42” Pompeii in San Felipe, MX

[Baza]

Tri-trips? You a triathlete?? Tell us more!! Healthy eating and cooking go together REALLY WELL!!

Your heat retention is RIDICULOUS!!! WOW - well done and congrats!!
Interested in your approach - I'm in the process of designing and getting a door manufactured - (or built by me - cheap Scot!) - do you use a door? if so - what did you do in its manufacture? What does it look like? How do you use it?

I'm keen to learn more about heat retention (particularly when it involves a DOOR) and what that does to heat retention and cooking processes!

Thanks mate
Barry

[mrotter]

PM me an email address. I have a pdf (which I cannot attach to this forum) to help explain the some of the aspects of a tapered arch. It is a difficult concept to visualize but not too hard to physically do. It is well worth the effort.

Would you mind PM me the PDF too?

[Baza]

Perfect.
I was just out sizing the assembly with the chimney installed and noticed everything you just said: there isn’t enough room to mortar UNDER the plate / but makes sense to do on top for that part of the sandwich! Room for rope/tape and chimney.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for getting back so quickly!!
barry

[modified9v]

Baza basically there really isn’t enough room for mortar. That said, I did butter the brick that topped the sandwich, not the bottom face of the plate... the mortar squished out into the gap between those top bricks and the part of the plate that the flue pipe locks onto... I carefully cleaned that excess out so the pipe would fit nicely and the rope would go in clean and tight. I really, really liked the way it turned out and I would do it the same way again.

[Baza]

modified9v - thank you!! Yes - it was directed to you! Ha! Sorry if I wasn’t clear!! This is terrific feedback. My only remaining question is - the brick sandwich ... did you set the plate in mortar? Both sides of the plate inside the brick.

thanks if you can clarify!!
barry

[modified9v]

Baza thanks for the kinda words. Sorry I’m late getting back to you on this. I wasn’t sure if your question regarding the sandwich of the adapter plate was directed at me or not... if it was I just ground the bricks that the plate lays in just deep enough so that it didn’t protrude about the brick. Then I capped it with the next course. I left enough room between the flue pipe and the top of the sandwich that I was able put ceramic rope in there.

It was worked out perfectly. That 48” tall pipe is firm and has held up to the high winds here with no issues... and, it doesn’t leak.

[Baza]

Mikie! LOVE the build and congrats on the success!

I'm very curious about your vent transition to chimney in post 227
UtahBeehiver , I believe, did something similar ...

Did you grind out the 12" square plate size, put mortar down, put plate down on mortar, then more mortar and the bricks on top to close off the assembly?
I know others put high temp sealant down for expansion and other methods.

Wondering what you actually did (and perhaps Utah?) with the plate in this sandwiched design?
AND - has it held up (ie/ stable, no cracks from heat expansion, etc?)

Thanks for any insight you can provide!
Barry

[modified9v]

MarkJerling Thanks... that is exactly what I did for this party. 21 pizzas for 38 peeps.... loved how moving the coals and putting a new log on changed it all. I used sooooo much less fuel, but I will say that I lost a bunch of heat the next day... kinda had one too many and forgot to put the door on... still, had enough energy to make 2 breakfast pizzas.

In the end I think I will need to shave a little bit more off the inner arch... that door is still a bit too tight. Happy with the way it all worked out.

[MarkJerling]

I always go left first with my fire, and cook to the right. Then, later, of course, I respread the coals and then I swap sides, pushing the fire to the right and cook to the left. On our largest pizza night to date with 40 pizzas that worked so well that I wondered how long one can keep going by swapping sides. But, no-one was hungry anymore so I did not get to test that! LOL

[JRPizza]

Only once did I cook a pizza with the fire at the rear... After the first few minutes I wondered how the side I could not see was doing - it was nicely burnt black! My Wife is not a fan of burnt crust so that side was mine I learned not only can you not see what is happening on the far side, to add wood you have to reach over the cooking pie and hopefully not drop a log on it! I'm right handed so typically push the fire to the left and can keep an eye on the pie as I rotate it to keep it from burning.

[modified9v]

david s I’d like to think the guy made my door too big vs.I made the rebate too small. :-)... none the less I took a grinder to the mortar joints where it was obviously hitting. When I pulled the door I was able to see the scratches left and it was from mortar that didn’t get cleaned off really well. Also, the opening has a slight taper that didn’t help. I was also able to get the stainless steel “U” channel to drop a bit and that will help too. Taking the grinder to the arch was nerve racking and putting that damn breathing filter on my face was a bummer.

We hare having probably ourl largest party yet this coming Thursday. The dough balls are fermenting nicely in the refrigerator. 5 day cold ferment. One thing I’m wanting to do differently this time is I’d like to move the fire to the left side of the oven instead of pushing it to the back... then working pizzas on the opposite side. Hoping it will be easier to manage the fire as the coals seem to get Packed Tight against the back of the dome... I think this way I will be able to keep the coals loose and able to get good air. We will see. Worst case is I will have to push it all the way back again.

Let’s hope the door slides out nicely the next day. I will post pics after the party.

[david s]

OHHHHH Nooooooo.... The door was stuck. Seems I don’t have enough clearance for my door. This was yesterday afternoon. Finally this morning it came loose. Oven temp is exactly 400f on the deck and dome.

I can see two spots on the door that are hitting on mortar joints... do you think it’s ok to take a grinder to the areas that are hitting the door or should I have a new door made a little smaller? I can’t grind on the door as it is thin gauge stainless.

You haven't made the door rebate big enough. I made a similar mistake with my first oven. Thinking it would be clever to make the timber door conical and then casting around it. It fitted perfectly but, when the oven cooled the door would be jammed tight. The shrinkage on cooling can be more than you'd think. Attack it with a grinder to make the rebate bigger or trim the door to make it smaller.

[modified9v]

I might worry a bit based on where it is that the weight of the arch is pushing the side out and that's what causing the crack. Did you buttress the arch?

No, I did not buttress the arch. When looking at it closely it appears that it is a vertical shear. Just to be sure I will take an accurate measurement of the diameter of the arch and compare it down the road as the crack worsens. I will say that there is no cracking in the flu arch at all that I can see. Man, what a mess it would be if it came crashing down. I’d be very sad.

[deejayoh]

I might worry a bit based on where it is that the weight of the arch is pushing the side out and that's what causing the crack. Did you buttress the arch?

[modified9v]

I did not mortar my landing bricks to my vent arch, but also built the vent upon my insulation board. I have sort of resigned myself to the fact I might have to repair the arch and hopefully it won't develop a structural crack. At least your crack does not look like it is any load path and is just a result of selective settling of the heavier arch relative to the lighter "floating" floor.

I’m with you on this. I’m almost thinking that I could cut away the mortar on both side and clean up the mess... maybe stick some left over rope insulation between the arch and landing. Even with the large heat break between the floor and landing, that landing get really hot (probably from the heat in the arch. I suspect having the landing all mortared together that it wouldn’t go anywhere because of the mass. It is not mortared down, nor is the outer arch. Mainly thinking this because it’s ugly and people go “ew, look at that crack”. LOL

I could do like DeeJay suggests and re-mortar it, but I think this thing will continue to settle and crack again.

There are a few cracks inside the arch itself but they seem to seal up at full temp. Not worried about them... and the soot kinda hides them. It’s all good.