Chasing your thoughts

[P3 Stoaker]

G'day All,
I've just started to build my oven, not much there yet but it's in construction under 42 inch build in Adelaide.
Couple of questions;
What is the latest in relation to thermocouples/temp sensors built into ovens now that the hand held infrared temp measuring devices are readily available for minimal $ ??

In relation to an IT tool;
1 How important is the clamp? Will the brick rest there in place anyway?
2 Is it necessary to adjust the length shorter every use to get it out without dislodging the brick you've just fitted? I'll will make mine adjustable bit this will determine how easily one would want use of the feature.
3 I've learned that the rod connecting at the bottom is best aligned exactly with the top of the oven floor brick, and in dead centre. I cant seem to get my head around where it should align with the top brick. Is in the centre?

Kind Regards and many thanks
Greg

[Chach]

G'day All,
I've just started to build my oven, not much there yet but it's in construction under 42 inch build in Adelaide.
Couple of questions;
What is the latest in relation to thermocouples/temp sensors built into ovens now that the hand held infrared temp measuring devices are readily available for minimal $ ??

In relation to an IT tool;
1 How important is the clamp? Will the brick rest there in place anyway?
2 Is it necessary to adjust the length shorter every use to get it out without dislodging the brick you've just fitted? I'll will make mine adjustable bit this will determine how easily one would want use of the feature.
3 I've learned that the rod connecting at the bottom is best aligned exactly with the top of the oven floor brick, and in dead centre. I cant seem to get my head around where it should align with the top brick. Is in the centre?

Kind Regards and many thanks
Greg

1) I didn't use a clamp on my IT and it worked fine for me.
2) I did not have to do anything to move the it to the next brick. I did a few on one side and went to the otherside to give the first bricks time ti set and kept alternating like that.
3) The pivot point center should be aligned with your floor and if not once you do your first course you will have to adjust it to the proper height as you go up. to achieve the correct dome height. If you center the pivot point with the floor you don't have to worry about this if your doing a hemispheric dome...36" ID radius would be 18" inner height...42" Id radius would be 21" inner height. The center of the rod that connects to your angle bracket should be the center of the brick. see this post https://community.fornobravo.com/for...theme#post3072

Ricky

[UtahBeehiver]

The clamp does help hold the brick at the correct perpendicular angle to the center of the dome until the mortar sets a little, other builders use wedges, one used wire nuts etc. The key is to make sure the correct angle is maintained until the mortar firms up.

[Yokosuka dweller]

Didn't use clamp, worked well enough to show me the right angle of the brick, and then the mortar and sometimes brick wedges pressed into the wet mortar between the bricks (while IT still on to constrain movement to right angle).

[majulian]

I'd just go with an infrared, you want to know the floor temp and dome temp in my experience and that's the simplest way to get it. You can also check various spots easily too.

I didn't use a clamp either, really didn't need one, just the shelf for the brick is enough.

Enjoy

[modified9v]

I did try the clamp for a few courses. Found that the Homebrew set so fast that it wasn’t needed. I just pinched the brick to the IT and set it... only had to hold it for maybe 20 seconds before moving on. Never needed any other support for the dome bricks once the mortar sucked into the firebrick.

I will say that when I was using my IT for thing like working angles for the inner arch it was handy to make an attachment for a marker.

No thermal couple for me... my handy dandy IR is pretty, well, handy!

All the best, Mikie V.

[P3 Stoaker]

Thanks Mikie V for your feedback. I'm not going to worry about a thermocouple either, I have an infrared hand held now so should be fine. I built the IT tool today and put a clamp on it, will see how it goes.

[modified9v]

That is a pretty IT. I’m sure you’ve seen the warnings in regards to using the caster for the base of the IT. I had some trouble with mine on the “L” part of it below the center line. I had to grind it off because it was scrapping the brick when I went to lift it off and go to the next brick.

[P3 Stoaker]

OK thanks for the feedback. Regarding the caster, I've read issues relating to the extra height it creates., is that what you mean? I'll mount it on a piece of wood, in place of a removed brick and set the bottom of the pivot on line with true floor brick height, can see the idea in the photo. Would you expect that will work?
I see what your saying about getting the tool 'out' to go to the next brick. I can't see sideways working so up will be the only option and yes material below centre will not pass the brick just positioned. I expect I may be ding the same as you did. Interestingly, lots of pictures of tools have material below centre line, I wonder what the difference is and why theirs presumably worked?
If interested I've started a build post under pompeii construction.
Kind Regards

[UtahBeehiver]

Lowering the caster to floor level will take care of the increase in dome level, so you are good there. Just be aware that it appears that the pivot point on the bolt and rod are different than the center of the caster so it may affect the dome and course placement relative to the true center of the dome. You just need to be aware of this and make adjustments. This offset could affect how the dome ties into the inner arch.

[Chach]

I had the same problem when I started my IT. I made the caster version but I noticed the caster was offset so I abandoned that and used a fork bolt instead. I found tube stock almost the same diameter of my fork bolt and use it as a sleeve in the wood so the bolt would not oval the piece of wood while turning the IT. I made the hole for the sleeve almost the same size as the round stock so i had to gently hit it in the piece of wood. I did this so it would be very tight and not wiggle while rotating the IT. Here is a pic of my IT just to give you an idea what I did. I didn't want to keep adjusting anything on my build and figured it would be easier for me. There are many ways to skin a cat.

Ricky

[P3 Stoaker]

Thanks for the info Chach. I think I will need to modify the bottom of my IT. The fork bolt looks like a good idea.
Regards

[Baza]

Hey Chach - I like the simplicity of your IT! I have no access to welding at the moment but want to consider your option notwithstanding.
So - to understand the fork bolt ... you slid the threaded end in a threaded sleeve tapped into a block of wood in the middle? Or was the sleeve unthreaded so as not to have the bolt go up and down as you turn it?

I'm not looking to adjust as I just don see the definitive logic in not doing so vs. bringing it down an inch or so. Is there a NEED to?
Also wondering if you went hemispherical.

Thanks - sorry - the IT is confounding me with angst! Getting it wrong gets the dome wrong!!
Barry

[P3 Stoaker]

G'day All,
Barry, I assume Chach will answer but I'll get a photo and description on line hopefully tomorrow just to add to the idea's, I went with a fork bolt as well.
Regards
Greg

[Chach]

Hey Chach - I like the simplicity of your IT! I have no access to welding at the moment but want to consider your option notwithstanding.
So - to understand the fork bolt ... you slid the threaded end in a threaded sleeve tapped into a block of wood in the middle? Or was the sleeve unthreaded so as not to have the bolt go up and down as you turn it?

I'm not looking to adjust as I just don see the definitive logic in not doing so vs. bringing it down an inch or so. Is there a NEED to?
Also wondering if you went hemispherical.

Thanks - sorry - the IT is confounding me with angst! Getting it wrong gets the dome wrong!!
Barry

It was just a sleeve no threads basically just a piece of round stock that snuggly fit the fork bolt. and the round stock sleeve was inserted into a wood brick that I drilled a hole in it that snuggly fit the round stock so everything was tight no wiggle. I could turn it and it will never get longer or shorter. I could also just take it out if it was in the way and put it back by just sliding it in the hole. I did go hemispherical so once I set the length of the IT I never changed it's length. I did have the end with threads where my L bracket attached too just in case I needed to move it and also I used Russells idea of the pencil holder to draw my circumference so I could take the L bracket off and adjust the length when I put the pencil on.

Ricky