Pompei oven progress from Carlo

[dmun]

Re: Pompei oven progress from Carlo

My wooden pizza peel, from a local baking supply, is just a hair under 14 inches. You should be good to go. It could be argued that a smaller opening does a better job of keeping heat in the firing chamber.

[gjbingham]

Re: Pompei oven progress from Carlo

I'd make it wider. If you need to crawl inside the oven to clean mortar joints, it will be virtually impossible with a 16 inch door width. Also, cleaning up ash and moving pizza/coals around will be much easier with a wider door.

Looks like you're pretty well into it. 16 inches will probably work out fine if it requires a ton of work to widen it.

[wlively]

Re: Pompei oven progress from Carlo

Carlo

You can save mortar and time buy using the left over side wedges of fire brick as your gapping wedges. That way you just leave them in.

[biondoli]

Re: Pompei oven progress from Carlo

You're right and I'll have less waste to worry about....thanks WL

[biondoli]

Row 8 finished

little update ....Worked all week end and went up to row 8, now starts the hard and difficult work!

[gjbingham]

Re: Pompei oven progress from Carlo

Not difficult. More fun! Relax and enjoy the build! Great work so far.

[mannextdoor]

Re: Row 8 finished

little update ....Worked all week end and went up to row 8, now starts the hard and difficult work!

Very nice work. This picture in this post looks like your oven opening is very close to the edge. What size did you make your foundation slab, and hearth slab? Do you wish that you would have made it bigger?

[biondoli]

Re: Pompei oven progress from Carlo

Mannex,
here the picture with the measures...sure I would have liked much bigger, but on the back of the oven I have a sink and I need space there as well....so after long thinking I decided to go with the min requirements and then use it and understand what really need and where...then maybe build a working area on the front left side of the oven.
In the end the internal diameter of the oven ended up to be 38 inches...which is not a bad mistake!
Thanks for your comments

[gjbingham]

Re: Pompei oven progress from Carlo

I think it will work well for you Carlo. Nice graphic. You should post it on the tips, tricks, tools (or whatever the name of the the section is) as The Plan for a Corner Installation. The questions come up over and over again. Your's is the best graphic so far.

[biondoli]

key stone in!

Over the week end the dome was closed and arch for the vent finished, had to buy the 4th 50lb heat stop mortar, not much used but I'll use it to cover the dome.
I prepared also the transition plate for the next step...

[gjbingham]

Re: Pompei oven progress from Carlo

Nice work Carlo. That was a quick build. How'd you like it? Its all downhill from here. Enjoy the moment.

[biondoli]

Re: Pompei oven progress from Carlo

I thought the last part would have been the most difficult, I was wondering what to use for the last few rows, an inside ball or casting...looked at the different techniques on the forum and decided to use clamps, they worked wonderfully, I finished the last 2 rows + the key stone in the same day.

[biondoli]

Re: Pompei oven progress from Carlo

I will switch all my updates now to the Chimneys and finish section.........

[biondoli]

Re: Pompei oven progress from Carlo

few pics of the oven and patio finished, here the link for more pictures:

Picasa Web Albums - carlo - Patio

Picasa Web Albums - carlo - Oven

ciao Carlo

[mrgweeto]

Re: Pompei oven progress from Carlo

Very nice oven and setting. Very good for gatherings where food and adult beverages can abound.
G