Michigan WFO Brick Oven Photos Discuss Michigan WFO in the Good Background Information forums; They look just like mine too! Cover them back up (out of sight, out of mind) and they'll never bother ...

[dbhansen]

They look just like mine too! Cover them back up (out of sight, out of mind) and they'll never bother you again.

[mfiore]

That's great to hear. Toward the end of the last cure, I noticed some steam coming from the top of the blanket. The surface of the blanket seemed a little damp. I don't know if steam had come from the brick itself, or if the blanket adsorbed some moisture from the air. Even though I've kept the thing double covered with thick tarp when not in use, it's very damp lately.

With this steam, I will probably do a few more curing fires at this temp before building any larger.

[james]

Mike,

That sounds right. Keep it steady -- you are driving pounds and pounds of water out of your oven, so you just get to be patient. I was curing a Primavera oven a while back, and the enclosure got a little hotter than I had expected, and then a couple of fires later the oven was hot and doing great, and the enclosure was completely cool. It was just the water coming out of the oven.

Keep it going!
James

[christo]

Mike, Same thing with my oven - I have an enclosure with 2 to 3 inchs of ceramic blanket and 2 to 6 inches of perlite around that. Even after I thought my oven was fully cured the outside of my oven had several Hot spots that were more than warm to the touch. I was so disapointed!!! After 3 or 4 more fires, the outside was cool after that. Might help to keep some low fire or coals going for longer periods now, too.

Christo

[peter]

Michigan Too
I have about three to four layers of insulfrax and about six inches of perlite/concrete mix. I have never, even during cure noticed any warm spots on the exterior. I will confess I have probably not gotten the oven to max temperatures yet although I have had interior spot temps in the 950 degree range. I did take quite a while curing however, maybe that accounts for it.

[mfiore]

Peter, my dome is hot underneath the insulation blanket. The top of the blanket is cool. I only put down one layer, loosely, while I cure the oven. I like to look underneath to see if any cracks are forming. I think I should just wrap that baby up and not worry about it. That way, I won't see the cracks!

[Frances]

Originally Posted by mfiore

I think I should just wrap that baby up and not worry about it. That way, I won't see the cracks!

Spoken like a true WFO builder!

[mfiore]

I had my 7th day of curing fires today. I have little hair line cracks all over the outside of the dome. None have seemed to be any bigger, and there has been no soot on the blanket. I hope I'm in the clear.

The fires today have been 500-600 degrees, with an occasional spike up to 650 when a new piece thrown on. These fires are mesmerizing! It's hard to believe I spend hours staring at that thing, continuously checking the temps. Very therapeutic! (the smell of my clothing is just a bonus)

Well, what do you think? Should I keep going, or am I ready for the big-time!

[peter]

MIke, I am by no means an expert on the topic. When it came time for cure fires I pretty much followed directions for the CURE. I had already installed all the insulfrax and vermiculite/concrete mixture however. Candidly I think these things are pretty forgiving. I have no evidence of any faults related to the heat, there are a few that can be laid at the feet of the contractor however. I am every bit as enamored with the flames as you are. I placed the oven door toward a window in the house so I can even see inside the oven from the comfort of an armchair. I know it is a bit extreme. Shrugs haplessly.
Peter

[james]

Originally Posted by mfiore

I had my 7th day of curing fires today. I have little hair line cracks all over the outside of the dome. None have seemed to be any bigger, and there has been no soot on the blanket. I hope I'm in the clear.

The fires today have been 500-600 degrees, with an occasional spike up to 650 when a new piece thrown on. These fires are mesmerizing! It's hard to believe I spend hours staring at that thing, continuously checking the temps. Very therapeutic! (the smell of my clothing is just a bonus)

Well, what do you think? Should I keep going, or am I ready for the big-time!

I think you should shoot for 750F and bake some pizzas! This is sooooo cooool. Way to go Mike!
James