The "Redgum Roarer" - brick dome oven

[Bacterium]

Originally Posted by Hendo

Blimey!

Great build Damon - I look forward to seeing the finished product and hear how you enjoy that first pizza!

Cheers, Paul.

thanks Hendo

I might not have it exactly right (as some things are a bit vague in the book - for the uneducated) but I rekon it should crank out a half decent pizza....

[billrd]

Damon & Paul

I also have Russell Jeavons book. Have you guys been to his restaurant? I imagine we could learn a lot just watching him cook.

Bill

[james]

If you can still do it, I would recommend either 3"-4" of vermiculite concrete, or 2" calcium silicate insulation under the oven -- for two good reasons. Your oven will heat up faster, without the sand and concerete wicking heat away from your cooking floor, and it will hold heat better because it won't vent heat out the bottom. I have seen this in person, where I touched the bottom (outside of the hearth) of a non-insulated oven and you could really feel the heat escaping the oven.
James

[maver]

My father's oven is built with just sand as the insulating layer under the oven, and it works well enough that it inspired me to build my own. The drawback is a long heat up time, and it takes a fair amount more wood to keep it hot. He also has the vent coming out of the dome rather than in front of the oven, so I can't say it's all an insulation issue - I'd love to hear how yours heats up once cured.

[Bacterium]

billrd
I'm down the other end of Adelaide from Russell's place but hope to venture down there one day. I've done a cheese making course with Mark from Blessed Cheese (down that way) though and have gone on to make some of my own - fetta, camembert, haloumi and mozzarella. I’ve used a recipe for “30minute mozzarella” which is quite fun …..I was hoping to combine this with the pizza making at some point……….

James
yeah I now understand why I should have put something between the concrete slab and the oven floor….. which annoys me a little ……..mmehh…..
Now that it’s built though - Is it worthwhile in insulating the underneath of the concrete slab? Like putting a vermiculite coating or a blanket etc……just wondering

maver
I suppose it’s not the end of the world for my oven and I’m still quietly excited….but when you look through some of the breads that CanuckJim produces it has opened my eyes to another whole angle I never really thought about.

Just as well my Dad is a wood turner and has a very large source of red gum to fire my oven......hence the name

[DrakeRemoray]

I know CanuckJim added insulation under his hearth slab (basically in the storage area) and it was an improvement for him. I search for the thread where he discussed this, but could not find it...

It is something that you could add after you have some experience with the oven...see if it gets hot underneath and if so, add some insulation.

Drake

[jengineer]

Drake - You couldn't find it because I posted it for CanuckJim before he became the adept master at posting.

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f6/i...earth-609.html (insulation - classic hearth)

[dmun]

Now that it’s built though - Is it worthwhile in insulating the underneath of the concrete slab? Like putting a vermiculite coating or a blanket etc……just wondering.

I'm just wondering - those cal-sil insulation boards come in one inch instead of two inch thickness. Could you lift those two refractory tiles, shop-vac out the sand, and put in a chunk of insulation under that part of the floor? That's the area that really counts.

[CanuckJim]

Guys,

Yeah, I did add insulation under the vermic layer, and it made an immediate and noticeable difference. However, not enough in winter. I'm going to tear it out and replace it with SuperIsol in my copious free time.

Jim

[billrd]

Damon
I reckon your cheesemaking skills would make another very interesting thread.

Bill