Ope-dog's 36" Oven .. (fingers crossed!)

[Chach]

I don't see why it wouldn't work...it would be really heavy but it should work.

Ricky

[Gulf]

I really can't tell much from your avatar. But, I understand what you are saying. Layed as stretchers there should be no problem. So long as they are not going to be near any combustible materials. Above the smoke chamber you can convert to clay pavers imo.That will save you a little money.

[Ope-dog]

Hi Gulf... I have a follow up question that maybe you could lend some input? I've been through many, many threads on the site hoping to get an answer to this. As the clay flue mentioned in the above thread may not work out dimensionally, I am contemplating doing a chimney made out of firebrick. (Similar shape to the little "model" I have put together on my avatar..but a bit higher.) It seems that most builders have used either cast vents/chimneys or opted for a metal flue of some fashion.

Is there any reason why a chimney made solely of firebrick would not be recommended? I know that house chimneys typically have clay flues, then insulation, then brick... But for a pompeii style oven, do you risk your chimney cracking or shifting if made just with firebrick?

Curious to have someone weigh in on this..

Thanks!!!!

[Ope-dog]

That makes sense and kind of what I was thinking.. I would use one section to transition it down. After all, if nothing else I don't want the chimney to overshadow (literally) the rest of the build.

[Gulf]

Yes, I think they are a little large for a 36" build. I know that some will say that you can't over flu an oven but, imo you can. Think of it like this, many primitive ovens have no chimneys/flues. (That is the ultimate "over flued" oven) The smoke is in your face. Your only talking about 27" max with what you have to work with. You may be able to use one of them to transition to an 8"X8",or 7"X7" from a smoke (gathering) chamber. The exhaust heat/smoke from an oven needs to be constricted somewhat and with the proper height to create draw imo.

[Ope-dog]

Hi Gulf .. Been reading all your materials on various other threads, not to mention viewing your impressive forum. I'm honored to have you joining mine. :-)

My studies are nowhere near an end, and I suspect I'll continue to review and revamp even as the build goes. To me, the look of a higher dome is more pleasing than a low dome. As I've stated prior, I don't have to have the most efficient oven out there. If it's not holding heat 2 days later like some, I'll probably be ok with that. But as I would just assume not have to redo or repair anything down the road, I am trying to cover all my bases ahead of time.

I do have a question on chimneys / flues and maybe you can point me in the right direction? I've read many threads on this site and other sites regarding sizes of chimneys vs the oven and what is recommended. I saw on your very elaborate WFO that your chimney starts at a pretty good size and it looks like your flue is made with fire brick? I have some old pieces of flue that my father had. Was thinking it might be neat to incorporate them in the build. This flue is 8" x 16" (old clay flue material) and there are 3 pieces, each about 9" or so tall. Do you think these are too large for a 36" oven? I know a 6" or 8" is suggested.. but once again, not able to discern rules vs. preferences on this particular subject.

Thank you for the pointers!

[Gulf]

Hi Ope,

Primitive oven, low dome, high dome, barrell vault are all preferences. All of which have a pros and cons. Most of us on this site have only built one way. My advice is to take the above advice and keep researching the builds until you decide on what you prefer. Then, we may be able to help direct you on your journey to the perfect oven.....for you .

[Ope-dog]

Hi Russell, I've spent a lot of time on this site.. and others. The "others" provided that conflicting information, thus sparking my curiosity and wanting the input from people that have done actual builds. With all the info available, it's hard sometimes to tell what is a "rule" vs a "preference." This is an example of the "lower" domes referenced on this site as well.. but again, it appears to be a preference more than a rule.

Thanks!

[UtahBeehiver]

I suggest you download, study and read the free eplans from Forno Bravo store site. It is a good overview on oven history, design, and construction.

[Ope-dog]

Thank you for the input, UtahBeehiver. I felt like that is what it "should" be, however another site had mentioned this figure. The arch height is referenced many places, and I know some people have mentioned building lower domes for various reasons. So that is good info. Thanks for the head's up on thread org.

