Pdx 42" update

[Macrinehart]

mongota - Thanks you for the response. I'm going to try an idea out, and if it fails then I will follow your advice and move backward to move forward.

My idea is to purchase use 3 pieces of Stainless sheet metal to isolate the chimney landing from the chimney itself. My notion is that 2 pieces will be attached to the inner and outer portions of the chimney landing, keeping them isolated from each other while providing a level, smooth base for the chimney. Then I'll place one rectangular piece of SS above without anchoring it, and finally I will anchor the chimney to the upper SS sheet, using the stair-step brick method to build the smoke chamber and taper to the anchor plate.

I do not think I will need any gasket material. The idea is that the plates will provide less friction for movement, while the brick weight of the smoke chamber will provide a stable foundation for the chimney structure. I'll insulate and stucco around the smoke chamber base for added stability and to keep it from slipping out of alignment with the opening.

My two concerns with this approach are that repeated heating and cooling could cause a missalignment between the chimney and the opening in the arches. I think experience will tell, and if it doesn't work then I can deconstruct this part and try something different.

[Macrinehart]

Hello Fellow Oven builders - long time no chat. I have actually been locked out of my account for months, that password recovery email is not working for me. I decided to try again and luckily was able to guess my password with 5 attempts, so Mac is back!

I am also not finished with my oven. Here is where things stand:

1. The dome is finished
2. The opening arches are completed
3. I have wrapped the dome and arches with insulation and covered the entire structure with stucco wire lath.
4. The landscape crew build a beautiful patio around the oven

Items to do:

1. Smoke Chamber construction
2. Curing
3. Stucco
4. Chimney
5. Food prep/service area and permanent cover.

I couple of questions for the pros:

1. Should I do the oven curing after adding the smoke box and before applying stucco?
2. Any special considerations in curing if the build is taking years instead of weeks/months?
3. My smoke chamber is going to be cast. What are the recommended ratios for a cast smoke chamber?

Attaching some recent photos. Show, the new patio, a model of the smoke chamber, and the the cast I am building.