Ellie's WFO as it it built

[Ellie]

Re: Ellie's WFO as it it built

I know! My daughter and I watched as he used the brick carrier and were facinated. I usually haul them as y'all do and this is one nifty tool!!

Oh, and the fire brick pieces in front are standing out from the brick. Gosh is he talented!

Ellie

[Les]

Re: Ellie's WFO as it it built

OK - Dale is starting to show off. He even has a "brick carrier", where as the rest of us walked around with brick rash on our forearms for a few months

Seriously, it's looking great!

Les...

[berryst]

Re: Ellie's WFO as it it built

beautiful job, It's truly massive

[Ellie]

Re: Ellie's WFO as it it built

Thanks. It is supposed to sprinkle all week. Says sprinkles not rain, but you know that can change anytime! The storm did dump quite a bit in two days which we needed and had some winds to it. It should be up your way today for sure.

Dale comes over in between the raindrops!!


Ellie

[exceloven]

Re: Ellie's WFO as it it built

Looks great Ellie, Is it still raining there. We are getting your storm starting today through Monday. Probably won't get too much done this weekend, Bummer!

Mark

[Ellie]

Re: Ellie's WFO as it it built

I took these this morning. It has been raining all week so that is why the plastic is on top. Dale will not like that I took a picture of the bull nose when he said it was too wet to work it and it is messy!! I had to show you anyway, lol...





Ellie

[exceloven]

Re: Ellie's WFO as it it built

Ellie,
Now that the insulation issue has been resolved, I'd love to see some recent pictures. Keep up the good work.
Mark

[Ellie]

Re: Ellie's WFO as it it built

Thanks for the info, Wiley.

G, Redding is not that big of a city. We have looked in every possible store and cannot find the blanket. Thanks for the links. I could have ordered it online, but now we have decided to go with the vermiculite/concrete mixture.

This is such an interesting project. There is much to be learned.

Ellie

[gjbingham]

Re: Ellie's WFO as it it built

Regarding the vermiculite insulation outside the dome, as Dave said, it's a totally acceptable way to go. Plan on 6 inches in depth at a minimum.

I'm curious why you cannot get the ceramic blanket insulation where you live. Forno Bravo used to carry it in the FB store (I think). You can find it on ebay (search for ceramic blanket insulation) and have it shipped to you from a store located in Portland, OR. Here's a link to that store: eBay Store - HIGH-TEMP REFRACTORY STORE: Misc. Products, Ceramic Fiber Products, Mortars and Coatings

It's not that hard to find on the internet. Here's another link.

HI-TEMP CERAMIC FIBER BLANKET 2600 DEG 2" THICK ROLL 8# - eBay (item 160271567590 end time Mar-10-09 05:38:00 PDT)


G.

[Wiley]

Re: Ellie's WFO as it it built

Standard fiberglass insulation is a multitude of very fine fiberglass filaments (actually tubes) held together with a glue or binder. Not too many years ago that binder was a formaldehyde based resin; now more "safe" insulation uses an acrylic binder. So while the insulation is fireproof and will not support combustion the binder becomes damaged/destroyed by high heat and no longer holds the glass filaments together. The space formally occupied by insulation will become basically a dead air space and offer the same amount of insulating value as that space.

Here's a link to a site explaining about the binders:
Formaldehyde-free Insulation

Hope this help clear up the matter of "Will home fiberglass insulation work?"

Good looking WFO! :-)
Wiley

[asudavew]

Re: Ellie's WFO as it it built

Definitely insulate. Patience now will pay big rewards in $$$. Wood is expensive!
I have about 8 inches of vermiculite/perlite over my dome and an inch of thermal blanket. Holds heat for days!

House insulation will not hold up. IMHO Use verm, perlite, or a thermal blanket.

The oven looks great!

Hang in there, the insulation is the most IMPORTANT part!

Dave

[Ellie]

Re: Ellie's WFO as it it built

Great! Thanks, I believe that this will be the way for us to go. We simply cannot find the ceramic blanket here, other than the small pieces I can get and they are $35.00 each. We would need several of these to cover the dome and that is way too much money!!

I am so relieved and excited to move on now. Wait until you see the front of the oven and what Dale has done there. He got a little artistic and I love it! I will try to take pictures tonight and post.

Ellie

[Modthyrth]

Re: Ellie's WFO as it it built

You can definitely use just a vermiculite or perlite and cement mixture as your only insulation. Plenty of people have done that with great success. I think there are guidelines in the plans as to how thickly it needs to be put on to be properly effective.

[Ellie]

Re: Ellie's WFO as it it built

Jed, that really sums it up nicely along with the others.

Do you all know.... can we use the vermiculite/cement mixture over the top of the dome if we cannot find the ceramic blanket?

Thanks,
Ellie

[Jed]

Re: Ellie's WFO as it it built

Hi Ellie,

At the risk of confusing more than helping, I'll weigh in here and add an opinion or two...

That you have installed a bit of mortar on the outside of the fire brick is just fine. It will add a bit of 'thermal mass' to your oven, but you will get used to how your oven works, and it will all be fine... no worries.

On the insulation, there are a couple of questions...

When you use household fiberglass insulation next to your fire brick, you are in 'unknown territory' for my experience. I know that fiberglass works at 'household' temperatures. I don't have experience with this product next to a fire brick that will be hot (I don't know how hot - maybe 6 or 700 degrees?) When I read the 'spec sheet' from a fiberglass insulation manufacturer, I think it says you will be just fine (PINK FIBERGLAS? Insulation R-15 then go to the link titled "product data sheet" ). On the second page, middle of the page is says you can use this product next to masonry, but not next to metal flue's and such... It says this product doesn't burn (it is glass).

The option to using household fiberglass insulation is to use an insulation product that is designed for masonry projects. The stuff you just bought.. We know it will work well, and at the end of the day, oven performance is directly effected by good insulation. More insulation is just about always better.

All insulation works by creating 'dead air space'. When you install the next layer of masonry over the insulation, the insulation will work best if it doesn't get smashed - squished - soaked with water - compressed - etc.

And since the job of the insulation is to create a thermal barrier, you can use masonry on the outside of the insulation without effecting the function of the oven. Use any stone or brick you want to make the oven look really good. Your insulation will keep the heat in the oven, and not leaking out through the walls...

So I hope this helps...

You two are doing great! Don't let these details get in the way of having fun building this oven! You are most of the way through the building process and all to soon you will be finished with this part of the project and on to learning how to cook with the new WFO.

JED