new build in werribee

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: new build in werribee

Colin,

Judging from the soot signature in your entryway pics, the configuration of your vent is quite effective. It appears no smoke made it out the door and past 50% of the way to your outer arch before exiting up through the flue. Just like stopwatches in timed swimming events (they don't lie), same goes for telltale smoke stains. I would also attribute this efficiency to your hemispherical arch shape, which appears to contribute to a narrower smoke path than a wider, flatter arch. I'm also curious to see how the soot path changes once you get a full fire going.

KBart is right: The ceiling soot starkly displays the accuracy and symmetry of your beautiful brick cuts. Once it clears, you'll see you can go black and go back!

Nicely done, sir!

[kbartman]

Re: new build in werribee

KBart is right: The ceiling soot starkly displays the accuracy and symmetry of your beautiful brick cuts. Once it clears, you'll see you can go black and go back!

Nicely done, sir!

LOL......... that ain't how the saying goes.........He right on the smoke stains tell the truth well done. Good job........... it's all pink at that point......

[oasiscdm]

Re: new build in werribee

Thx John and kb.

Compliments coming from you guys do make the effort worthwhile.
John as I have said yours is the prettiest build, and I thank you for all your assistance as we built those difficult landings flared and dropped front arch. All that shaving grinding helped the smoke flow. I was amazed when I watched the hat beads soot up the entry. Watching all that black stuff displaying up the flue was quite amazing. Wished I had got that on video. It was all over in about 30 seconds.

When do you feel I should build to clearing temps. As I can do that with the curing device or start with wood?.

[oasiscdm]

Re: new build in werribee

Never use the two fuels at the same time, it's really dangerous. Should the flame fail, you will have an oven full of hot gas waiting to ignite. You may then have to start rebuilding your oven piece by piece.

THx David not what I meant. I meant OR not 'and'. have fixed the error.

[oasiscdm]

Re: new build in werribee

Well I got home dropped my make shift pulley cover. Put the plastic over the dome, threw a couple of bags of heat beads on, tossed in a card board box and temperature on the walls is now at 350c and top of dome about 415c walls not clearing, floor around 210c.

Now I'm curious with the plastic over the dome there is no condensation.
I have now kept the oven around 250c for 4 days having built up to this over 2 days. I have increase temp up to those mentioned above.

So does that mean the water is gone? and can I crank it up and head towards clearing fires

Plastic has been on now for around 3 hours since getting home. Still not wet. I went out about 9pm and there was condensation removed the plastic to allow the blanket to air dry.

Tossed a little wood in [see photo below its trying to clear].

Previously condensation would form within 5 minutes.

I also decided I might as well use the heat so I prepared a chook

Smoked Paprika rubbed Chicken [under skin] with macadamia, roasted pine nut, maple syprup and thyme stuffing.
Will cook it tomorrow night in whatever heat is there.

David KB John FYI it was very cool watching the dome clear and the Dome Keystone reappearing very cool.

[oasiscdm]

Re: new build in werribee

Thx John and kb.

Compliments coming from you guys do make the effort worthwhile.
John as I have said yours is the prettiest build, and I thank you for all your assistance as we built those difficult landings flared and dropped front arch. All that shaving grinding helped the smoke flow. I was amazed when I watched the hat beads soot up the entry. Watching all that black stuff displaying up the flue was quite amazing. Wished I had got that on video. It was all over in about 30 seconds.

When do you feel I should build to clearing temps. As I can do that with the curing device as well as wood?.

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: new build in werribee

Since three hours passed without any moisture, it appears your choice of wood was appropriate. Watching the dome clear must've been pretty gratifying, yes? . Would love to hear your report on any (hairline) cracks.

I am intrigued that in pic #1 the last course of light-colored bricks completely cleared first instead of the dome clearing across the top. The Circle of Life or Aura of yin/yang perhaps?

[kbartman]

Re: new build in werribee

Colin,
Glad to see the dome cleared. Congratulations! If I remember correctly, after my dome cleared I continued adding wood slowly and held it at max temperature for several hours.

It's your call! I thought I was through my curing stages because of the prolonged high temperature held for several hours each day. I had several cooking fires that were brought to temperature slowly over several hours. My first crack did not appear until I lit a kindling fire to start the cool oven. I had been using charcoal started in a chimney starter then pour on the oven floor. The roaring fire must have created a great temperature deferential close to my inner arch. I think the key is slow heating to max temperature for many firings to give the oven break-in time (or until you get your first crack--LOL). Just my opinion, I really love the keystone clearing.

BTW....Do you have a thermocouple on the outside of the brick? This will tell you if you have saturated your bricks thoroughly with heat. I think that also needs to be taken into account during curing . If the temperature is relatively close to the inside, you can be sure there is no moisture trapped within the brick. At that point, I say...FIRE AWAY!

[david s]

Re: new build in werribee

From what you've said, the fuel you've gone through and the pics provided, I'd say it's ready to ramp up the temp. Just remember that you can take it too fast and risk damage, but you can never take it too slow.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: new build in werribee

Colin,

Isn't the extra work to do the yin/yang plug worth it? Now everytime you clear the dome you can look in and see it. Congrats.

