D105 Pre-Cut brick kit build in Tassie

[Wozza]

Thanks for all the info on the curing, Steady. Just about to start mine next week. I was thinking of using a gas burner in there, but after reading through your progress and seeing how well it went I'm thinking wood fire might be the way to go. And hey, lots more fun.

[Gulf]

Let us know how it worked. Just wait until the oven is hot and you have a good coal bed started. If you lay them down too soon, it will starve your fire for air,

[Steady]

Thanks for the tip Gulf - I have some left over bricks and will give it a go on my next firing.

[Gulf]

Try pulling a few coals up to and across the door opening at the entry arch. Or, if you have some extra brick, lay a couple of them flat across the opening. Building a temporary levee across the bottom of the door opening will make the draft air enter the oven a little higher and away from the floor preventing that air from cooling the floor. That may help your floor dry quicker. But, as you said, you have plenty of time before Christmas .

[Steady]

It is coming along nicely - The dome seems to take very little to keep it at 200-230 deg C but the floor is only 65-80 so I expect I still have a lot of moisture in the CalSil - I still have lots of time until Christmas

[philby303]

not long now to really crank it up by the sounds of it.

[Steady]

5th fire today, 23/08/15, I lit it at 1.15 and it is still going now 4.5 hours later. It has been a small fire but the dome is sitting around 200 - -230 deg c. When I pulled the tarp off there was condensation on the outside of the dome - the steel door sealing the oven since last weekend was damp on the outside but dry on the inside.

I will leave it to mostly go out now and wrap it up in a tarp again before bed

[Steady]

Keep it in place at least until you get the inside of the dome white.

I've wrapped it up in a tarp again with a ratchet strap around the base to seal it up as best I can.

[david s]

Keep the gazebo in place at least until you get the inside of the dome white.

[Steady]

The 4th curing fire lasted for 10+ hours on Saturday ending with a roast meal.

The weather was supposed to be good but they lied! I think the gazebo is a throwaway now that it has been smoked.......

[Steady]

Some Photos from the weekend, the 3rd curing fire was Friday late afternoon/evening while enjoying a Shiraz

[Steady]

My oven had its 4th curing fire today - I lit it at 9am and kept it going until 7.30 pm. A little heat made it to the outside of the dome and the under side of the supporting slab got warm (40 deg C) I cooked a lovely lamb roast with veggies - beautiful
The mortar crack in the front arch opened up to about 0.5-0.75 mm. A crack formed in the insulating render near the flue gallery but it is also small.

Very happy

[Steady]

Thanks philby, I had not checked Bens site for new videos for a good 3 months.

[philby303]

Ben has done a couple of new videos have you seen these
How To Cure Your Wood Fired Pizza Oven


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ1ozGePNQ0
How To Fire Up Your Wood Fired Pizza Oven

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hV_sKZVDp3k

to be honest the videos that he has done to go with the build and then after talking to him was the closer for me to get one as well

[Steady]

I managed to keep a fire burning for 4 hours this afternoon/evening. (14-08-15) The first hour was about 110-120 Deg C then a few hours at about 200 then the last hour 160-170. I noticed a heap of condensation on the steel door when I took the tarp off, I'm leaving the door and tarp off tonight as the weather is supposed to be fine. I should be able to keep a fire going for 6-10+ hours tomorrow but there is rain on its way for Sunday. No sign of new cracks, just the same mortar cracks that have not got any bigger - 0.3 to 0.5mm

It would be so easy to crank the fire up but I will try to keep the temperature around 180 - 230 deg C tomorrow. The outside is cold, the supporting slab is cold, no sign of external cracks or steam etc. Very happy so far.