Block Stand Question - Pompeii 42"

[Yeager]

Couple other questions!

1. For my block stand, the back row will be about 1.5" lower due to slope. To Level the first row was planning on using Type S mortar - is that what you'd recommend? (I am planning on drystacking the rest of the rows per the instructions.

2. Oven height - I am estimating with the default plans that the oven entrance will be around 40". That seems a little low (bending over a lot). Have others added in a 5th row of 8" block to raise it up? Are there downsides?

3. Has anyone given thought to creating an opening on the back side using angle iron also if that was accessible? The storage underneath is so deep I would think it would be difficult to get things from way back.

thanks,
Yeager

[Gulf]

I've got a 44" oven. I love it. But, I built mine for "big feeds" in mind. And, I have what seems to be almost endless resources for free hardwood. It takes a lot of it. An oven that size is not needed for cooking a turkey. Three or four maybe. On this forum, I've seen some pics of some very fine birds cooked in 30" to 36" ovens.

[UtahBeehiver]

Karangi Dude (I don't think his thread is active anymore) and "The_dr_masuess" aka Loren built 48", these ovens are massive. Loren just recently fired his up for a big party so contact him on the pros/cons of having a oven this size.

[Yeager]

Cool - I am thinking about larger things like turkey's if the added cooking width and height would be of benefit? My foundation is poured, so if I don't make it bigger, I'll have some unused space between the oven dome and wall for roof ( not super bad thing, but might be worth leveraging?)

any others out there make a 44 or 46" pompeii?

[UtahBeehiver]

I have a 42" and never run out of cooking space. In fact, I rarely cook more than two maybe three pizzas at a time since they cook so fast and it is hard to manage too many pizzas at a time. The larger the oven the more fuel required. It up to you but your current design is plenty big. IMHO. A cover over the oven will make it more accessible in the winter, mine is not covered and although I could do winter cooking I don't very oven. It also protects your oven better from rain/snow/freezing. I have had some freezing damage to my polished concrete top.

[Yeager]

Thanks Russell!

It looks like I can fit together a 5' 10 1/8" x 6' 5 3/4" block stand using actual block sizes drystacked together.

After putting this together and designing the cooking surface it appears I might be able to increase the cooking surface to a 44" or even 46" oven (check out the attached image for the existing 42" layout showing that there appears to be a couple inches on each side of the oven available. Thoughts? I am planning on putting a roof over the dome (live in Minnesota!).

thanks,
Yeager

[UtahBeehiver]

The FB plans are a good baseline but you have discovered they are not perfect. Don't cut the CMUs to fit. Use whole or half units.

[Yeager]

Hello,
I finally got my outdoor kitchen concrete pads poured today, and getting ready to build my oven!

I poured a 77x86 foundation per the plans I found on the forno bravo site. What I am confused on is for a dry stack how can you come up with the dimensions of

69″ x 76″ when using 16" and 8" block (regardless if you use the 8", 16", or the actual dimensions of 5/8 less). I would assume this means you need to cut the block, but wondering if there is a easier way? Also, if you cut a block, its going to throw off the cores from lining up (I believe), which would make it hard to pour every other core full with a rerod all the way down?

thanks!
Yeager