Michigan WFO Brick Oven Photos Discuss Michigan WFO in the Good Background Information forums; I followed the lead of dmun and Les. Took a clay flue tile, cut it at an angle, and mortared ...

[mfiore]

I followed the lead of dmun and Les. Took a clay flue tile, cut it at an angle, and mortared it back together to make a tapered chimney that is 8x17 on the bottom (easily fits over my vent) to 8x8 on top.



I hope this tapered chimney will draw better. If I need, I can always add 8x8 flue tiles on top. These are much lighter. I don't have great photos of the cutting, but I refer you to dmun's excellent thread and photos. http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f8/d...-oven-765.html (dmun's 36" geodesic oven) Thread #95
It cut OK with an angle grinder, but man did I create quite a cloud of orange dust. If ever there was an indication for a mask and eye protection, this was it! I ground out a curve on the bottom to conform to my entry arches.

Here is the flue tile in place.



So, the vent transition is approximately 4.5 x 21.5 inches on bottom, tapering up to 4.5x13. Then, entering the chimney flue tile, the bottom is 8x17 inches, tapering up over 2 feet to 8x8 inches. How do you think this will draw? I hope it draws well. It seems to work for Les. I really wanted to avoid a tall, heavy chimney. My plan is to try it as is with the cure fires. If needed, I can always add to it later.

[Les]

Looks great Mike - I think it will suck the wood out of the dome, OK - maybe not, but I think it will draw just fine.

Les...

[Dutchoven]

Mike
Nice job!
You reduced the area by about half which should make for a nice draw...
Best
Dutch

[dmun]

It should work great. Mine does. It sure is noisy and messy cutting that stuff. Good work.

[staestc]

Very nice job Mike! I figured out why hearing protection is so important with the angle grinder while cutting the concrete blocks. I am still getting gravel and dust out of my ears! I suspect you trying to get orange dust out
What size flues did you start with?

Looks great,
Travis

[mfiore]

Travis, that was cut from a 8x13 flue tile. 24 inches long. See dmun's thread, linked above. It clearly shows how to lay it out and cut.

[mfiore]

I put the keystone in my dome 2 weeks ago, finished the second, outer arch 5 days ago, and popped the chimney flue tile on yesterday. Do you think I need more time before starting some low curing fires? We have a few nice days, and I'd hate to waste them.

[staestc]

I wish I knew I would think that the low temp short duration curing fires would not be a problem, but then you asked the question to get an informed answer, not just a rank newbies opinion

What did you use to join the pieces of the flue, would be my only question.

And as an aside, the only clay chimney flues I have found around here so far are only 12" long, and that will make a tapered flue a more complicated affair, but still doable if I don't find any longer sections.

Travis

[mfiore]

Travis, I used HeatStop 50 to join the two. It's funny how things are so different regionally. I've only been able to find 24 inches, none shorter. I thought of getting a 12 inch section just to extend on top if needed. If that's the case, I'll have to bisect a 24 inch piece.

[staestc]

Given that you used Heatstop for the flue, I would think you are good to go with the initial curing fires. If I do a tapered flue like you, Les, and Dmun did, which I most likely will, then I need to find the longer flue bits for at least the tapered portion.

You oven is just looking great by the way. Rebuilding that arch was the right thing to do

Time to go cut blocks again!

Travis