Temperature stabilisation.....Take#2

[jeff]

G'day people.
I need advice. (Probly medication as well,...[stuffit, there go all the Wise Ones]. Oh well, let's work with what we've got left shall we.

I'm a newbie to this brick oven game, but I'm just so hooked.
Seems to me that the opening is sealed when baking. Otherwise it remains open. Is this standard practice? Do some of you close off part of the entry when firing? How much and which bits do you cover?

Do you employ dampers in the chimney? If so, what type? Sliding? Butterfly? Rotating?
(I use a ss plate on top at the moment. Hahaha. Could do with refining. But then again as the Guru said: 'If it aint broke, don't fixit'. Man, I love that Guru so much!

Anyone using spiral-bent metal in the flue/chimney to increase gas velocity?

OK. So many questions in such little time. My next proposition was to be directed to the Old Salts. But I'm talking without listening.
I stop.
Jeff. (OK. The Luddite).

[asudavew]

Re: Temperature stabilisation.....Take#2

I keep mine shut for baking bread, and slow roasting briskets, turkeys, pork shoulders, etc.

Open for pizza and grilling.

I never close or block the chimney.
My oven has two arched entries with the chimney stuck between them.
To close off the baking chamber I close the inner entry, which keeps heat from leaving the oven through the door and chimney.

Does this make any sense at all?

Dave ( the dud dite)

[asudavew]

Re: Temperature stabilisation.....Take#2

Here's a pic of my door.

Maybe it will help.

[jeff]

Re: Temperature stabilisation.....Take#2

Gees Dave,
You're a real sweetie. After James ( that kid wot owns this sand box. His loss, my gain.hahaha. And I'm SO grateful to him for getting me started eh.), you were the first to help me out. So thanks big mobs eh.

Our "entries" seem similar, and yes, your words sit perfectly well with me. Thing is Dave, (and I've gone off half cocked on this one, so just wait a bit eh) Be patient! Sit! Stay!
I reckon there's no way one should mess with the basics of the Pompeii design: however I reckon air flow could be tweaked to get more of that solar energy that went into growing the wood initially, back into our bricks.
Mate I'm done with being serious for the moment: things to do, so I stop.
Jeff.
(Or is that Deff, you mongrel. Yes, I did notice, eh).
Onya mate, and stuff the leeches/ pollies/ceo's. j.

[asudavew]

Re: Temperature stabilisation.....Take#2

Ah..

You want to keep the heat from going up the chimney?

Am I reading ya right?

[gjbingham]

Re: Temperature stabilisation.....Take#2

Jeff,
I think the general consensus on dampers is no. Everything I've read about dampers is that no one uses them, even if they have them.

I keep my door in while firing, but tilted back, which allows O2 for the fire under the door, and directs the smoke towards the chimney. This works really well. The fire just throbs and roars when I do this. It seems to act like bellows blowing on the fire all the time.
I posted a pic of this recently in my thread.

George

[asudavew]

Re: Temperature stabilisation.....Take#2

What's up George?
Weather got ya stuck inside?

[jeff]

Re: Temperature stabilisation.....Take#2

Yes Dave, and also improve air flow in. George's suggestion sounds exactly like what I want.
George, help please. How do I access your thread with the image of your door?
Had my brother+missus visit for the weekend. They couldn't believe the quality of the pizza bases. (I fluked it 'just right'), and FornoBravo has another follower.
Thanks to all of you eh.
Jeff.

[Inishta]

Re: Temperature stabilisation.....Take#2

Onya Jeff...............take a look at this one that CanuckJim had made. It is a design that I intend to shamelessly copy. I'm sure you could knock something like this together.

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/phot...p?u=250&page=4

[jeff]

Re: Temperature stabilisation.....Take#2

Inish,
Thanks for the link. Not often one sees work of that quality these days. Inspirational but embarrassing. Maybe I'll attempt a less ornate version.

Dave, sorry to hear that you're unwell. There's some low-lives around, eh. Let's get rid of 'em, I say.
Regards,
Luddite Jeff.

[CanuckJim]

Re: Temperature stabilisation.....Take#2

Jeff,

My door was made by an old friend, Lloyd Johnston, a very accomplished blacksmith of very high reputation. Most of his work is in antique gun and metal restoration or recreation. Built a bunch of muskets and cannon from scratch for an historical recreation at an old fort, for example. He just can't help adding those fancy bits and cage handles. Using the same principles, I'm sure you could put something together that would work just fine.

Jim

[jeff]

Re: Temperature stabilisation.....Take#2

CJim,
Not surprised to hear that a gunsmith of the Old School did your door . Hope mine works, but it sure won't be as eye-catching as yours.
Take care in that northern deep freeze mate.
Luddite Jeff.

[dmun]

Re: Temperature stabilisation.....Take#2

For heat resistant handles, lid lifters from old wood stoves come up on eBay all the time. An example:

ANTIQUE WOOD/COAL STOVE LID LIFTER-COIL HANDLE- ARCTIC - eBay (item 140203623599 end time Feb-07-08 12:26:25 PST)

[jeff]

Re: Temperature stabilisation.....Take#2

Thanks for the hint dmun. That's broadened the playing field.
Fertile ground indeed.