Newby Questions on Construction

[John_IN_The_OC]

I hear soap stone is the best heat convector… is there a product that would tolerate heat and hold it upside-down in the dome? Any info on non toxic cement products? Is it necessary to have a door/gate, if so sources? THANKS!

[biondoli]

Re: Newby Questions on Construction

is there a product that would tolerate heat and hold it upside-down in the dome?

be more specific what you mean? do you want to hang bricks?
Regarding the door question....you could avoid a door if you would use the oven only for pizza, but for baking you do need it.

[John_IN_The_OC]

Re: Newby Questions on Construction

Thanks Carlos...yes we want to 'hang the soap stone bricks" whats the best mortar ?

[biondoli]

Re: Newby Questions on Construction

yes we want to 'hang the soap stone bricks" whats the best mortar ?

if you want to hang means you already have a dome? right? made of what?
what's the scope of hanging bricks on an existing dome?
I would not trust any mortar for this scope.
The 2 main mortars used by everybody on the forum are Remix and HeatStop50.

[John_IN_The_OC]

Re: Newby Questions on Construction

The dome (we are sonsidering would be of Adobe (By the way I understand some adobe has high toxic metal contents such as lead and cadmium <?>

What alternative is ther for and ahesive mortar? THANKS

[dmun]

Re: Newby Questions on Construction

Here's the FB primer on mortar:

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f6/h...rimer-914.html

By all means I suggest using a pre-mixed dry mortar like refmix, or heat-stop. It's easy to mix and spread, and hardens to a hard, waterproof bond. Clearly expense is no object if you are building your dome from blocks of soapstone.

I don't understand the adobe question at all. Cadmium? Isn't it just mud?

[70chevelle]

Re: Newby Questions on Construction

I speak newbie (since I am one also! ) I think he is asking how to "hang" the soapstone to the interior after the adobe oven is formed. Yes?

If so, you need to rethink your process and lay your soapstone in a dome form first with a refractory type mortar. Once that's done, you would coat the dome with the adobe mixture.

Or, I'm way off base?

[Frances]

Re: Newby Questions on Construction

Hmmm.... or have you got an existing adobe oven which you want to clad with soap stone internally?

[SpringJim]

Re: Newby Questions on Construction

The dome (we are sonsidering would be of Adobe (By the way I understand some adobe has high toxic metal contents such as lead and cadmium <?>

What alternative is ther for and ahesive mortar? THANKS

Metals tests are not that expensive....if you're really worried about the heavy metals in the clay, do a test. A lot cheaper and easier than trying to line a clay adobe oven with soapstone! It would probably be about $25 to test the clay for lead or cadmium....call an analytical laboratory for pricing.

I really doubt that it would be a problem!

Where does one buy soapstone blocks or flooring anyway? Send me a PM if you know of a source for the oven floor! otherwise it's firebrick for me.

[dmun]

Re: Newby Questions on Construction

America's Premiere Soapstone Kitchen Countertops : Soapstone Flooring Sinks Tile : Soapstone Slabs :: Soapstone

[SpringJim]

Re: Newby Questions on Construction

Cool, soapstone in flavors!

[John_IN_The_OC]

Re: Newby Questions on Construction

RE: "Once that's done, you would coat the dome with the adobe mixture." That's a good idea.. THANKS

I talked to a couple of clay companies and most do not seem to screen for leads and other heavy metals. Anyone know of one that does?

[dmun]

Re: Newby Questions on Construction

If you are talking about potter's clay, it's a product that has one and almost only one market - schools. If a company were selling a product to schools for kids to shape with their hands that had serious heavy metal contamination, there would be hell to pay. It may, in fact, be why the stuff is so expensive, liability and testing.

So here's the deal: you have a soapstone dome, and since soapstone is pretty thin, you are going to have some kind of refractory coating over that. Then, your are going to have at least one, maybe two kinds of insulation over that. Then, your adobe, which is unfired dried mud, to the best of my understanding. And, since you don't want that to wash away in a puddle, you are going to have some kind of serious stucco, or enclosure over that.

Since the stucco layer is completely happy going directly over the insulation layer, I don't get what the adobe layer is for.

In any event, your clay layer is going to be almost perfectly encapsulated. Any contaminant short of depleted uranium should be perfectly harmless.

[John_IN_The_OC]

Re: Newby Questions on Construction

RE"Hmmm.... or have you got an existing adobe oven which you want to clad with soap stone internally?" NOPE just starting...<pondering>