42" Pompeii in Eastern NC

[thevance53@gmail.com]

Yep, that's me. I am just bringing my 7th chain over the entry arch. It is a little intimidating when you start and I had a huge issue understanding how the dome ties into the entry arch, but the bottom line is you just cope the bricks into the arch where they hit. That actually is the fun part. Cutting of the bricks is a piece of cake. Just follow JR's Dome calculator and slightly adjust from there. The hardest parts were figuring out how to build a good, workable IT, and the cutting table. On setting the bricks, it is key to set a couple of starter bricks and let them set up for some time before tapping bricks around them. I had to reset starter bricks multiple times until I figured that out. It does take a long time to set one brick at a time and keep the level of the courses. What scared me about the barrel vault was possibly the need for additional support around the barrell or buttressing. Either way, it is a lot of work and takes quite a bit of time, but I am glad I made the decision to switch. Good luck.

[UtahBeehiver]

Caliea,

Nothing wrong with a barrel but domes are not that difficult to build using the right techniques. Look at this thread where the original builder was going to build a barrel but the forum talked him into a dome. He us currently under construction and you could ask him about it. Domes offer cooking advantages dues to the shape. FB offers an inexpensive baseline plan for $3 with walks you through the build process.

https://community.fornobravo.com/forum/good-background-information/introductions/389952-new-build

Couple comments. I am not sure why you need two floor layers of fire brick for thermal mass unless you really plan on doing full scale bread baking. I would consider a little more insulation under the floor, 2" will suffice but another 1" would be beneficial for multiday cooking. Trade the cost of eliminating the 2nd floor layer for additional floor insulation.

[Caliea]

**EDIT: For those looking for info on a barrel vault - I changed my mind and am building a 42" Pompeii** 9-12-16

Hello all.

I've been lurking on this site for a few years now, slowly gathering information while dreaming of starting my own oven. Well, I'm finally at that point! I'm planning on documenting my build here, so I'll go ahead and flood you with info

Here's my basic info:
- I have zero masonry experience, unless you count tiling bathrooms and showers. No brick, mortar, or cement experience to speak of.
- I have a fairly decent grasp of basic construction techniques, and have access to a vast array of tools and equipment through my father and husband. (yay for tool-hoarders!) Both my husband and father are engineers, so the structural stability/design/code issues aren't an issue as much as real-world experience and guidance.
- I own a bread/pastry bakery, so my main interest is baking breads and other long-term roasts,etc. but I also have 4 sons who are quickly approaching their teen years, so I can only imagine that lots of pizza making will be in our future. I'm hoping to put enough mass in the floor to enable bread baking, but still have the ability to cook pizzas and flatbreads with a live fire going.
- i have read (and read and read) the "Bread Builders" plan by Alan Scott, and have also downloaded and studied the Pompeii plans from this site. I've also read a ton of posts on these forums to try to absorb as much knowledge as possible before asking questions.


I am currently planning on building a barrel vault style oven. I decided on the barrel style mainly because the Pompeii style looks fairly intimidating when I contemplate all those rectangles turning into a hemi-sphere. The shaping on the barrel vault seems a bit more within my abilities.

Along with the oven, I am planning a bit of an outdoor kitchen area. There will be a 36" long counter on each side of the oven, and then a brick BBQ grill area a bit further down the line. Right now, the plan is to build the foundation of the oven and cabinets with CMU blocks, and then frame up the surround of the oven and the base of the cabinets with metal studs and clad them in some fashion (possibly a stone or brick veneer). The countertops (and possibly the entrance into the oven) will be poured concrete.

To further complicate my plans, this will all be situated against the end of a raised wooden deck with pergola. The approximate elevation of the deck surface is 24", so all my foundations will be an additional 24" from the ground that would be found in a 'typical' install.


As I'm laying out my design, I'm able to clarify some of the areas I don't quite understand yet. To that end, I"m hoping for some clarifications.

(1) Hearth construction - as I try to assemble knowledge from so many sources, this is what I've come up with for the hearth construction: (from the top down) (a) two layers of firebricks in a herringbone pattern, turned 'flat side' up (b) 2" FB board for insulation (c) 3.5" (non-insulating) concrete slab for structural support. My question is: is this enough thermal mass to allow for bread baking or overnight roasting? i"m planning on wrapping the dome with an insulating blanket over the concrete cladding.

(2) Ash slot - my plan is to fire the oven, use it for pizzas if needed, then remove the coals and use them in the BBQ area for other cooking. This would allow me to put in bread to bake while grilling. I think maybe an ash slot would make removing the coals more complicated?


I've attached a very basic sketch of what type of setup I'm thinking. This is from the 'deck' side of the oven, and doesn't show the additional height build up that will be required to reach the existing deck height.

Thanks in advance for any input you have for my hearth construction and the ash slot!