[UtahBeehiver]

I am responding to your thread rather than hijack another members thread. I would suggest you post all your question on your build thread that way all the answers are centralized. Dome height for a pompeii is the radius of the oven, IE 32" oven has a 16" dome height. Low domes ovens will have a lower dome height. I am wondering if the 60-75% you mention is actually for the inner arch height. Standard rule of thumb is 63-65% of the dome height.

[Ope-dog]

Hello Gang! I have been VERY impressed with all the hard work and ingenuity I've been reading on this site. As I'm still a month away before I can get building my oven, I figure I should make the best of my down-time to finalize my design and maybe get some feedback from the folks that have lived and breathed the trials I am up against.

Last summer, I wanted to build a BBQ at my weekend property in WA state. Business delayed it a year, and so this last month I was able to get going on the BBQ. Well, as I sketched up my final BBQ design, I came to the conclusion that putting in a smoker sounded pretty cool. Never smoked anything before, but why not have the option, right? So the design got tweaked and a smoker incorporated. After I went down a massive rabbit hole on youtube learning how to smoke and my first brisket came out surprisingly juicy and edible, I threw out the idea to my wife about having a pizza oven on the end of the BBQ would be fun. Her eyes lit up and she squealed like she was back-stage at a Neil Diamond concert. (Ok, I'm dating myself a bit here.. but you get the idea..) So it was so. We were going to have a pizza oven...

Down another rabbit hole.. but the science behind a pizza oven makes smoking look like child's play. No matter. I'm too committed to the idea. A friend of mine from SoCal purchased a pizza oven from this site a few years back and he's never shut up about it. But I've never been the guy that just buys it and calls it good. I have to always try and build it myself. (I also have to try trails in 2WD before I lock in the 4WD, but that's another forum..)

But I'm also a bit of a purist and I think it would be cool to have an oven that is a bit more "authentic" to how they were built centuries ago. In other words, if I can use organic (ie. cheap..) materials I think it would give it a bit of uniqueness and backstory. So I have a few questions out of the gate and if anyone has any input to offer I'd be more than happy to hear it.

1. Looking to do a 36" ID on the oven. (The base is 47"x47") I'm reading that the height of the dome should be 60-75% of the base ID. Does anyone have any specifics they can add to this? It seems the arch height is 63% and that has a long tried-and-true history to it.
2. I have read conflicting reports of people using glass bottles and sand as an insulation under the base of the oven floor. Most folks here look to use manufactured materials for the insulation. While I can imagine it's much easier to work with, I go back to my thought process of trying to replicate a build from 200+ years ago and materials that would've been used as such. Any thoughts / info would be great to hear..
3. Sticking with the insulation theme, I was planning to have an outer shell of a manufactured brick/paver material which I have already used to clad my existing BBQ. The thought process is that the entire unit, when finished, will all have the same façade. While these are not fire bricks, I trust that if I insulate the dome sufficiently, they will be able to handle the heat. (ID will be built with firebrick..) So will a 3-4" layer of v-crete provide enough insulation to then clad with a concrete paver? Also, I have read some of the earth builders like to use a cob mixture for ovens, render, etc. I have plenty of horse manure on the property, along with sand, clay, and water. While this cob mixture has been used in earth oven applications, I'm not sure of the insulative properties next to a 900 degree oven.
4. Has anyone built their oven using forms, sand, or anything other than an IT? I have seen arguments made for all types and can see the pros and cons of all types. Just curious of anyone else's 1st hand experiences.

I know I dwell a bit on the insulation subject. While I can certainly agree that today's manufactured materials will be much more efficient, I don't know if I need this oven to hold cooking temps for 24+ hours. That being said, I'm also from the mind-set that you always put in more electrical outlets than you think you'll need and over-build a deck for the amount of people you COULD have over at any one time. :-)