OctoForno

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: OctoForno

So no thermal break in the arch then?

I wish! Any mass connected to the dome will bleed heat, including the vent and entryway. Until somebody comes up with a better idea, this is best I can think of. I had considered leaving a straight 1/2" gap all the way around and covering it with a 1"-wide strip of stainless steel, but can't commit to it. With the design below, I have decided to omit the silicone and leave an empty gap behind the minimum contact point, providing a space at the perimeter sufficient to house some square refractory rope.

[benguilford]

Re: OctoForno

John, I just spent that last 90 minutes reading through this thread and I can say without a shadow of a doubt, it was time well spent. I am inspired, jealous, amazed and running low on adjectives. Incredible build, your attention to every detail is nothing short of awesome - in the proper sense of the word, I was filled with awe.

How you managed to build the dome without using a tool or formwork can only be explained by the hours you must have spent carefully cutting each brick to ensure a uniform mortar gap, and scoring them to create a 'key' for the mortar to lock in to. As for cutting a concave face into each brick... in the words of George from Seinfeld; 'I'm speechless Jerry, I am without speech'.

By the time you are done, you will have a masterpiece on your hands. I will be borrowing ideas and inspiration HEAVILY from your build for my next oven. Is it possible to have an 'oven-crush'?

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: OctoForno

Wow, Ben, thank you. I am truly pleased that you have found value in my thread and pics. If it saves other builders time and raises the bar even a tiny bit, then way cool. Anybody can make an oven like mine if he/she takes the time, which is the hardest part.
I know you are rushing your build and I am impressed with your attention to detail given the stresses of your timeline. It is a luxury to have a first oven to learn from, and I'm sure you will nail your second oven.

John

[benguilford]

Re: OctoForno

I know you are rushing your build and I am impressed with your attention to detail given the stresses of your timeline.
John

Indeed, the 'stresses of my timeline' were very real. I managed to complete the entire oven (starting with the hearth slab complete) in three weeks, with only my weekends and weeknights available to get it done! Over 300 cuts with the bricksaw, wore through the skin on my fingertips before I realised I should be wearing gloves, and must have made at least a dozen trips to the local hardware store.. good times

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: OctoForno

Over 300 cuts with the bricksaw, with only my weekends and weeknights available to get it done!

Stateside (west coast) we use words like.... unreal...insane... rediculous.

When oven #2 gets going I wanna know about it.

John

[benguilford]

Re: OctoForno

Yup, very glad I took the plunge and bought the Bianco brick saw, could not have done without it. Anyways, enough of me hijacking this wonderful thread, looking forward to the next Octo-update!

[Cheesesteak]

Re: OctoForno

Looking great John -

Our soapstone countertops are a huge hit - I really can't wait to hear how it works out as the floor of your oven.

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: OctoForno

Thanks Cheesesteak. I was just checking out your latest pics and its easy to see why the counters, oven and entire kitchen is a hit. Beautiful! Good-looking pies too. Is that OO flour in the crust? What temps did you cook the pies at?

John

[Cheesesteak]

Re: OctoForno

Thanks Cheesesteak. I was just checking out your latest pics and its easy to see why the counters, oven and entire kitchen is a hit. Beautiful! Good-looking pies too. Is that OO flour in the crust? What temps did you cook the pies at?

John

Thanks John - No, it's not the 00 flour. I waited so long for our new Whole Foods to open (it did this week) and I went to pick some up and they told me they didn't carry it.

So - I just ordered a bunch of Tipo 00 Antimo Caputo Flour - really looking forward to seeing how it performs.

Temps? I have no idea other than to say HOT. I still toss a sacrificial pie crust in the oven first time around - to let that burn. Kind of like tossing a virgin in the volcano I guess . . .

Boy do I like making pizza . . .

[Pompeii Nate]

Re: OctoForno

Hey John,

I was looking at your thermal break for your vent and noticed that you have ceramic rope in there. I was wondering if you thought about stuffing a piece of thermal ceramic blanket in there? Would that work or are you purposely trying to go for the little air pocket?

Nate

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: OctoForno

Hey Nate,
My original design had a 1" gap that I was going to fill with Insblock 19 I had leftover from insulating the floor. Then I read tscar's post saying an air gap is just as acceptable as a heatbreak so am going with it. The ceramic rope is literally the last design mod I've made to the entryway.
John

[Pompeii Nate]

Re: OctoForno

Hey John,

I was feeling the need for some serious inspiration so I just had to come back and read your build thread. Once again I am amazed and in awe of your amazing oven. Just looking at your pictures gives me goose bumps. As I was going through the pictures I noticed that it appears that you went just straight vertical for your first 3 courses, put in a little shim and then started curving inward. Am I seeing that right or am I just making that up?

Thanks again for all your help.

Nate

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: OctoForno

Hi Nate,

Thank you for your kind compliment! Yes, you are right - the first two courses are perfectly vertical (the bottom course as you look at it from the outside is actually the firebrick floor (underneath the soapstone).

I didn't use an indispensable tool, rather I just loosely used a template that was vertical for the first 4" or so. This is what I really liked about going this route. It allowed me to customize a dome profile that has more vertical w alls, more aggressive 'shoulder' and flatter ceiling than a true hemispherical IT-made dome. Here's a really wide-angle shot of the interior that kinda shows this.

John

[aceves]

Re: OctoForno

That's just beautiful, John... Superbly awesome job!!

We wanna see more pics!

Aceves

[Pompeii Nate]

Re: OctoForno

Hey John,

I am still amazed at how much thought you put into this before hand. Truly amazing! Your approach is definitely something to consider as I plan my build. To be honest I am not sure I want to move forward with ANYTHING until I see how you do your entry arch. How long are you going to keep us all in suspense?

Thanks again,

Nate