Building a Neapolitan Pompeii Oven Introductions Discuss Building a Neapolitan Pompeii Oven in the Good Background Information forums; No retained heat baking (you could do it, but you'd need to install an effective damper to retain the heat), ...

[maver]

No retained heat baking (you could do it, but you'd need to install an effective damper to retain the heat), also concern that you lose heat out of the hottest part of the oven (the top of the dome). His oven is only slightly larger than mine, and may suffer from less insulation, but the heat up time is signficantly longer in his oven. He usually plans to begin heating the oven 3 hours before pizza and even then it's a struggle to achieve and maintain high temps for a less than 3 minute pizza. I think his is closer to 4-5minutes (guessing he reaches 650F). I've been reaching 850 in about an hour lately and pizza are about 1 1/2 minutes. I burn much less wood than he does and am more inclined to use the oven, where he usually just fires it when having company.

It does look very elegant though .

I suppose if you really want the appearance of a mid dome stack you could drop the flu about 6 inches down below the dome's upper level and install a damper. You would lose some central oven height as well as continuity of radiation. It may also disturb the convection effect of a brick oven. I think James has a standard warning against deviating much from the classic design of the italian brick ovens - they are designed this way because they work.

[carioca]

Hello Maver,

these are excellent reasons to go against the aethetic grain! You've instantly nipped in the bud a very dangerous deviationist idea...

It does look elegant, but (the trailing but is an Australian affectation, generally used by 'Westies' - as we northern beaches inhabitants called intruders from the less salubrious western suburbs of Sydney).

Cheers, and thanks again from a usually taciturn Teuton (you wish!)

Carioca

NB: typos due to the delayed effects of half a bottle of excellent Lindemanns Winemaker's Reserve Padthaway Chardonnay 1999, polished off with Bianca to celebrate my taking her 13-y-o St George multifunction oven to the tip! (She's bought a new one at a third of the price while I scheme to set up that Pompeii type stone oven...)

[maver]

I wish I could sort out which are Lindemann's typos and which are Aussie affectation. Charmed. Congratulations on a new oven, here's to hoping it cooks poorly and raises the value of bricks in your household!

[maver]

Here are pictures of the brick colored concrete slab on the side of the landing along with the concrete countertop (I think I still will acid stain this a bit more red) and the beginnings of the finish coat of stucco. The finish coat recipe (2 parts sand, used white sand, and 1 part lime) is much easier to manage than the brown coat mix (4 parts sand, 1 part portland and 1 part lime). I used finer sand in the finish coat, but I think it is primarily the higher lime content that helps.

The concrete counter was poured "upside down" in a form made of melamine for the "top" and a 2" chair rail trim piece for the sides. It has a fair amount of pattern due to air pockets that I filled with grout but it is also very smooth.

[maver]

I've been holding off on updates because my progress has been slow lately. I finished the brick facework for the oven 2-3 weeks ago but have not had a chance to continue along the sides or complete the chimney cap (thinking a brick arch).

Made pizza last night for a few guests, only using Caputo now, no more experimenting with alternatives. Bought the big bag from Fornobravo last week.