Outdoor kitchen center piece - Build Thread

[shanek]

I think it looks great! it does add a level of reassurance that someone else has at least done it before. always scary when you are the first to try something new.

[shanek]

i closed the dome last night!!

I was planning on using an 18 inch exercise ball to hold up teh last few bricks but when i got it in there it was to small. i figured a bigger one would give me to weird of an angle so i scrapped the ball idea. i then started cutting some foam into a dome like ive seen a lot of people do on here but i quickly gave up on that as there was to much math...haha. i settled on using sand in a trash bag. i know that might not work for some and may be to crude for others but it worked perfect for me. took me less than 10 minutes to rig up a small table/shelf in the dome and i set the trash bag with about 4 shovel fulls of sand in. i left the top in the middle so i could take or add more sand to help when i needed it. it was a perfect solution for me. my keystone wasnt the best perfect little thing but got it to fit and tapped her into place. i had a great little helper out there with me to finish it all up. now ill let it sit for 5 days and then start the curing fires.

[rwiegand]

Congratulations! Closing the dome is an exciting step. I was told it marked the halfway point in the process, that is currently seeming optimistic.

[SableSprings]

"Sand in a trash bag..."

I didn't use the indispensable tool for my build because I used the Montreal (beaver tail) shape instead of a "true" dome. I did exactly the same thing you did...propped up a plywood platform and laid some sand filled bags on top and added a smoothed layer of damp builders sand. Laid my final rows using the sand platform for support. Worked great for both of us (and we didn't have to move a yard of sand as resulted from the old method sand form). I think it's a very practical (even elegant ) solution...not crude at all. Excellent work...give yourself a pat on the back and pour yourself a nice cold adult beverage.

And I also heartily endorse Rwiegand's comment above...welcome to the ever moving mid point of the completed WFO project

[shanek]

Got 3/4 cord of wood delivered. I ordered 1/2 of Oak and 1/4 of apple. wanted to mess around with the apple for flavor. I may have over estimated the amount of space that would fit in my storage...haha. when it was all said and done i think i fit anywhere from 1/4 to 1/3 of a cord under there. I purchased a 1/2 cord (8 foot) rack that will go right behind my BBQ which will hold the rest.

Also did the first curing fire after letting it sit for 4-5 days. i just used a few pieces of bark and got the oven up to 250 degrees. ill increase ~100 degrees every day.

[WarEagle90]

Looks like that should be enough wood to get you through the weekend .

[shanek]

Been doing my curing fires. this was my 5th fire and got it to around 650-700. got a nice crack on my arch and above it. im not worried about the aesthetics but am about the integrity... thoughts? i drew on it to try and track the length of it.

[UtahBeehiver]

Original post from cell phone, so redid to clarify better.

I noticed that there is not insulation on the oven yet. Too late now, but insulation helps temper the temperature differential between the inside and outside of the dome and thus expansion rates between inside and outside. This minimizes cracking. That said, all ovens will crack somewhere. The beauty of a pompeii dome is it is self supporting. With the bolstering on the arch it should be okay as well.