I decided to make an upgrade to my cob oven before I give it a final coat of plaster.
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Original opening.
Cleared out the insulation layer to make room and used my original opening form for this upgrade.
Spaced bricks on form and checked level.
Used cob mixture to mortar the joints.
All bricks and keystone cut and in place
Tapered and molded into the oven insulation layer. Next will be the plaster final coating.
Hi Tchism,
Nice looking oven, what do your insulation layer consist of? Be sure to cure (dry) it before applying your render, so that you can repair any cracks before hand. Great job!
The insulation layer is clay with redwood chips and bark chips. It works great for insulation. I have had the dome of the oven to 1000 F while the outside has never been more than 135 F.
The brick arch is intended to strengthen the opening area.
Hi Tchism,
Wow, thats on par with my ceramic fiber board and blanket insulated oven. At that temperature the chips would have burned off and left matrices of air within the clay, right? Have you constructed a door, yet? I hope that you get as much enjoyment out of yours as I do mine`s.
Laurentius,
Yes, when I cut down to the oven layer to install the bricks around the entrance the first couple of inches were still redwood and bark chips but the part of the layer that was closer to the oven layer had carbonized.
Again, this was an upgrade to the oven. It has been in use since last fall. below are some of the loaves I have baked in the oven.
Converted charcoal lighter serves has firing door/wood heater.
Soaked wood door and wet towel in place during bake.
Four loaves in the oven.
Finished product.
I've also baked tri-tip, chicken, turkey, potatoes, cookies and of course pizza!
It's been a great oven so far.