My Old Kentucky Dome

[Ken524]

Originally Posted by Dannyboyblue

Ken what kind of pipe is that? What is the reasoning behind using a steel chimney as opposed to making it all out of brick?

Danny,

It's an 8" DuraTech Anchor Plate (Forno Bravo store). I'm using the DuraTech chimney system suggested by FB. It'll be a *lot* less heavy then using bricks or flue liner all the way up. I would be a little concerned about the weight of all the bricks on my arch.

I'm not well educated about chimney systems, so I'm going with what's suggested. Other comments about the DuraTech (which is heavily insulated) indicate that it stays relatively cool on the outside and can be placed in close proximity to finishing materials without being a fire hazard.

Hope that helps!

[Ken524]

Originally Posted by Les

Ken - are you planning on solidifying the sides of your arch? We have a very similar situation. If we load the top of the arch, the force is pretty much going horizontal. I have a concern it might "blow" the wall. Before I build my entire vent, I was going to build up the sides. Whats your thought?

Les,

I've read about this "bowing" possibility in other threads. I'm not sure I agree with it. Once the mortar sets in the arch, the arch is a solid object resting on the side walls. Any weight on the arch should be translated vertically to the walls. The sides should only be pushed outward if the arch isn't solid and starts to flatten out. That isn't going to happen unless some really bad mortaring took place or the mortar doesn't cure. Arches, given their geometry, are incredibly strong structures (even sloppy ones <G>).

Assuming what I just stated is completely wrong, my brick vent box is built on both sets of vent arches. The inner arch side walls are tied to the dome and aren't going anywhere. They have 4 courses of dome supporting each side. The outer vent side walls are mortared to the inner side walls giving them additional support.

Combined with the light weight of the DuraTech chimney system, I think I'm pretty safe leaving it the way it is.

Has anyone actually seen and reported first-hand their vent sides "bowing out" or is this a theory someone came up with that has folks worried?

[Ken524]

As you all probably have noticed, I've been taking a lot of pictures along the way. I thought of a fun project to make use of all my photos. It's sort of a time-lapse documentary video of my dome construction.

When the enclosure is finished, I'll update it so it's complete from start to finished.

[edited on 4/25/09 - updated link to finished video]
Dedicated to Forno Bravo:
Pompeii Pizza Oven Construction Video


I created it with Windows Movie Maker.

[Dannyboyblue]

Thanks Ken,
Nice movie. Can't wait to see how it ends.

[Ken524]

Originally Posted by Dannyboyblue

Nice movie. Can't wait to see how it ends.

I just hope it doesn't end like the Towering Inferno or Titanic.

[Acoma]

That was a great video.

[dusty]

Great video Ken. Very cool. I love the sound track!

dusty

[Ken524]

Thanks guys!

[Ken524]

Les,

I just discovered an interesting post about buttressing and arch wall movement:
http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/8/sa...elena#post6409 (Saint Helena Oven)

Jahysea had this very problem. For now, I plan on doing a few curing fires and watching the arch carefully. If I see any cracks develop, I'll throw in some reinforcement on the sides.

[biondoli]

Ken
first of all congratulations for the amazing work you did and the movie as well, it's cool and very useful, I am planning to use it while I'll build mine. In fact want to do the arch as you did without istalling the iron bar.
Regarding the force of the arch pushing down, I think your thinking is right if you refer to the arch closer to the dome, if I understand well looking at the pictures, instead, the external arch is very exposed and does not have any lateral strenght. So I would reinforce it asap, and not only the base, you need to reinforce the full sides because the arch is going to tranfer the weight to the sides and not down. Good luck, ciao Carlo