D105 Pre-Cut brick kit build in Tassie

[david s]

Re: D105 Pre-Cut brick kit build in Tassie

Yes, I'd agree with all of that. You've obviously been doing some thinking. The beauty of building firing and cooking in your own oven deepens the understanding of everything that's going on. Forge on!

[david s]

Re: D105 Pre-Cut brick kit build in Tassie

I have a question in regards to vent location

Would a low vent as opposed to one in the TDC make much difference to how much moisture can get out?
.

No, I can't see that it would make any difference.

[Steady]

Re: D105 Pre-Cut brick kit build in Tassie

No, I can't see that it would make any difference.

Thanks David

[Steady]

I managed to get another layer of insulating render on today, I'm hoping to get another on tomorrow - it will probably finish off the 300 litres of vermiculite that came with my kit.

[Steady]

I got most of the final insulating layer on my oven yesterday but ran out of "Litefill" late Sunday afternoon and could not get more.

I will not be able to finish it until next weekend, weather permitting - there is nothing I can do about it now but I am guessing the join is likely to be a weak point that may develop a crack?

[philby303]

looks really nice how have you found the kit to put together ??

I am looking forward to putting mine together,

[Steady]

looks really nice how have you found the kit to put together ??

I am looking forward to putting mine together,

Thanks philby303 !

I have been very happy with my Melbourne Fire Brick Kit. It has gone together really well, and aside from the insulating render coat where I have made a layer thicker than I should so have run out - I have had ample materials. The video and written instructions are comprehensive but simple to follow.

The kit does some things differently than a full blown do it yourself Pompeii brick oven, and unless I deviated in a major way did not allow me to follow some of the latest learnings/thinking developed by wise WFO'ers - like installing a thermal break outside the inner arch, but this is something that I can live without on my first build.

I'm very happy with the kit and proud of what I have built - friends and colleges are getting sick of me showing the photos....

[Steady]

I had hoped to finish my insulating render this weekend but the weather is against me. I went looking for some perlite/vermiculite to discover it is different than the "litefill" that came with the kit. I think I am about 30 litres short but what I can find in bunnys and the local nurserys has a far bigger particle size. The litefill was about the size of half a grain of rice.

What size have others here used?

[Steady]

There was a break in the weather over the weekend and I managed to finish the insulating render (on 1st Aug 15) Now there is a dusting of snow this morning.

I am ready to start my curing fires - I just need to find some time and good weather.

[PizzaCharlie]

Love the snail look of the oven.
I'm up to the curing stage as well with my build. Just reading up on the best way to start it off.

This website suggests the first firing to be done with newspapers. But how many newspapers? And for how long? Newspaper burn for like 2 mins if anything. Other sites I've seen a few pieces of wood and what looks like a strong fire for the first firing. Confusion!

How are you going to go about your first fire steady?

[Steady]

How are you going to go about your first fire steady?

Thanks PizzaCharlie.

I'm just going to build a very small fire with a handful of pencil sized sticks to start and then make it a little bigger each day (while keeping an eye on the temperature around the dome and floor - and the external insulting render initially)

I plan on going slow, I figure I have 3 - 4 months up my sleeve to stay on my original schedule of cooking Christmas dinner in it.

[Greenman]

With the weather you blokes are having at the moment in Tassie a few sticks would do little more than clear the frost! I started with very small fires and put an el cheepo oven thermometer inside and built up the temps by 100 deg F each day. By keeping the fires relatively small it takes some time to get up to the next temp goal and once it gets to a point of drying the fires just seem to take on a mind of their own. The first fires were a bit sluggish in getting going but the latter ones were very different and got much hotter much quicker.

You should be a master of that beast by Christmas. I am sure that your Christmas Dinner will be a memorable one, and tasty too!!

[PizzaCharlie]

I started with very small fires and put an el cheepo oven thermometer inside and built up the temps by 100 deg F each day.

So by that you mean build a little fire, let it burn itself out after ~5mins.
Then repeat the same process the next day with a couple more pieces of wood to raise that extra temp and let it die down again? And keep repeating the following days?

[Steady]

I have an infrared thermometer and will monitor the temp and just see what happens - with an emphasis of going slow. The forecast is faverable for tomorrow but I have a few other commitments (a netball grand final and cutting fire wood for the house) but regardless of whatever else gets in the way I WILL be lighting the first fire tomorrow 😀

I do not plan on applying a cosmetic render until the moisture has been driven out of the bricks and insulation using the plastic cover method to confirm. I have however started to think about it - looking at bunnys this afternoon I see they sell both cement and acrylic based render pre-mixes, what are the pros and cons of the two options? They didn't seem overly expensive but is there a home made recipie members in the know use?

[david s]

Does the kit not provide the render or give instructions on a recommended product or provide a recipe? Strange.
If you have the materials to hand 4:1:1 sand, cement, hydrated lime is about the cheapest.