First WFO build

[swarm1023]

Re: First WFO build

OK, somebody tell me if I'm going from one extreme to the other, my first thought was to use a full 9" brick for my dome walls, which sounds like it would be too much to ever heat up. So then I decided to cut the brick in half. Now, however, I'm wondering if I could cut the brick down to 3", put 2" of ceramic fiber blanket, and then cover with 3" or 4" of lightweight, insulating concrete. Any thoughts?

[Tscarborough]

Re: First WFO build

It all depends upon your intended use. 2 or 3 pizzas at a time? 10-20? 100s?!

[swarm1023]

Re: First WFO build

Well, that's what go me thinking I could do this, the vast majority of the time its just my wife and kids. The dough recipe I use makes 3 pizzas. Occasionally when we have friends over I'll make more, but about 12-15 is the most I've done at a time.

[cobblerdave]

Re: First WFO build

G'day
The configuration of the Forno oven ( the mass V insulation) makes it a perfect weekender. If it's a Pompeii or a vaulted arch ( like tzcars) it doesn't matter.
You can heat and cook pizza in about about and hour to and hour and 1/2. As long as you keep an active flame to replenish the heat almost continuous .Cap off with an insulated door and you have heat to bake bread, roast, and finally low and slow cook.
Time to have a full read of the Forno plans it's not just plans it's the whys and wherefores of mass and insulation. 101 pages from memory. Well worth the read
Regards dave

[Akamicko]

I work at a ceramic tile manufacturer and have been given some kiln brick from a kiln that was taken out of service and am planning to build with it.

Any concerns about toxic / harmful material that may be present in the used kiln bricks as a result of the ceramic manufacturing process? Just a thought.

[swarm1023]

The brick I'm using has never been used in a kiln. It was extra brick for an old kiln that was decommissioned. If it were used bricks, it would depend on what part of the kiln it came from. The front, preheat section is where everything is burnt out of the kiln and could potentially have some bad stuff, but in the main heating section there would be nothing left worry about.