36" Pompeii Build in Lawrenceburg, Indiana

[Vinmaker]

Hello all, I was going to start a thread on my oven build as I have seen others do. My name is Jason and I have been lurking and reading on this forum for over a year and have appreciated the photos and discussion of others during various parts of the build. I was inspired by some of the things people have done and I finally started my build early this spring. I have the foundation and block stand done. I just poured the hearth over this last weekend. I'm committed to making updates here as I complete my build and hope to be able to ask some questions as needed from you veterans. I tried uploading images here, but the file size limit is 2M which would require me to resize all of them. You can see all the pics I am archiving during my process here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/L2jhPkMPdEwugykx6

Jason

[Sixto]

Looks very professional Jason, like you've done this before! (My construction site is much messier!). Congratulations on a strong start!
Sixto - Minneapolis.

[Vinmaker]

Thanks Sixto. Will keep this thread updated. I don't think I've hit the hard part yet and really hope to have some guidance where needed!

[Vinmaker]

Thermocouple straws... In the forno bravo PDF, it reads

If you are planning on using one or more thermocouples in the hearth and/or cooking floor, you need to add them now. You can either include the actual thermocouple wire in the hearth when the concrete is poured, or you can use a straw to create a chamber where you will run the thermocouple wire later.

It seems to me it would be better to run it straight through the wall so that if I had to replace any later, there is a straight shot vs coming across the hearth and up into the chamber. Any thoughts on this? I planned to have a digital read panel somewhere near the front of the oven and I don't think I'd want anything protruding out of the floor anyway. Thanks for any insight.

[Sixto]

Thermocouple straws... In the forno bravo PDF, it reads:
It seems to me it would be better to run it straight through the wall so that if I had to replace any later, there is a straight shot vs coming across the hearth and up into the chamber. Any thoughts on this? I planned to have a digital read panel somewhere near the front of the oven and I don't think I'd want anything protruding out of the floor anyway. Thanks for any insight.

I agree with you, but also it depends on where you want to measure temps. The floor is the surface that is in direct contact with the pizza crust, and will probably be several degrees cooler than the walls. The top of the dome will be hottest. Many people build a thermometer port or probe into their insulated doors.

i also wanted to minimize openings into the dome, so I invested $63 in an infrared thermometer that measures from 50c to 1500c, that way I can measure anywhere I can see by aiming the gun into the oven. (oops did not realize that posting commercial links is a no-no - I guess that makes sense)...I haven't finished my oven yet, but test readings in the kitchen seem accurate.

Sixto - Minneapolis

[fhausback]

Thats looking good. The heavy part is done, but the hard part is coming.

I added 8 pieces of 1/4" stainless tubing as my "straws". I drilled holes into a few bricks, and siloconed the tubing into the hole. I'll add the actual thermocouple once i get my perlcrete on. I planned on running the tubing all the way to the pyrometer, but ran out of tubing. If i ever need to replace the thermocouple, i'll need to climb under the hearth, or into my enclosure.

[Vinmaker]

Got around to forming and laying the 4" refractory layer separating the hearth from the brick oven floor. 5 parts perlite to 1 part portland cement. Again due to size restrictions, I have uploaded the 10 new photos to the photo album progress pics: https://photos.app.goo.gl/L2jhPkMPdEwugykx6

[Sixto]

Looks nice and smooth, good job! I'm buying perlite this week to apply above insulation. Hope the mixing process is not too hard!

[david s]

Don't be in a rush to proceed, thereby covering the wet insulation and locking in the moisture.

Vermicrete insulating slab copy.doc.zip

[UtahBeehiver]

You can attach abt 5 pics per post at 1.25mg max per pic.

[Vinmaker]

Hope the mixing process is not too hard!

Mixing process is not hard at all. I didn't use the power mixer.... just a hoe, gently in the wheelbarrow.

[Vinmaker]

Don't be in a rush to proceed, thereby covering the wet insulation and locking in the moisture.

Excellent tip. I was aware of the need to wait... but maybe not how long. I had poured this last Saturday, and it's been covered since. I had planned to start the floor this Saturday, but it looks like I should wait. Maybe I'll go ahead and cut and place the bricks in prep to lay the floor and have it ready. It's my understanding that I'll mix a 1/4" layer of 50/50 fireclay and sand with a little water to make a paste before leveling the brick on top. Would love any more advice on that as I wait.

Jason

[Mr. Slowhand]

Don't be in a rush to proceed, thereby covering the wet insulation and locking in the moisture.

[ATTACH]n449020[/ATTACH]

David, this is great, very useful.

[Vinmaker]

Got two good days in on advancing the brick oven. Cut the floor bricks and laid on a thin mixture of sand and fire clay, leveled with a mallet. Set the first course of bricks in a ‘sailor’ orientation around the brick floor. The bricks are temporarily spaced with a strip of rubber, kind of like an innertube material. It separates the bricks from touching the floor so the floor kind of floats inside. I set up the trammel. The pivot point is set in the exact center and recessed a bit into the floor to be at the same level as of the floor. Using a spreadsheet and jig improvised by a friend who just completed his build. Now onto the most tedious, and quite frankly, intimidating part of the build! Here's a few pics. All can be seen in my album linked below.

[Vinmaker]

Well, I got the trammel and jig set up (with help from a friend) and I set my values in the spreadsheet. I have started the first course of bricks that sit on the sailor course and working to incorporate the dome. I have seen it documented to build the entire arch first (in order to avoid the droop) but I'm reluctant. These compound angles hurt my head and playing around... I think using the trammel to mark, then cut, then mark, then cut (a long process) would be better for me while I build the arch up along with each course. I'd welcome any thoughts or advice here.

I would also like to incorporate the use the Fireboard 2 Pro (I have it). Two probes... one through the wall mid-way up, just off to the side of the inner arch entry to the dome to measure ambient temp. Another could be used in food other than pizza. The question is, I have ideas on creating the "straw" for the probes to get into the oven, but the straws would need to be big enough to fit the end of the probes through. That could be 1/4" (maybe more?) What is the recommended way? Are you able to stuff fiber blanket or something in around the probe wires for heat retention?

Here are a few pics... but I put all of them in my album, linked below.