light that first fire is next Tuesday evening, if I am going strictly by the one-week rule, I may try to hold off a few extra days ... IF I can STAND it!!

Sarah

[gjbingham]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

I'm trhowing a tarp over mine as well. Do you have heavy condensation on the inside of the tarp in the morning? I sure do.
G.

[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 !

[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

[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.

[gjbingham]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Wierd stuff, that mortar.

[Acoma]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

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

[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

[biondoli]

Re: Sarah's Progress Photos

Congratulations Sarah! It is magnificient! Ciao Carlo

[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!

[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

[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.