Will a modular oven need as much curing as a scratch built oven?

[david s]

Many Italian ovens are made of fired Terracotta. Trouble is it takes quite a bit of energy, time to fire them to the required temp and you need a kiln large enough to do it. It seems as though they are trying to make their castings look like they are fired terra cotta. Probably made by some crooked mates of Berlusconi.

Things are so crooked in Italy they estimate that one third of the economy works in cash only, to avoid taxation.

[brickie in oz]

Some more pics.
I left a gas ring burner going all weekend to help with the curing, a 9Kg bottle lasted 2 days.
I also started the curing fires today, it took just a couple of twigs to get the dome warm.

I put insulating fire bricks on the first couple of courses on the chimney, from there up I put some ceramic blanket to stop the shed wall from getting too hot.

I just have to fill the enclosure with insulation and do the roof.

[brickie in oz]

Some more pics, the oven is still reluctant to burn due to the moisture in the oven but the heat gun gives it a boost.
There is ceramic blanket x 3 over the top and about 100mm of loose vermiculite.

I made an insulated door and blast door for the oven too.

The flue measures out to be 30% of the door hole.

[brickie in oz]

I went back to the oven today as there was a slight rainwater leak that needed fixing between the shed and the oven.

The owners have been doing the curing fires and they got the dome to clear a few days ago.
While I was there I lit a fire and the oven got to 400c fairly quickly using about 1/2 a wheelbarrow of wood, the oven was still warm from the previous fire.