Oven opening size

[Laurentius]

Re: Oven opening size

Hi Mikku,

Komari, is a good source for horticulture perlite/vermiculite. I didn't use either in my oven.
My fire bricks came from Joyful Honday and they were less than Y150 per brick. A kiln owner lead me my ceramic fiber blankets and boards nothing was as expensive as the prices I've seen quoted by the people stateside and down under, go figure.

[mikku]

Re: Oven opening size

Thank you again Laurentius,
Searched back some of your threads and found your build as it was just finished. Looks beautiful!
Are there other threads that showed while you were building it?
Like what is your insulation under firebrick and thickness?
also what is your dome and rest of oven made of ? All firebrick?
finally, what total thickness or number of layers of ceramic fiber did you use?
Lots of questions! Also saw that you are in Chiba-ken...shucks we are almost neighbors in this country! A working oven is still way off for me.. today is making the forms for structural slab (indoors)! Looks like we will get snow later today but it is raining here now.
Thanks again
Mikku

[Laurentius]

Re: Oven opening size

You're welcome. Those were the only photos. I have 2" of ceramic fiber boards under the hearth and 3 blanket around the dome. Only the oven itself are firebricks, its supported on standard blocks, the outside is rendered with stucco. Do you plan to pour your slab before the spring? Have it started snowing, yet? Here the rain has stopped.

[mikku]

Re: Oven opening size

Hello again,
Missed lunch today and just stopped for coffee now. I cannot see outside from my workshop--all windows are obscure glass so I do not know when the rain ended, actually partially cleared up.

Here is the deal with the structural slab. I do not know how the WFO will be supported or installed in the future or even its' location at my house. So, yesterday I made a steel frame from 75x75x6mm angle with holes punched where future steel legs might attach and nuts welded inside at those locations. Also, did drillings and tappings for bolts to attach the plywood bottom and perimeter forms. My workspace is heated so I will pour the slab this week, get some heavy duty casters to put under it and be able to shuffle it around while I proceed with the oven building. My intention is to build everything indoors under controlled conditions and only bring it outdoors when it is time to fire the refractory for setting it up--then back indoors for dome insulation and the rest.

A neighbor down the road has a forklift so we will be able to move it indoors and outdoors as necessary.

I will be putting a lot of rebar, spaced closely and will use a receipe for high strength concrete. Have to talk to the Readymix company for the proportions and mix it at my place using a heavy duty drill like a tile setter uses. It is really quick mixing and you can make just what is necessary from scratch materials.

Still have to figure out the insulation detail ?? Source for fiber mat.

Did you have experience with brick before doing your oven? I had none so that is why I decided on refractory castable instead.

thanks for your input
Mikku

[mikku]

Re: Oven opening size

I should qualify the metal frame making a little--my best friend in Japan has a fabrication business. "We" worked together at his shop and made the frame.
I brought it back to my small workspace, sanded it and primed it last night! I do not have any welding stuff of my own in Japan!

mikku

[kstronach]

Re: Oven opening size

Hi,

I am just about to set out my cooking floor and opening and wanted some advice on the width of the opening. I had planned on a 32 inch oven with a opening of 16" by 10" in an arch, yesterday I made a form of this size to build around and I'm now concerned it will be to small (in width) and will make loading and tending the fire etc arkward.

Do you think I could go wider with my opening on a 32" oven?

Or would I be better upping my oven size to 34" or could possibly go to 36" would have to have a measure up!

What size openings do people have for there ovens? And are you happy with them?

Also will this get seen here or would I be better starting a new thread on opening width?

Thanks

Keith

[yorkshireknight]

Re: Oven opening size

Hi Keith Just come across your post, I too am building a 32'' and I too thought of a 16'' opening, I see you didn't get a reply to your question, but what size did you plump for in the end and did it work out fine for getting stuff in and out?

Many Thanks

Paul

[mikku]

Re: Oven opening size

Get as big width as you feel your construction above can support. I do not think that there is any rule for width, only ration of interior height to door height.

My dome is 750mm interior dimension...plenty for pizza. If you are going to make bread, in my opinion...I would go with a barrel design for more usable space.. eliminating hard to get at spaces within the oven.

Mine is not completed but it produces a lot of good things already--just learning the temperatures and times required---but way too early ---just guessing and getting a lot of good advice and support from Kamagawa sensei.

You have to guess how you will use your oven initially and have to settle with the results once it is finished. Best advice I can give... if you have an abundant supply of firewood--build bigger! If not---build smaller. If you are only going to produce things for your own consumption--build smaller. but build as much mass as possible, insulate twice as much as you first anticipate and you will only be 50% underinsulated with your end result.

I do not check threads as much as I should but I did not get any alert that this thread was replied to...

Just another voice replying from another side of the world in Japan.

[yorkshireknight]

Re: Oven opening size

Hi Mikku, from the other side of the world,

Thanks for your prompt reply. I am at the stage of laying the floor and therefor wanted reassurance over the opening after seeing Keiths post.

My internal diameter will be 81cm and have just been outside with a mock up opening to see if I can manoeuvre a paddle inside a 16 inch opening and pleased to say it seems ok.
This is my second attempt at the floor, I do not access to those wonderful chop saws etc I have to make do with a angle grinder and so getting a clean cut is proving very difficult.
Glad to hear you are enjoying the fruits of your endevours already albeit not fully completed.
Ciao
Paul

Thank you for your kind help, I intend to make pizzas eventually and a little bread and slow roasts,

[Tscarborough]

Re: Oven opening size

Make it as wide as the biggest thing you plan on putting into it. If you make 16" pizzas, you need 17", etc.

[kstronach]

Re: Oven opening size

Hi Paul, nice name 'Yorkshire' knight, I see your in Bulgaria but I take it you are from yorkshire originally?! I'm from York!

Anyway you've already had some good replys I see but I'll chip in anyhow! In the end I built a 34" oven and went with an 18" opening its fine, if I had built a 32" oven it would have been a 16" opening I would have gone with, just make sure you adhere to the 63% rule for the height and I'm sure you'll be fine!

Are you on the UK forum? Assuming your from the UK that is! Have you set up a build thread? Pop a link up if so and I'll have a gander!

All the best

Keith

[boerwarrior]

Re: Oven opening size

I have a 32" oven and my opening is 16 inches wide and 10 inches high. So far I have had no trouble maneuvering pizzas and even large pots in and out of the oven.

We have a 4-oven AGA stove and each oven is close to this size: a little over 16 inches wide and about 11 inches high. I once fit a 26 pound turkey in the AGA!

[yorkshireknight]

Re: Oven opening size

Thanks T Scarborough. That's sounds logical. After today it is 16inches. I shall now post more questions on my own 82cm Bulgarian build if you wish to take a look and point me in the right direction.

[Moose4Life]

Re: Oven opening size

What do people do where the firebrick floor meets the landing outside the arch... Do they mortar it? Put nothing? I'm a bit confused ;(

[cobblerdave]

Re: Oven opening size

Gudday



This is just one way to do things but will give you a start.
The insulation continues to the edge and is recessed in the slab. The Heath brick continues to the edge of the slab floating the same as the main hearth on a trowel layer of fireclay and water. The entrance brick is then mortared to the slab but not the hearth brick effectively containing the hearth brick from spreading out but allowing movement. The entrance is really not mortared or keyed into the dome or hearth at all.
Hope this starts ball rolling , like I said before this is only one way of doing things. I'm certain a pic would help
Regards dave