My Old Kentucky Dome Enclosure

[Ken524]

I fastened the studs to the top and bottom tracks today. Next step is to build roof trusses.



Also started my third curing fire. Sticks and twigs. Still no real heat being generated. My cheap-o oven thermometer didn't exceed 100F.

[asudavew]

Originally Posted by Ken524

I fastened the studs to the top and bottom tracks today. Next step is to build roof trusses.

Nicely done!

Originally Posted by Ken524

Also started my third curing fire. Sticks and twigs. Still no real heat being generated. My cheap-o oven thermometer didn't exceed 100F.

You better start looking for one with higher temps than that!



Dave

[Ken524]

Originally Posted by asudavew

You better start looking for one with higher temps than that!

I should clarify... the thermometer goes up to 600F. It didn't go past 100F in my fire. I'm pretty sure the top of the dome was well above that, though.

[gjbingham]

I tried to use a meat thermometer in mine for the curing fires. It too, failed to read 100 degrees.
G.

[Ken524]

Hopefully my FB Infrared thermometer arrives soon!

[sarah h]

If it's any consolation, I didn't get any real heat near the floor until about the 5th or 6th fire, when I stopped being cautious and gave it more of a blast. Up to that point, I had been getting pretty worried that I had got something horribly wrong ! Since the bigger fires though, and possibly because the oven got progressively drier too, there's been no problem getting it warmed up .

I still just have a dinky little BBQ thermometer with a maximum reading of 600F and it's obvious that my oven now easily gets beyond that - by how much, I don't know but all that really matters is that it cooks just fine - yours will too!

Sarah

[sarah h]

PS - good work on the framing - we're doing something very similar but have not progressed as much as you just yet.

Sarah

[Ken524]

Originally Posted by sarah h

If it's any consolation, I didn't get any real heat near the floor until about the 5th or 6th fire

Thanks! I was wondering about that... I wasn't worried yet (I'm still in the sticks and twigs phase), but curious when the floor would warm up.

I can tell the oven is working properly. I can definitely see it "breathe". A clear layer of cool air entering the lower half of the door and a smoky layer exiting the top into the flue. Really cool to watch.

[Ken524]

Great rainy day activity: make roof trusses in the garage

I cut a triangle out of masonite to use as a simple jig to assure all my trusses where assembled with the same angle. The roof has a 30deg slope (7/12 roof pitch).





This is my first project with metal studs. They are great fun to work with. The best benefit is the light weight.

[asudavew]

Nice trusses Ken.

How long did that take ya?
And how did you cut those metal studs? Tin snips?

Looking good man.

Can't wait to see how close your actual enclosure looks like as compared to your photoshop pic.
I know it will sure will be pretty.

Dave