Oven build in Holland

[plootsnot]

Re: Oven build in Holland

photos continued

[plootsnot]

Re: Oven build in Holland

Breakdown and redo april 2012

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Oven build in Holland

the color diference may just be the concrete curing like you said in different layers.. Your right not to worry,,

good luck and enjoy
Mark

[plootsnot]

Re: Oven build in Holland

Hi Mark,

Not sure about the color difference, only noticed it after I put those pictures on my laptop. Assuming that at the 7th fire that top part got hotter than the rest. Tonight will be the real test and again assumming; once the inside goes all white that the outside will go even-colored. If not I'm not bothered as long nothing bad happens. I got my fingers crossed and hoping for the best.

If I had more time before winter sets in might not have even seen these cracks as I would have gone straight to the insulating layer before curing. Oh well! I'm hungry going to knock off here at work and get home and start baking!

-Kurt

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Oven build in Holland

Hey Ploot,
This is one time where gravity is your friend.... Is there a reason that the topp that cracked is whiter than the rest or is that just the way it cured ? You can cement over it if it makes you feel better,, keep cooking it till you get the steam out and then make your next move... Im sure you will be fine

Cheers
Mark

[plootsnot]

Re: Oven build in Holland

7th curing fire today got pretty hot, cracks opened up to the point where I can look thru them and a small amount of smoke was coming out, see pictures.

Just did a search of "cracks" on this forum and found quite a few people with similar "expansion joints". This being my first build I have no idea if it?s going to be an issue. It seems the general opinion that as long as the dome is structurally sound it should be ok. Should I be worried that I can see thru most of the cracks?

Gravity being what it is I can't see the oven moving to the point where it will all come tumbling down. I plan to use a superwool blanket over the dome then vermucrete. Am I on the right track to assume the dome should be able to expand into the superwool and and not significantly move the outer layer of vermucrete?

Thanks for any tips.

Weather permitting first pizzas TOMMORROW!

[Alter ego]

Re: Oven build in Holland

Just curious: XXXX or Victoria Bitter?

Just as life is too short to eat bad pizza, it is also too short to drink poor beer so no VB or XXXX will take part in my oven build. In defence of my alcholism, most of the empty bottles are low alcohol beer but there is a mixture of Boags, Coopers, Little Creatures and Barons

[paulyboy]

Re: Oven build in Holland

Hi Paul,
You should be good, just get a good ladder and keep the beer count down while climbing. Just curious: XXXX or Victoria Bitter?
Kurt

LoL, being a Newcastle boy he'll probably say Tooheys or something.
VB rules!
Paul

[jmhepworth]

Re: Oven build in Holland

We call the cracks "expansion joints."

Joe

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Oven build in Holland

hey ploot,,
probably just steam,, never worry about cracks until you can see daylight thru them...

Cheers
Mark

[plootsnot]

Re: Oven build in Holland

Hi Paul,

My particular method was that I had recently built the fence and left the corner panels attached with only a few screws. They are removable! But in all fairness it was only neccessary to lift them out when we poured the structure hearth. I think that could have also been done from only two sides with a little more effort. As far as the dome, no I stood in the middle and added bricks around me until it got to small to stand in. Then I just stood on the landing and worked from there. You should be good, just get a good ladder and keep the beer count down while climbing. Just curious: XXXX or Victoria Bitter?

Enjoy!

Kurt

[Alter ego]

Re: Oven build in Holland

Kurt,

My oven build that I have just started is similar to yours in that it is right in the corner of a fence. Did you have any particular method for working at the back of your dome where access is limited?

Paul

[plootsnot]

Re: Oven build in Holland

New pics of the 5th firing. Have a few hairline cracks now and the one at the very top of the dome is letting a small but steady amount of smoke or possibly steam thru. Wondering if this is going to be a problem?

[plootsnot]

Re: Oven build in Holland

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the feedback. I dont know the answer this being my first build but it seems to be ok. If your commenting about the distance from the front tip of the "structuraal layer" to the middle of the oven yeah its a bit of a stretch, but when you stand next to the oven with that tip to your right (I'm right handed), Im actually closer than most people would be who have built a "shelf" in front of the landing. Will let you know once I get going. One thing for sure, crawling in there on my back was a major pain in the ass but shouldn't need to be doing that regularly if at all.

Regards,

Kurt

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Oven build in Holland

Hi Plootsnot,,
Nice looking build, My only concern is that your arch is going to be very long, Are you able to see in the oven easily and add wood, Also reach in with tools and turn the pizza's sometimes the pictures can be deceiving and its hard to tell....

Mark