the latest...

The form supporting the main arch was removed and it's still standing!!

After much thought, consulting a few different oven builders and putting his own spin on what he learned, Nate finally decided on a design for the front of the reduction arch. There are sloping cuts on either side of the bricks and straight cuts made in the middle bricks for the smoke to travel directly up through the chimney. A reduction arch is basically a way of controlling exhaust gases and to keep smoke from exiting the door and into the face of the baker.

The rear view. Each brick had to be cut with a saw and then carved with a grinder to connect all the compound angles/curves.

The reduction arch is in place and being held with shims.

The reduction arch is mortared.

Support for the arch is taken away. In front of the reduction arch will be the cast lintel. The lintel has a positive form in it that complements the cut-outs on the reduction arch. This form provides a larger space for smoke to travel up towards the chimney.

The form for the cast lintel.

These are stainless steel needles that will reinforce the high temperature refractory concrete mix for the lintel. There's also some ceramic fiber in the concrete that helps hold it all together.

Lintel poured.

 This is the inside of the lintel cast. You can see the negative space that directs the smoke upwards.

 The lintel lifted in place.

 Here, you can see how the lintel and reduction arch work together to funnel smoke up to the larger opening. That opening will eventually transition into a 8 or 10 inch chimney pipe.

 Finally, the concrete cladding on the top of the vault is poured. Next will be the chimney and the steel, cage-like frame that I will weld around the oven

The oven core.

Isn't it so beautiful?! 

The builder. The baker. The oven maker.