42” Pompeii in San Felipe, MX

[UtahBeehiver]

Congrats on completing the dome and insulating. This is where a builder really needs to show constraint. We have seen many builders fire to fast and too hot and crack their ovens. Take it really slow. You should be able to do some dutch oven cooking as you cure. The top of the dome can get really hot really fast. Just an extra piece of wood is all it takes to mess things up.

[modified9v]

Thanks... I was able to keep it at about 350f last night for about 4 hours. This morning it was still at 225f. I built another small fire and it went to 425 pretty quickly. I tossed a small piece of scrap plywood in and the temp shot up to 650f almost in an instant. Won’t do that again. Sure is sooty in there. I will go low and slow... no hurry here.

[Chach]

Very nice indeed. I remember how excited I was when I started the curing fires. It was a sense of accomplishment as I stuck out my chest and watched my hard work get closer and closer to completion. LOL. You will be making pizza very soon. Good work.

Ricky

[modified9v]

Thanks Ricky, it’s pretty cool I will say. As far as this curing thing goes, it’s a real challenge. Yesterday I was struggling to get it up to temp and then all of a sudden it took off. Got a very fine crack in the inner arch mortar joint. It’s not there at temp, but it opens very slightly when cooled. Took over night and then some to get it get down there. Today I took it very slow and was stuck on 350 for several hours... then two little pieces of wood sent me up to almost 700f on the dome... the floor was only 400f. The inside of the dome is jet black... there are these little crystals that form over night. So weird. I did block the entrance with plywood to help slow the cool down. Not sure that does anything, but tomorrow morning I’m gonna hit it again slow and easy. I’d say that my target temp is “X”, but I can’t get it to cooperate anyway... I will bring it up slow and try not to let it get crazy.

This is not easy to do... curing that is. I will say that I’m not happy with the smoke escaping from the front of the oven. During those short rips when the flames are really cranking the smoke goes up the vent. Winds are swirling at 7 knots... Next fire I will remove the stack and see if the vent is just too long at 36”.

The outside of the oven’s insulation is staying at ambient temps, which today hit 105f. Gonna be a hot summer here.

Mikie V.

[modified9v]

Second picture is of the crack... hard to see but it is there. Still pretty warm after this morning’s fire.

[UtahBeehiver]

It takes a while for the carbon to burn off. It takes a very high temp for the carbon to clear. If you are seeing clearing of the carbon at this stage of curing, you are going way to hot. Again, be patient.
Any builder who says there are not "any cracks" in their oven need to go into politics or sell use cars. LOL

[modified9v]

Russell, if it weren’t for your warnings I’d have already cleared the carbon. I promise I’ll take it easy for a few more days... then, it’s on.

Also thought I heard the oven groaning when I got a little too hot too quick. I put my ear to the dome and I could swear I could feel it vibrating. I was not drinking, yet!

One quick question, how do you put the link to your build in your signature?

Thanks, Mikie V.

[Mongo]

One quick question, how do you put the link to your build in your signature?

Thanks, Mikie V.

User settings, 'account's tab, look for a red link, 'edit post signature'.

[modified9v]

So this free range chicken sat on a can of Tecate for an hour at 375f... ohhhhh man. I will never forget the first food from our labor. Was better than I thought it could be. Pizza soon... My sourdough is not cooperating. I’ve neglected it. It will take a few days to get it back up to speed. This is really gonna be fun.

[Mongo]

So this free range chicken sat on a can of Tecate for an hour at 375f... ohhhhh man. I will never forget the first food from our labor. Was better than I thought it could be. Pizza soon... My sourdough is not cooperating. I’ve neglected it. It will take a few days to get it back up to speed. This is really gonna be fun.

Chicken in after fire is out?
Door or no door?

Dome is looking good.

[modified9v]

The fire had been out for several hours. All I had for a door was a left over piece of plywood from the arch form. Looking forward to getting a door to hold that heat in.

[GJC]

This is great! Thanks for the information and great accomplishment with your oven! Is there a page or resource your using that has good instructions on the curing process?

thanks!

[modified9v]

Here is the thread for curing. https://community.fornobravo.com/for...33-oven-curing

[modified9v]

Well, been on this forum since 2010... ten years later here are the results. You can’t feel it or smell it... some of you have already. This was our first pie... I promised my self it would be a Margarita... We did it Facebook live. It was very validating. OK... we’ll knock it down tomorrow and start over. :-)

[modified9v]

Two more... a cuatro (4 cheese) and my buried pepperoni. Man, this is good. Dough at 70% hydration. Dome was 850f, floor was 625f.

I stacked bricks in front of the inner arch and will proof a couple sourdough loaves for tomorrow night.