OctoForno

[Paul in Rockwall TX]

Re: OctoForno

John, you and Doug have put on a tutorial of how it's done. If I ever do another (doubtful, unless a friend ropes me in), I'd know what standard to shoot for.

[dmun]

Re: OctoForno

That's an extremely well thought-out and executed transition. Great!

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: OctoForno

Some more transition pics

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: OctoForno

Here's some more pics of construction of the inner arch, my SketchUp profile, and the dome template I used. I'm really pleased with the way the transition turned out.

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: OctoForno

Well, with the new job, I've managed to complete a few weekends of work on the oven in between the rain and the kids sports, enough to report on.

I was not successful getting my soldiers to bond in last fall's 100F heat so I decided to cut the angles off and install the remaining 5" deep brick as a horizontal first course. My second course was 4.75" and the remainder are all at 4.5". The wishful thinking here was that per the Auroville Institute on Vaulted Structures, a slightly deeper pier might positively alter the line of thrust.

The next few courses went in easily and I found I could bevel each brick without a jig. I've been pretty satisfied just beveling each ascending course just using my eye. Then something interesting occurred where I had precut the entire 6th course saturday afternoon and left them to mortar in the morning. I'm not sure if gravity pulled the bricks down in one shot or if they slowly migrated into the position you see in the pic below.

John

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: OctoForno

John, glad to hear you got your job. But working just 90 minutes a day is tough. The weather is quite nice so set up some lights and keep going!

You're doing all the things I now wish I've done on my oven. The fire break on the hearth/floor is great and the soapstone floor is way cool. I've seen others do a small air gap with insulation on the inner arch walls where they touch the dome and I'm sure you've been thinking and planning on something too.

You're off to a great start,
-Dino

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: OctoForno

Chris,
No, I haven't been to IMS, but it's nice to know they're there. I got my steel from Starow Steel which is about five miles from home.

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: OctoForno

Jon,

The reason I placed the soldiers directly on the hearth bricks is to give them something sturdy to sit (stand?) on. This still gives me the option of replacing the soapstone slabs in the unlikely event they need replacing. You could do the same thing with firebrick floor bricks, but it is rare that even one of them ever needs to be pulled out.

[dmun]

Re: OctoForno

First can you point me to the discussion on dome diameter?

Google

I have a 36 and I like the size. It's very difficult for one person to make more than one pizza at a time, and a 36 is fine for that. It's plenty big for thanksgiving dinner. It heats up fairly quickly and economically. That said, a lot of folks here have bigger ovens and like them.

Would it be a good idea to build the vent transition out of these bricks? That combined with a break in the hearth would thermally isolate the dome.

I wouldn't have any insulation exposed, including insulating brick. The stuff is an okay insulator, about the same as vermiculite concrete, but it's a lot more expensive.

The specific problem with your idea is that the insulating brick is porous and borderline crumbly. You also can't use mortar with it: it sucks the water out instantly and breaks the bond. When they build kilns with the stuff they just put it together with kaolin, a form of clay. It fires hard when the kiln is brought to red heat, which of course we never do.

[Jon in Albany]

Re: OctoForno

I'm a lurker that daydreams of building a dome, so I have a few questions for you guys. First can you point me to the discussion on dome diameter? Whenever I draw something up, I make it a 42 inch oven. I'd be interested to read the pros/cons of the oven sizes. Also, the soldier course is on top of the hearth bricks in the picture. Is that a 39" inner diameter?

I don't know much about bricks. A quick google search is telling me that an insulating brick insulates (of course), doesn't hold heat and is strong. Would it be a good idea to build the vent transition out of these bricks? That combined with a break in the hearth would thermally isolate the dome. Or maybe it is better to keep something between these bricks and food. Maybe they are cost prohibitive too. Daydreaming minds want to know...

Good luck and don't forget to keep posting. I am learning a ton living vicariously through this site.

Jon

[SCChris]

Re: OctoForno

John, have you ever been to Industrial Metal Supply? They have a warehouse in Irvine and may have a short piece of SS tubing for not much $.. Anyway, if you've never been there it's a very cool resource.

Chris

PS FX There is an IMS location close to you as well. Stainless Steel, Copper, as well as Decorative Iron and Brass. We picked up our curtain rods there, 10 foot long Indital hammered rod stock. I wiped it down to get the oil off and wiped on a liquid acrylic put it on hangers and it was good to go. It didn't cost a whole lot, and looks and works like a million bucks.

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: OctoForno

Thanks George! Yes, Chris, the steel will span the floor-entryway junction immediately in front of the inner arch with either end just barely touching the inside of each archway brick. It will be removable in the event I upgrade to stainless steel someday.

[SCChris]

Re: OctoForno

Fxpose, I like the look as well. John, If needed can the tubing be easly removed and replaced?

Chris

[fxpose]

Re: OctoForno

Wow! I really like the look of that floor and the use of the square steel tubing for that additional heat break is a nice touch. Nice set up!

[SCChris]

Re: OctoForno

John, it's looking great! I love the SS floor, I know you're going to really enjoy the non-stick surface. The tubing looks very slick, I hope it works well for you!

Thanks for the update!!

Chris