Drake's 38" Oven

[DrakeRemoray]

(M) I seem to recall having seen that schematic elsewhere. Did you previously post it? __

(D) - I did post it in getting started

(M) If you hadn't planned on it, consider including some kind of roof for your chimney to keep the throat of your hearth dry when it rains. ^
(D) - I do plan on doing that, but it is not in the drawing

(M) Will you just cover the igloo with HardiBacker (or similar cementous underlayment) and adhere the Faux Stone to it? ___
(D) Yes, but it is real stone that has been sliced to make it self supporting (on the hardibacker). Here is a link, I am using the style Cavanal I have it all stacked up in my garage.

(M) if you are going to build a sheet metal stud framework don't make the mistake I did of "paneling" the walls after the roof trusses are installed.

(M) If you "panel" the walls before installing the roof joists not only will you have an easier time stablizing the roof but you will be able to much more easily place the top screws in the wall. Otherwise your roof overhang will force you to work at an awkward angle.
(D) Advice taken!

(M) Keep those images coming. You're doing really nice work!
(D) Thanks! I am sooo tired and still lots to do!

[arevalo53anos]

Drake:

It is not clear from your pictures, but, be carefull with your igloo shape.
If you are going with the three first rings horizontally, it will be higher than you need.
Normally, it is common to follow the spherical shape since the second ring, been the first one the one with the bricks sided.
Remembering that the specific for pizza Napolitan ovens are almost flat!
By the way, nice work!

Luis

[DrakeRemoray]

It is not clear from your pictures, but, be carefull with your igloo shape.
If you are going with the three first rings horizontally, it will be higher than you need.
Normally, it is common to follow the spherical shape since the second ring, been the first one the one with the bricks sided.

Luis

Luis, While I appreciate your feedback, I asked this question here Profile Question and here "What about the next two vertical rings?". It is not as helpful to answer the question AFTER the mortar is applied.

My dome will be 20" high, typical of the Tuscan design.
For future users, what is your dome height and width?

Drake

[Marcel]

Additional height should not be a problem

(M) Drake wrote, in part:

(D) "My dome will be 20" high, typical of the Tuscan design.
For future users, what is your dome height and width?"

(M) My dome is 21" high, the same dimension as the radius of the igloo's footprint. Disregarding an unfortunate bulge in one spot of my dome, I have close to a true hemisphere. Most builder's suggest a parabolic cross section, whatever that means. If my geometry memory serves, I believe a parabola could be on either side (+ or -) of a true hemisphere. Or am I speaking in hyperbola?

(M) The fact that you may have the first 3 courses mortared vertically should not negatively impact your oven's function. James made the point in an earlier posting that the greater height you have may be helpful in loading your oven.

(M) I understand the frustration you may feel at having had critical questions unanswered. That is the nature of any Forum's exchange, but I'd like to reassure you that you've not made a "mistake" but simply chosen slightly different Specs. Relax and enjoy it. You're doing fine work!

Ciao,

Marcel

[DrakeRemoray]

(M) My dome is 21" high, the same dimension as the diameter of the igloo's footprint.

Marcel, do you mean the same dimension as the RADIUS of the igloo's footprint? Do you have a 42" oven?

Also, what are dimensions of your door? I am planning 19" wide by 12" Tall.

Thanks,

Drake

[arevalo53anos]

Drake:

I am really sorry loosing the answer time by you required and by frustrating you. Of course this was not my intention.
As Marcel has pointed, this is a forum (great one) where everybody could express their opinion. And I really believe that everyone is always looking for the best to all in here.
I myself had been absent of it for a lot of time. I am pretty active nowadays just because some picture of my oven generates several questions that I do want to answer.
There is a great chance that anyone of my opinions be wrong, too. Even when I try to write about the problems which I am familiar with, or having acquired knowledge, or worked too much in it to be pretty sure that I am speaking about.
When looking at your excellent pictures, something into me said me to write out the observation above.
Like I wrote in other opportunities, there is not a lot of changes that I would like to do in my finished oven. Perhaps, to decrease the dome high could be one of them.

The actual high of the dome is 19? to a 41? internal diameter.

Like Marcel and other had pointed, there is not rocket science in to build an oven. Your bread and pizzas will be hundred times better that those that you could buy.
Build an oven will be a great pleasure that you will, I wish, proudly share with your family and friends.
Do not worry, be happy and go on!

Luis

[DrakeRemoray]

Thanks Luis,

Are you mostly doing pizza or bread and roasts in your oven?

What are the dimensions of your door?

