Smuth's 36" Pompeii Oven

[smuth10]

Re: Smuth's 36" Pompeii Oven

Thanks guys. I ordered the 24" today. I guess worse case scenario is I order a 12" and add it on if it does not draw well. I wish I would have ordered it sooner as I have the outer arch done and I need the anchor plate to finish up the chimney opening. I should have some pics tomorrow. Thanks again!

[mfiore]

Re: Smuth's 36" Pompeii Oven

Scott. Great job on the build. It feels like your dome popped up over night! Nice work. Take your time during the curing process, you'll be glad you did.

How do you plan to enclose it?

[smuth10]

Re: Smuth's 36" Pompeii Oven

Thanks Mike. I can't wait to start cooking.

I guess getting laid off has some advantages, otherwise I would have never finished it so soon. I finished everything but the keystone on Thursday and I finished the dome on Friday. I was planning on waiting until next Saturday to start the curing fires. I figure I should be cooking in it on the third curing day when it goes up to 400. I may just throw some chicken or some bread in there. Can't let that heat go to waste.

I think I am going to do cultured stone around the entire bottom and the front face of the top. Maybe get some different stone for around the outer arch and then butt the other stuff up to that. For the sides and back of the top, I think I am going to do some cedar shake shingles. Not sure on the roof yet. I need to go to a store that carries all of the stone and roofing materials and just look around. Craigslist has some pretty good deals on cultured stone and cedar as well.

I don't suppose anyone has the exact dimensions of the Simpson 6" anchor plate? I would like to have everything ready to go when I get the parts.

[smuth10]

Re: Smuth's 36" Pompeii Oven

Here are a few pics of the outer arch and vent opening. I just used the inner arch form and some shims to make it slightly larger for the tapered opening. I was not too worried about the bricks being perfectly cut as I am going to cover all of this up with cultured stone and drop the top down by 1\2" or so to keep the smoke going up the chimney. As you can see by the pics I was not able to finish the back yet. I need to wait until I receive my anchor plate first.

I think while I am waiting I may fashion some sort of door for the curing process. What I would really like to do is use a stainless plate on the outside and then pour an insulated door for the inside as I do not have any insulated board. I would like to attach bolts through the steel and just pour in a refractory mixture of some kind into a form. Has anyone done this? Do you think portland cement, lime, and fire clay would work? If anyone has a link to a previous thread where someone has done this I would appreciate it.

[mfiore]

Re: Smuth's 36" Pompeii Oven

Scott,
The cement, lime, fire clay does not provide insulating properties. You could use a vermiculite based product, like used for your pad. or just use loose vermiculite, so it won't be so heavy, with a steel "box" around it.

[smuth10]

Re: Smuth's 36" Pompeii Oven

Hmmm, that makes sense. I guess I was thinking about basically making a large firebrick to attach to the steel, but I guess that would just soak up more heat and not keep it from escaping. Back to the drawing board. I was trying to avoid having to cut up a bunch of sheet metal to get it to work. I think I am going to take a look through the archive to see what others have done. Thanks Mike!

[wlively]

Re: Smuth's 36" Pompeii Oven

I made mine by casting perlcrete on top of scrap Durock, here.
http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/8/an...en-1199-5.html

[smuth10]

Re: Smuth's 36" Pompeii Oven

I had time the last couple of days to finish the vent and chimney mount for the Duravent. I decided to notch out the bricks, lay the anchor plate inside, and fill in in with mortar. It worked out pretty well. I had a 13" long brick that I got when I purchased the used brick and I knew it would come in handy sooner or later. I was able to use it on the front of the vent instead of having to curve out to bricks.

I should be able to start my curing fires this weekend as it has been a week now since I finished the dome. Here are some picks.

[smuth10]

Re: Smuth's 36" Pompeii Oven

Here are a couple more pics of the finished vent. Not going to win any beauty pageants, but it should be functional.

[smuth10]

Re: Smuth's 36" Pompeii Oven

I started my curing fires a few days ago and today I was at 500 degrees. I have a few pics of the fires and of course the obligatory crack pictures. I was hoping you guys could take a look at them and reassure me these are going to be OK.

