The arch, to insulate or not?

[waitingtocook]

Hey guys, sorry if this has been covered before, I did search for an answer but couldn't find one.

Is it necessary to insulate the entry/vent arch area? For appearances, I would like to leave some or as much of the brick work of the arch exposed, as I reckon it looks quite good. It's amazing how much you hone your skills constructing one of these things. Sort of makes me want to make another, now knowing everything I do!

Anyway, enough rambling. Any thoughts or suggestions are always appreciated.

Thanks, Nic.

[Les]

Nic,

I don’t think it’s necessary. I did just because I wasn’t comfortable having my decorative brick next to the flue. As far a heat retention – it’s pretty much escaping at that point.

Les…

[MK1]

Les,
I was studying your build pictures again, (they really are great and will be my model) and I think I have everything fairly clear except for your base. It looks like you have a course under your floor. Is that what the FB board looks like?
I have my Heatstop 50 on the way, firebrick ready to pick up and I would like to have my floor well insulated as I anticipate a little bread making, perhaps more that pizza.

Mark

[Les]

Mark, I used 4 inches of the board. It raised my hearth to an acceptable level while keeping the counter and barbeque lower.

Les...

[MK1]

Les,
Thanks for the reply. Your oven must stay hot quite a while. How many blanket layers?
I know some of this stuff is expensive, but you only one chance to build the damn thing and I don't want any regrets. Is there anything you would do differently this time around?

Mark

[Les]

Mark, I can cook in it on the third day after the fire. I'm using it this weekend and I will document the temps for the record (I did a few of them before but it's hard to find the post). I bought 2 one inch blankets so I covered it twice and some places more then that. I then added 3-4 inches of vermiculite on top of that.

What would I have done differently - I would have cut ALL the bricks in such a way that I would have used no mortar (other then the tie in of the vent/dome). It doesn't matter squat - it just would have been a cool thing to do (hind site being 20/20 and my muscles are no longer sore)

Les...

[MK1]

Les, don't say that, I just might do it, although I assume you would have to mortar the first chain, or band it or the whole thing would collapse from the thrust of the dome. Brunelleschi used steel "railroad track" built into the lower vertical chains to support his dome in Florence. From reading your posts I would guess you would love the book, Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture. I just looked it up on Amazon, 10 bucks, one of my favorite books of all time. His dome is the largest in the world, has no buttressing and used no center, (wooden form) or any form at all. If you're going to read the book I won't tell how he did it, but it's very simple and ingenious.
I was considering building a miniature "Duomo of Florence" but mine will not be 140' in diameter.

Mark

[james]

Originally Posted by MK1

From reading your posts I would guess you would love the book, Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture.
Mark

I really like that book. The guy who makes the FB Artigiano brick oven says with pride that he makes his ovens freestanding -- just like Brunelleschi.
Cool.
James

[MK1]

James,

Thank you. Your plans put me over the top. I will build.
I must say with the input of you and Les I have decided on the final form of my oven. The dome will be built formless and mortarless and have 4 equal entry arches. Palladio will have nothing on me....

Mark