vent arch advice?

[dougrappe]

Hi everybody. I'm happy to be finally working on the floor and dome of my oven! I'm cutting brick and piecing things together to dry fit everything and decided to take a look at a couple of vent arch options. The flatter version seems to be the most popular here from what I have seen, but I'm considering the round option, mostly because I like it visually and seems like it might be a bit more self-supporting. I am concerned about all of the weight of the flue sitting on top of the vent arch. I cut both forms so they create the same overall opening dimensions 11" high and 18" wide. Anyway, any comments or suggestions?

....decisions, decisions

Doug

[Frances]

Re: vent arch advice?

Go for it, if you prefer it!
It has been done before from time to time, it should be stronger and it also happens to be a personal favourite of mine - thats how I'd do my next oven.

I dug up this old link for you which has been posted from time to time: Auroville Earth Institute is a research, design and developing agency for vaulted structures, construction of various Vaults, Arches, Domes (VAD).

[jcg31]

Re: vent arch advice?

Love the look of the round.
Jim

[dmun]

Re: vent arch advice?

I more and more like the look of the round arch. It slightly reduces your ability to get a big covered roaster in your oven, but i think for pizza, having a reduced opening at the top should help to concentrate heat for fire in the oven cooking.

I also think that it may be easier to integrate a round arch into your dome since both slope in as they go up. Also, it will take some planning to engineer a ridge (reveal) for your door stop on the inside

[dougrappe]

Re: vent arch advice?

Thanks everybody, I just love that I can throw an idea out to the group and get immediate help, you guys are great, really keeping me moving forward.

Frances, thanks for the link to the arch and dome structure site, I have been following your oven progress for some time, really nice!

Jim, I just looked at your oven interior panorama for the first time, if a picture is worth a thousand words, those panorama views are worth millions. Seriously, great timing for me to come across that too, just as I'm trying to visualize how all of those connections between dome and arch happen, should be required viewing for everyone.

Dmun, good point about the reveal for the door, luckily I have a wet saw at my disposal. I really admire what you did with the geodesic oven dome, I'm actually considering a geodesic sheet metal enclosure for the dome ( I figured as long as I'm learning masonry, why not sheet metal too.)

So, looks like it's option number two, the round one.

Doug