[chubbybones]

Re: new build in werribee

Great piccies Colin.That keystone breaking through the soot must have been a very cool moment.
Im pretty much at the same stage as you with the fires as my condensation has seemed to have dissapeared aswell..Im thinking of ramping it up today with a steady temp. of around 300`C-350`C.
Ill be interested to see what you do.
Great Work.

[oasiscdm]

Re: new build in werribee

Since three hours passed without any moisture, it appears your choice of wood was appropriate. Watching the dome clear must've been pretty gratifying, yes? . Would love to hear your report on any (hairline) cracks.

I am intrigued that in pic #1 the last course of light-colored bricks completely cleared first instead of the dome clearing across the top. The Circle of Life or Aura of yin/yang perhaps?

Some condensation came through after about 3 hours of burning around the 400 mark, bought to clearing [around 500c] them I tempered the fire down back to below 350 and maintained that.

Watching it clear was a real buzz and was well worth the extra work and time delay Russell. Watching it slowly reappear is amazing just needed the bottle of wine when doing this. John I'm not sure why it cleared that way other than fire was too the left. I was expecting the symbol to re-appear 1st.

Crack report - none yet - but it is too hot to stick head or camera in. I did notice a failed Mortar joint on the left brick above the flue gallery. This course goes over the flue dynabolts so isn't very deep. I then realised that I used a hammer drill to lodge a tapcon into the side brick. guessing the hammering caused the failure. Moral to story is if you have too use a hammer drill use a very small one not 6mm like I did.

Great piccies Colin.That keystone breaking through the soot must have been a very cool moment.
Im pretty much at the same stage as you with the fires as my condensation has seemed to have dissapeared aswell..Im thinking of ramping it up today with a steady temp. of around 300`C-350`C.
Ill be interested to see what you do.
Great Work.

Same idea as you CB. I have already reached 500c to clear, held that for a while then tempered it back.see comment above and below. My intention is to vary the temperature up and down with the lowest being 200c Friday ramp up to Pizza temps cook 3 then ramp it down I will stoke on Saturday before leaving and let go out while away then clean and fire Sunday night and go slow and steady until Xmas day.

Colin,
Glad to see the dome cleared. Congratulations! If I remember correctly, after my dome cleared I continued adding wood slowly and held it at max temperature for several hours.

It's your call! I thought I was through my curing stages because of the prolonged high temperature held for several hours each day. I had several cooking fires that were brought to temperature slowly over several hours. My first crack did not appear until I lit a kindling fire to start the cool oven. I had been using charcoal started in a chimney starter then pour on the oven floor. The roaring fire must have created a great temperature deferential close to my inner arch. I think the key is slow heating to max temperature for many firings to give the oven break-in time (or until you get your first crack--LOL). Just my opinion, I really love the keystone clearing.

BTW....Do you have a thermocouple on the outside of the brick? This will tell you if you have saturated your bricks thoroughly with heat. I think that also needs to be taken into account during curing . If the temperature is relatively close to the inside, you can be sure there is no moisture trapped within the brick. At that point, I say...FIRE AWAY!

KB

Thermocouple positioned 10mm inside surface and same outside surface. About 360c and 310c respectively when I last measured.

So far there are no cracks especially around the flue as my flue gallery is completely separate from the dome. I can't actually see inside the oven I will check this out when oven cools.

I have noticed that underneath the hearth surface temp of the hebel was 80c not sure if that is a good thing or not. I have 50mm call and 75mm hebel. At 125mm of insulation I wasn't expecting that high a temperature .

David

Will ramp temps and keep a constant temp but fluctuate it up and down. I take plastic off dome to allow air and Sun drying and then place the plastic back on every few hours during the night. Moisture is taking longer and longer to appear the 3 times I have done this so far. Tomorrow 40c day should see most moisture out of it I hope.

[chubbybones]

Re: new build in werribee

Im guessing there's some sort of reasoning behind fluctuating the temperature that benefits the curing process?
Keep up the good work

Cheers John.

[Lancer]

Re: new build in werribee

Thanks Lancer for the compliments. Re curing device I just purchased it online, a place here in Melbourne had it going for very reasonable price.

You can get them from China/Hong Kong if you can get the propane/LPG. Can you get this where you are?

I'd be amazed if I could. Might be better buying a gas grill and using the element, but I'm inclined to forgo this and slow build fires in the oven the old fashioned way. Besides I have charcoal left over from the kiln fail so its waiting for the day.

Just gotta admire what you've done and the manner, very professional. :b:

[oasiscdm]

Re: new build in werribee

Hi all

Just feel that the fluctuation in curing will enhance the oven. No set routine so to speak. I am currently cooking a chicken and vegetables, the chicken is roasting away. The thing is that most builds I have researched stick to a schedule. I decided to change the schedule and not necessarily get to high temps quickly, but to take advantage of the temperature available to me. This way the water is removed from the oven, so that all food is cooked with a fully cured oven. cured to me revolves around an oven that can handle various temperatures at any point in time.

Sometimes we want pizza at 500c other time bread at less and then possibly other roasts at somewhere in between.