36" Pompeii low-dome in Livermore, CA

[JRPizza]

I don't know how to weld either, but I have a machine and I try I need to get some steel and start on my door, so I was going to pick your brain if you had made it yourself.

[Larry P]

I don't know how to weld either, but I have a machine and I try I need to get some steel and start on my door, so I was going to pick your brain if you had made it yourself.

Ah I was tossing around the idea of doing the same I did a welding shop class, back in junior high! In the end it was way faster to pay someone.

I will say, I was worried about the clamshell held together with 2 bolts would be too flimsy, but it couldn't be further from the truth. Actually the 10 gauge was probably too thick. The door is build like a tank, and is heavy as one too.

This is what I posted on facebook for another friend who asked about it:

Some details: the door is a clamshell made with 10-guage steel. It's pretty heavy. If there's any improvement, maybe it doesn't need such thick steel. The back piece is 3½" thick, and it's filled with 2 layers of 2" thick rigid ceramic fiber insulating board. This gives me a ½" gap which was filled with ½" square ceramic fiber rope. It's all held together by 2 1/2-13 x 4" stainless bolts, which are the only heat-conducting thing touching the front plate. I want to insulate these but I haven't figured out how. I can buy these bolts in ceramic but they're like $200 each gasp emoticon and probably not the right application.

The ceramic fiber insulation came from fornobravo.com
The ceramic rope came from minseal.com
The handles came from rivercountry101.com
The thermometer is 1000ºF with 4" stem Cooper-Atkins 2225-20 from amazon.com

[JRPizza]

Thanks for the sourcing information - I like your handles! 10-gage is a little thick, but it'll never burn through I think I saw a few folks use 16 gage, so that is what I was thinking of using. Probably depends what I can find without having to buy a 4'X8' sheet. The welding is going to be a challenge to make look good, but I need to practice and justify the cost of my welder...

[deejayoh]

Thanks for the sourcing information - I like your handles! 10-gage is a little thick, but it'll never burn through I think I saw a few folks use 16 gage, so that is what I was thinking of using. Probably depends what I can find without having to buy a 4'X8' sheet. The welding is going to be a challenge to make look good, but I need to practice and justify the cost of my welder...

JR - Go to online metals. You can get custom cuts of sheet metal and pick it up right down on Nickerson. That's where I got the materials for my door.

BTW - I used 16ga on my door and it is plenty thick, but still easy to weld. I used a crappy HF welder and it works fine.

http://community.fornobravo.com/foru...ur-door-thread

[deejayoh]

BTW - I used 16ga on my door and it is plenty thick, but still easy to weld. I used a crappy HF welder and it works fine.

http://community.fornobravo.com/foru...ur-door-thread

[RandyJ]

I was going to also say 16 gage is plenty thick. Yhat is what I used for the outside of mine. Then I used 22 gage for the inside portion. If you are not comfortable welding you could do it like I did and secure it with pop rivets. Seams very solid so far. Also I got my metal from menards.

Randy

[Larry P]

I build my entry arch this weekend, using ebony firebricks from HC Muddox. They are bedded in Type S mortar, and the arch is build from Heat Stop 50 with charcoal color added. Next to create a landing for the chimney plate:

[Larry P]

Plus I got a half-cord of seasoned oak firewood delivered. I made a rack inside my enclosure out of leftover 1/2" rebar and plastic rebar chairs, to keep the wood off the ground. I calculate the interior space to be about 28 cubic feet, so if I can get 1/4 cord in there I think that will be good. I have another covered rack which holds another 1/4 cord.

Hope to burn this Saturday!

[JRPizza]

I like your wood rack! I get plenty of water under my stand, as it is at the wrong end of a gently sloped patio. I definitely need something to keep the wood off the floor. I didn't block off the rear of my corner like you did, and was thinking of making a rolling storage "cart" with a wood door bolted to the end, so when rolled in the door would seal off the entrance. That's pretty far down my list of to do's. I plan to do my first curing fires towards the end of this week. I won't have insulation for a while, but am planning on cooking something soon! Son's 30th birthday is on the 23rd, so hoping to be able to cook a few pizzas by then.

Oh, wanted to complement you on your awesome photography - my Wife and I really enjoyed going through your gallery.

[Larry P]

Oh, wanted to complement you on your awesome photography - my Wife and I really enjoyed going through your gallery.

Thanks!

I have all my insulation, but I think I'll get done curing before I install it. Maybe weekend after next, but depends on how much yard work I can get done during curing. Our vegetable garden has been sorely neglected during the oven build, and it really looks bad.

[JRPizza]

You are going with an igloo look, right? Are you putting up a roof too?
I hear you on the yard work. We live on a little over an acre, and building an oven is an incredible eater of the clock.

[Larry P]

Yes igloo, not planning on a roof. I intend on 2 layers of ceramic fiber blanket, then perlcrete on top of that to form the dome (might use 3/8" rebar and chicken wire to shape the dome), then Quickrete SBC with an acrylic admix, then tile mosaic, then a sealer. Rain's not much of a problem here, but UV is.

You don't even want to see pics of our garden now. I ripped out a bunch of 3' tall grass this week because I was worried our grape vines weren't getting any sun!

[RandyJ]

I hear you on the garden. Mine pretty much died during the build. Working full time and doing a 300 hr side job really eats up all of your free time for months. Add in a 1 year old and it is all you do. I can't wait to see the finished product. It is looking great.

Randy

[JRPizza]

Larry, I think we are heading in similar directions. I have enough blanket to do three layers, but do not have a good mental model how to finish off the igloo. We probably want to use brick squares similar to what Gulf used in the Mississippi Queen, but have not ruled out using tile. I hope you document your finishing well so I can copy as much as possible . Also want to put up a metal roof but have a pretty minimalist structure - again will look to see what ideas I can borrow from you.

[gastagg]

Larry, the oven looks great! I love the ebony firebrick! Did you find that locally or did you have to order it? It's a long-standing discussion on the forum, but there are some good points to consider about curing after insulating. It seems to me that the argument leans in favor of curing while insulated, esp. with the point that the temp differential is less for the bricks when curing insulated, which minimizes the potential for cracks. And you're going to have (some) moisture anyway in your insulation after you stucco, so you'll need to cure some more anyway after putting up the igloo.

Anyway, your oven looks great and you can tell you value and are attentive to craftsmanship. Looking forward to hearing about your first pizzas!