It's time to go Vertical

[RCLake]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

It's been the 4th day of firing, trying to keep the dome at 600F, but the temperature of the dome varies greatly. It's probably because 1) the wood hasn't been seasoned or 2) 3" of rain we received this week. It seems to take some time before the oven heats up, but once flames start flaming gets warm. I'll go to 700 tomorrow if it isn't raining. The brisket I put in last night was so tender, that is what started me on this venture. I'll be making pizza dough tomorrow night!

Jim, I'm noticing about 200F difference between the inside and outside of the firebrick. How about you?

[RCLake]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Glad to hear that, as long as it isn't raining, I'll keep the tarp off.

Threw in a brisket tonight. I put in a thermometer in the door and it was at 325, so we will see what happens,

[jcg31]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

The bottom of the blanket seems a little damp, either because of driving the moisture out of the bricks or because of the 3" of rain we have gotten this week, some may have between the two tarps.

I think you are driving moisture out. I have been putting tent back in place overnight so blanket hasn't been exposed to any rain/snow and my blankets are damp as well.

[RCLake]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Robert, you got me thinking, why put off till tomorrow what you can do today. So I pulled off the tarp and the blanket and checked around. I do have a crack on the outside starting at my top left part of my arch and goes up the mortar line for 4 bricks. It doesn't seem bad and until that oven goes white I'm not crawling in there to look.

I also noticed on the inside of the blanket 4-5 places with soot. I must have a gap in the mortar joint there, not noticeable from the outside though.

All in all, in look like the dome before firing. I don't know why I thought I was going to see steam coming thru the bricks, but no.

I've put the blanket back on but not the tarp. When I took the tarp off there was moisture there so I'm letting it dry.

[RCLake]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Acoma, really can't compare to the other process. I like this approach, it has been tending to the fire during the day. I've got the dome at 500F and the outside is 300, the outside of the blanket is 70F. The bottom of the blanket seems a little damp, either because of driving the moisture out of the bricks or because of the 3" of rain we have gotten this week, some may have between the two tarps.

I've checked for cracks in the morning, today I notice lines in the soot on one brick on the second row. Could be because a log rubbed against it. We'll see.

I may take the blanket off during some of tomorrows firing to see if I notice any steam escaping.

[Acoma]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

RC, does it appear to you that moisture is being driven out more productively than the old method used by others?

Do you check the inside dome for cracks each morning before fresh firing?

[RCLake]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Removed the door this morning and the dome was over 200 and the floor was over 150, that's with outdoor temp of 30F. It's on to day 3 of the fires with a target of 500.

[gjbingham]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Nice door RC,
You won't loose much heat out of the dome with all that insulation in there.

Keep us posted on the curing.

[RCLake]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

We've been enjoying two fires tonight, the wfo has been doing good. It hasn't needed much wood and I'll shut it done soon. I will use my new door and see what happens.

The other fire we enjoy at this time of the year is in our great room, we call it that because we included the kitchen with the living room. We are very infomal here.

We cheated a little bit tonight by doing chicken and shank steak for some fajitas. There's heat there, why not.

Doesn't count in my opinon. It was good.

[sarah h]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

I like the door! As for the brisket, sound like a good way to christen your oven - can't wait to hear - or see - how it turns out. Have fun!

[Frances]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

You've heard about eau d' cologne, well around me it's the eau d' SMOKE.

Only kind of perfume that goes with true oven builders' apparel...

[RCLake]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

I see that the first picture is a little dark, sorry.

As you can see, I've started the fires again. I'm staying in the 350-375F range. With the doom at 350 the outside of the dome was 225, however the inside of the flue is 120. the winds are perpendicular to the opening so that's a part of it.

As always, I'm getting ahead of myself but I took out a brisket from the freezer to thaw in the fridge. I know Dave has a thread on it so I'll look it up tomorrow.

You've heard about eau d' cologne, well around me it's the eau d' SMOKE.

[RCLake]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

First pass at a door, I've attached 3" of insul. board to the back of a wood oak frame that I've added a couple of handles. I attached it using construction adhesive so I'll be interested how that holds up with the heat. Since the pics, I've added small pieces of ins. on top to seal the entire opening, small pieces are brittle and hard to work with.

[RCLake]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

So far I pretty happy with it all. I will place the other 2' section on it later to see the difference. I'm thinking I may cut that in half and add it to the flue and then cut the rest lengthwise on the diagonal and use that as a rain cap. The place I got the flue didn't have rain caps for this size.

[Dutchoven]

Re: It's time to go Vertical

Just looked at the photos while you were doing the curing fire...I agree with George in that it looks like the oven is breathing just as it should...I don't think you will have any issues at all with your flue design...matter of fact I might use a variation in the next oven I build!
Dutch