Yay!! Keystone, When Can We Fire???

[woods witch]

wow! we finally got the dome finished ...we are filling in inside gaps with mortar now and should be done within two days. next question is when should we start our curing fires? we will be moving along with vent and chimney construction as well as the kaowool blankets and insulation. do we wait until that part of the oven is done before we start to build small fires? oh my gosh....I need to get a grip! Picasa Web Albums - carolyn - wood fired oven

[nissanneill]

Carolyn
No, don't wait, start your small drying fires now and when you have done the chimney and vault, it is ready to go.
If you are going to take a month to do this, wai until about aweek before your ready to cook.
As the fires are getting larger, then that will be inspiration to complete it and let's face it, there is not much to do before you have it finished.
Brick up your void and front arch and at the end of the day, light a small fire. Next day close your void for the chimney and then light the next bigger fire. Brick up your chimney or cover the dome with the blanket and vermiculite and light the next large fire. By the time you finish your insulating vermiculite cement, then you have your oven read to cook and enjoy.
I dried mine out between the coats of vermiculite cement insulation and was cooking in it a couple of weeks after starting the dome.
Check it out at :

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f8/n...-1-a-2005.html

and follow the links

Neill

[sarah h]

Congratulations! It looks great and I love your stones on the base (I'm contemplating something similar).
I waited about a week after all my dome mortar was finished before starting the curing fires, then went slow & steady, as advised. No need to wait for the vent and chimney, but when you get around to doing that work, give that part some curing time before more firings.
Keep us posted!