Has anybody out there built the Tom Jaine oven? Forum Guidelines Discuss Has anybody out there built the Tom Jaine oven? in the Good Background Information forums; Go to the Forno Bravo store. Sign up there. (separate from here) Put the plans in the basket. Place the ...

[asudavew]

Go to the Forno Bravo store.
Sign up there. (separate from here)

Put the plans in the basket. Place the order. It will cost you $0.00.

Then an email will be sent to you with a link to download them.

I suggest holding your progress until you read the plans.
And try reading through a few threads with well documented pictures and instructions.

Dave

[mfiore]

Is there a foundation under your block? Can't tell from the photo. These ovens are heavy, and need a solid foundation. Again, look at the plans (free) and the forum for several ideas about the best foundation to suit your climate.

[Ken524]

I second what Dave said above. There are *dozens* of us here that have built 100% successful ovens using the Forno Bravo Pompeii plans. They are virtually foolproof.

Most of us can't give input to the Jaine design because we are not familiar with it. I can just about guarantee you success with the Pompeii oven.

Here's the direct link to add the (free) plans to your shopping basket:
Pompeii Oven Instruction e-Book (pdf) :: Instruction Manuals, CD ROMs & eBooks :: Forno Bravo Store

I'm glad you found us and started asking questions!!

[Wiley]

Seems this Tom Jaine is a bit of local color, certainly he isn't lacking in the self esteem department. Here's a link to an interesting site regarding the fellow and a quote (which I thought at first was meant as a joke but apparently he is serious):


"I had to be passed by the boss of the Consumers Association. He thought I was a limp-wristed fool from start to finish. I nearly blew it at the interview." After five years, Tom returned to Devon and became a baker. "I was the world expert on bread, built my own bread oven, and wrote my bread book, Making Bread At Home."

Here's the link:
Weekend Telegraph profile of Tom Jaine and Prospect Books

There is an interesting photo of Tom conversing with a dinner yet to be which starts the article.

Wiley

[dmun]

The plan that I have been following says that the compacted sand etc forms part of the heat store

Wow you got here just in time. I know there are ovens built surrounded by sand, gravel, broken glass, etc, that are being promoted as traditional ovens. If you have to heat up a huge mound of masonry every time you want to bake in your oven, you are going to be wasting a tremendous amount of time, wood, and money. The mantra of FB forum is (repeat after me):

Insulate! Insulate! Insulate!

There is nothing wrong with using a thinner base wall and rubble fill to support your concrete slab. Most of us have built a stronger wall, and left the bottom open for wood storage, but that is optional. You need, however, to surround your brick oven with insulation. Under the oven most of us have used four inches of lightweight concrete made from vermiculite or perlite, or two inches of a high tech insulating pad like Calsium silicate. Above the oven, most of us have used a layer of mineral wool refractory insulation, and then more vermiculite concrete. There are a lot of variations to this plan, but the need for insulation never varies.

Read everything you can here. There is a wealth of actual, practical experience in building and using ovens that work.

Good luck with your project.

[SpringJim]

I think that's the problem with a lot of "traditional" oven designs....used native material, built up a lot of mass, used a lot of wood and baked for days.

With what we know now and the modern materials, you can do much better. Glad you found the forum before you were too far along. Your oven will be much happier!

XJ

[SimonWoodfield]

Shepster,
I started with Tom Jaines plans as well, built the base as you have. I then found this site and decided to go with the pompeii oven with the plans from this site. Various reasons, mainly that I was most likely to use my oven for Pizzas, with bread making as a bonus. Toms is a barrel style oven and the pompeii is a round one. There is a thread about the advantages and disadvantages of both on this site. I haven't back filled my base, and use it for wood storage, so far it is still standing! I am in the UK too, and have had an interesting time trying to source materials, but finally got there. I have done a couple of pizza sessions followed by roasts. I have yet to make hearth bread but will do when I can get organized, it is the starting the day before bit that always gets me, I don't generally think that far in advance!
Tom suggests that you don't need to use fireclay, after a fairly long discussion on the forum, mainly prompted by the fact that I couldn't get hold of any! I decided that he was mistaken!

Give me a shout if you have any UK based questions, I am not an expert, but have a standing (so far) pompeii, so have been through the pain!

Simon

[PeterW]

Shepster

I've built a UK oven too, and mine is standing fine !! I used standard 7N thermalite blocks for my base with a cast concrete deck. The total load on the foundation is around 800kg, which equates to about 2.8psi, which is well within the load spec of the blocks (143psi!)

The infill in the Tom Jaine plans also provides a heat sink - unless you have unlimited wood, it will take a lot of effort to get the oven hot, and it will stay warm for days. The key with the pompeii is insulation, and mine, with 4" rockwool and a couple of inches of perlcrete stays warm for 2 days !

As Simon says, fireclay is needed. It makes a very 'sticky' mortar, and is much easier to work with than ordinary mortar when it comes to laying the dome bricks.

If you've got any questions, shout out here, as I've had lots of useful advice throughout my build.

Cheers

Peter

[shepster]

Fantastic advice from all of you. I desparately want the plans you suggest but something is wrong. Whenever I get to the checkout, login again I get the message

Page not found!

The requested page does not exist or you are not allowed to access it!

What am I doing wrong.

Cant wait to get started on the Mark 2!

Shepster

[shepster]

False alarm. I did not realise it wanted my address etc. All done now and am have now downloaded. Prepare yourselves for a lot of questions in the coming days...................
Shepster