Thanks,

Drake

[Marcel]

"Senior Moment"

(D) " Marcel, do you mean the same dimension as the RADIUS of the igloo's footprint? Do you have a 42" oven?

Thanks,

Drake"

(M) My bad . Good catch, Drake. Shows that you are really reading the posts. I editied my post to reflect your catch.

(M) Yes, I should have called the 21" the radius. Yes, I have a 42" oven.

(D) " Also, what are dimensions of your door? I am planning 19" wide by 12" Tall."

(M) Mine will be 20" wide by 12 1/2" Tall.
================================================== ====

(M) For those who have not yet started to build their dome I suggest you don't us my system of having a funnel shaped (tapered) throat - entrance. I thought that by so doing I would have an easier time getting the door to fit tightly. If I were to do it again I would do as most have done; just build a lip on the inside.

(M) There are not many posts on door construction so my door may not be workable. But since it is a relatively easy re-build I'm going to try using "Durock" for the door, lined on the inside with sheet metal.

(M) I'll cut 2 identical rectangles of concrete board as well as perimeter pieces of perhaps 3/4". This will allow me to have an air space between the 2 layers. I'll fit the sheet metal around the interior slab and the perimeter pieces. Then I'll apply the other slab to hide the sheet metal edges. I'll predrill around the slab's edge, use oven repair cement as a seal and join both pieces with screws. I'll buy a commercial wooden trowel handle to make it easier to secure.

(M) A propos "door", it may not be of great use for baking pizza but it will probably be an indispensible tool for baking bread where the necessary retained heat needs no oxygen for combustion.

(M) P.S. My oven interior is still warm, two days after the pizza bake! If I had a door to contain the heat I'm sure it would be still warmer. I attribute the heat retention to the poured in perlite.

Ciao,

Marcel

[dmun]

flared entry?

(M) For those who have not yet started to build their dome I suggest you don't us my system of having a funnel shaped (tapered) throat - entrance. I thought that by so doing I would have an easier time getting the door to fit tightly. If I were to do it again I would do as most have done; just build a lip on the inside.

Marcel: could you expand on this? I thought that having a flared entry would make for easier access to the oven, and more working room on the landing. Why do you think this is a bad idea?

David

[DrakeRemoray]

Hello All,

I put another ring on the oven dome today. This is the first ring that leans in on my profile.

I will post these in two batches.

Drake

[DrakeRemoray]

Here are the rest. They include some closeups of the transition to the opening.

Drake

[Marcel]

Flared entry makes Deco. arch atachment awkward.

(M) For those who have not yet started to build their dome I suggest you don't us my system of having a funnel shaped (tapered) throat - entrance. I thought that by so doing I would have an easier time getting the door to fit tightly. If I were to do it again I would do as most have done; just build a lip on the inside.

Marcel: could you expand on this? I thought that having a flared entry would make for easier access to the oven, and more working room on the landing. Why do you think this is a bad idea?

David

(M) Hi, David,

(M) Perhaps a flared entry without an added decorative brick arch (I'm building an arch outside my enclosure) would not be such a bad idea but I have added an arch to the baker's side of that flare. The connecting angle means not only that my arch needed to be slightly wider to accomodate the flare, but where the arch joins the flare I had bricks that were no parallel to each other. That necessitated a wedge of mortar where the two walls abut each other.

(M) I've almost finished the Deco. arch and will supply pictures after the mortar dries and the temporary supporting wooden arch is removed. That may make it more clear.

(M) Drake, thanks for the great pictures. I got a stiff neck tring to orient my view to the angle of the image but I "got the picture"

[mrpbjnance]

Spacing on styrofoam

Drake,

How much space do you have between each of the styrofoam supports? Is that working out? Would you make the spacing smaller or larger if you had to do it again?

Thx

[DrakeRemoray]

I am not sure how much space I have, I think I have 16 vanes, maybe a few more near the oven opening.

It worked fine for this first row, I was able to move the vanes around a little if I needed to. Really the mortar was quite sticky and when I moved a vane away from a brick I had already set, it stayed in place.

I will let you know how it goes for the next rings.

Drake

[arevalo53anos]

Drake:



When the bricks lean in, it is more difficult to maintain the mortar in place. It tends to displace and drop to the hearth.

Could be a good idea to put a plastic sheet covering the vanes.

I built the dome using vanes too, and I used an aluminum foil for strengthener.

If I were you, I would try to maintain the dome ceiling as low as possible at the phase that you are.

I take a lot of pictures of this phase and I could mail some of these to you if you send me a private mail.

Nice work.



Luis