The one in the back gets pretty big once the oven heats up and I do not remember anyone having a crack going horizontal around the dome. Should I try to patch these or am I wasting my time?

Also, should I wait to put the blanket on until the curing fires are done or can I do it now? So far I have not seen any smoke coming out of the cracks.

Thanks again!

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Smuth's 36" Pompeii Oven

Scott: First of all, CONGRADULATIONS on a great vent transition. It is beatiful. It goes up smoothly and the brick cuts for attaching the anchor plate are top notch. I spent days working on mine to get it right so I know how hard it was to get yours done.

Secondly: re: the vertical crack. Yours looks like mine on the outside AND exactly that way on the inside. Mine got a little worse at the end of the curing fires week but then stayed there. I really don't see your horizontal crack in your pics. If you mean horizontal cracks on the outside going almost all the way around a ring, I've got those, they are truley hairline and I don't see them on the inside. If you don't see on the inside, it doesn't matter at all. As for the inside crack, it's a heartache, hopefully it didn't cause you any lose of sleep but it's natural to worry. However, I've found (as others have helped me see, but had to experience myself) IT MATTERS NOT AT ALL. I filled my largest part of my vertical crack with non-expanding (non- intumescent!) fireplace repair gupe I bought at home depot. Someone else used high heat gasket repair in a tube. I think this makes us feel better until we insulate and start cooking. It filled the larger crack space on the outside nicely. I also put it on the hairlines too but they aren't deep enough for it get in to so the hairlines just reopened.

I say put your insulation on ASAP and the cracks on the outside dissapear.
The inside is just a crack and nothing more.

Great job, when is 1st pizza???? Dino

[Les]

Re: Smuth's 36" Pompeii Oven

Scott - you are golden! I've been on this forum for quite some time and we all have had the same concern. Wrap the thing up and get on with it's purpose. By the way , very, very nice work!

Les...

[smuth10]

Re: Smuth's 36" Pompeii Oven

Thanks Dino and Les. I really appreciate the feedback. I took your advice and went ahead and put the blanket on yesterday and started on the metal studs. I built the forms for the cement counter top yesterday and poured it today. I just added some charcoal colorant to try to match the stone I have.

If I have time today I may make the metal trusses for the roof, but I am fixin to cook something in there tonight as I need to bring it up to 600 degrees. I am thinking pizza Friday night! I can't tell you how excited I am to pull that first pizza out of there with my new peel. I guess you guys have all been there so you know how excited I am.

I think the only things I have left are roofing materials, pick out some stone for the front arch (any suggestions?), and buy the cedar shake shingles for the sides and back of the top part. I also got a call from my place of work and they are probably going to be calling me back in a month or two. I guess worse case scenario is I have the summer off. Still no guarantees, but let's hope that is the case. All in all yesterday was a great day. It felt great to finally put that ceramic blanket on the dome. Hopefully it holds heat well. I have 20 cf of perlite to put in the chamber as soon as I have the durarock on.

Sorry for the long ramblings. I will post some pics tonight if I don't drink to much beer!

[bbell]

Re: Smuth's 36" Pompeii Oven

Scott, your build is looking great. Can't wait to see the picture of the first pizza!

Bill

[smuth10]

Re: Smuth's 36" Pompeii Oven

Thanks Bill. I am planning on making pizza on Friday and I will be sure to post some pics. We made a bunch of sauce today and I am going to make some dough tomorrow.

Here are some pics of the progress and gluttony of the evening. A little sauce, some balsamic potatoes and an herb crusted pork loin. Almost brought a tear to my eye, or maybe it wast the wine.

I should be able to finish up the steel framing tomorrow and fill the chamber with insulation. Tomorrow is 700 degrees on the curing schedule. I need to pick up some wood first. I found a guy on craigslist that will deliver a face cord of seasoned oak for $75. Not too bad I think. What are you guying paying for wood? How fast would you say you are going through a face cord?