36" Pompeii Dome Chicago

[Chach]

Not really sure what you mean without an attached pic, but the principle is right a large volume chamber under the flue pipe prevents smoke exiting out the front of the oven.

here is a rough sketch of the top view of what im talking about. does this help? I only have 12" so the opening would be 6" in the middle and 3" fire brick for th 2 arches or does it go by sq inches? can i have like 4 1/2" opening by like 8" wide which gives me 36 sq inches? then transition into the 6" or no matter what tje opening has to be at least 6"x6"

[david s]

Not really sure what you mean without an attached pic, but the principle is right a large volume chamber under the flue pipe prevents smoke exiting out the front of the oven, provided the flue size is adequate for the oven.

[Chach]

For small ovens like mine (21”) a 5” flue is sufficient up to 28”, then you should have a 6” flue up to 36” and 8” for anything bigger. The draw can also be increased by making the flue pipe or chimney taller. The inner diameter (or cross sectional equivalent if using a masonry chimney) is the more powerful factor than height for increasing draw. Also a smooth stainless pipe is better than a rough brick inner surface as it provides a smoother laminar flow.

Got it. my vent flue is 12" deep i meed to get a 6 inch opening that makes my arch bricks if cut with even thickness it would be 3" each arch where the flue opening would be. Is this a problem? i plan on making the chamber tall so I can get a bigger pocket for the smoke and gases to accumulate as well

[david s]

For small ovens like mine (21”) a 5” flue is sufficient up to 28”, then you should have a 6” flue up to 36” and 8” for anything bigger. The draw can also be increased by making the flue pipe or chimney taller. The inner diameter (or cross sectional equivalent if using a masonry chimney) is the more powerful factor than height for increasing draw. Also a smooth stainless pipe is better than a rough brick inner surface as it provides a smoother laminar flow.

[UtahBeehiver]

In the FB plans, 6" ID is good for ovens up to and including 36".

[RandyJ]

I know that there is some science behind the reason that a certain size chimney is recommended for a given size oven. But i do believe that a 6" is big enough for a 36" oven, maybe someone else will verify. I don't know if i have the original set of plans anymore. I may need to buy them again when i build the next oven.

[Chach]

I was planning on going with an 8" vent but now im thinking this may be overkill and change it back to 6" Is there a benefit to upsize the vent?

[Chach]

Hey Ricky it is looking nice. I understand what you are thinking of for the igloo shape. But i am always leary of that in our climate. It may work great out in the desert but wet and freezing are a bad combination with the dome as they seem to always have water infiltratetion issues and can be frozen apart.

I agree with you it looks cool but you can never be too careful...im so torn.

[RandyJ]

Hey Ricky it is looking nice. I understand what you are thinking of for the igloo shape. But i am always leary of that in our climate. It may work great out in the desert but wet and freezing are a bad combination with the dome as they seem to always have water infiltratetion issues and can be frozen apart.

[Chach]

I have been using one of the pop up tailgate tents. I keep it over the oven when I'm not working on it. It keeps the majority of rain off of it and limits the amount of moisture to just what I am putting in my homebrew. Obviously on days you decide to fire you'd want to move it out of the way.

Sounds like the move for these curing fires is to use charcoal briquettes for a long slow spread out firing.

We had some crazy winds here and storms so I have been using a tarp to keep it out of the elements. I was worried the tent would fly away even with staking it down. I may change to that now that the dome is complete and the oven can cool underneath after the fire is out

[benthewhite]

I will for sure insulate before i cure and also build my entry arch and vent...when im curing and rain is coming and the oven is hot how do you protect it feom rain if its 500 degrees? tarp may melt on the flue im guessing maybe not the insulated dome. Im guessing I meed some good weather before I close her up.

I have been using one of the pop up tailgate tents. I keep it over the oven when I'm not working on it. It keeps the majority of rain off of it and limits the amount of moisture to just what I am putting in my homebrew. Obviously on days you decide to fire you'd want to move it out of the way.

Sounds like the move for these curing fires is to use charcoal briquettes for a long slow spread out firing.

[Chach]

Nice work, congrats on completing the dome. PS, agree with KD. You can use briquettes to start, more transitional heat and you can cook something is a dutch oven. Do insulate dome before curing.

I will for sure insulate before i cure and also build my entry arch and vent...when im curing and rain is coming and the oven is hot how do you protect it feom rain if its 500 degrees? tarp may melt on the flue im guessing maybe not the insulated dome. Im guessing I meed some good weather before I close her up.

[Chach]

Thanks everyone for your help on my build so far. In all honesty it really wasn't that bad better than I thought it would be because I was expecting to be frustrated more than i was lol. but being in the trades helped me a ton plus I've done a little brick work but nothing like this dome. I ended up with 18 1/4" on my dome height...not to bad I must say. if you stumble across this post and your thinking of building one...do it you won't regret it...I'm already happy and I didn't even use it yet.

[Chach]

I can't stop looking at it...I was goimg to build am enclosure aroumd it but now i like the shape comepared to the rest of the structures give it a little contrast there are squares rectangles and now a dome...I really have to think what I want to do. What does everyone think? I need some opinions.

[UtahBeehiver]

Nice work, congrats on completing the dome. PS, agree with KD. You can use briquettes to start, more transitional heat and you can cook something is a dutch oven. Do insulate dome before curing.