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Introduction 7
Le Panyol oven cores and the legacy of the Roman Empire 7
1 Principle of the le Panyol oven core 9
3
Assembly of the le Panyol oven core:
Models 120 and 180 41
Introduction 42
5 Supporting the Voussoir
Applying the refractory mortar
42
44
Curing 44
Additional mass 44
Model 120: plans and sections 46
Model 180: plans and sections 58
Appendixes 51
Appendix A 51
2004 Addendum 52
Ash Dumps, Dampers & Chimney Caps 52
4
Preface
A few miles below Lyon, along the ovens and commercial bakeries. Inevitably, the
Rhone River in southeastern France (the name embossed on the large arch fire bricks
region of Provence), is a famous deposit of defining the oven door opening, indicate that
white earth (Terre Blanche) that has been the material used to build the oven cores, is the
exploited for two purposes since Roman times. famous Terre Blanche (white earth) of Lanarge.
The color and minerals of the white earth
produces some of the world’s finest vineyards Even at very high temperatures, the
(“Hermitage”) and also the very best all natural white earth cooks the food safely with no toxic
material for making fire bricks for ovens. emmissions and has been given the highest
possible rating as a cooking utensile by the
The white earth of the ancient quarry in French government.
Lanarge consists of two basic ingredients,
feldspar and kaolin clay, a result of natural and Now, after over a century and a half of
exceptional underwater degradation of an use in Europe, the famous Terre Blanche
ancient granite deposit that was once flooded material is available to North America through
when the waters of the Mediteranean were the le Panyol oven core kits, made at the
much higher that they are today. The Terre ancient factory site of T’ain Hermitage along
Blanche is removed from the ground with a the Rhone.
large bucket loader and transported less than a
kilometer to a huge modern plant that separates In the late 1970’s, the Maine Wood Heat
the large particles of feldspar from the smaller Co., Inc. introduced to North America the
particles, then recombines the smaller particles concept of Finnish masonry heaters. Now, in
of the feldspar with the kaolin clay in perfect the new millenium, the Maine Wood Heat Co.,
proportions. Water is squeezed out of the new Inc. is proud to introduce to the New World
sheets of kaolin and feldspar and continously another ancient, timeless, wonderful, wood
recycled. The moist sheets are loaded into a fired product line, the le Panyol oven core
lorry and carried over the hill to the historic series.
factory next to the Rhone, where the fire brick
shapes are made. With nothing added but a
little water, to the recombined all natural
quarry mix, the white earth is extruded into
molds, dried and fired in a modern rotary kiln.
When the shapes emerge from the kiln, they
are ready to be assembled into beautiful, heat
retaining, healthy, high performance ovens.
6
1
Introduction
From top to bottom: too tall, too short, too thin, just right
8
Chapter 1: Introduction
3
Start the fire near the oven door. Add wood gradually and
push the embers towards the rear as the fire progresses to
achieve even heating of the oven.
9
10
2
le Panyol Ovens cores
11
Chapter 2: le Panyol Ovens
12
Chapter 2: le Panyol Ovens
13
www.lepanyol.com for more about wood fired bake ovens
Chapter 2: le Panyol Ovens
14
Chapter 2: le Panyol Ovens
15
www.lepanyol.com for more about wood fired bake ovens
Chapter 2: le Panyol Ovens
16
Chapter 2: le Panyol Ovens
Notes
17
www.lepanyol.com for more about wood fired bake ovens
Notes
18
3
Design and construction
19
Chapter 3: Design and construction
CAL CUL
CALCUL
CULAATING THE HEIGHT OF
Y OUR HEAR TH
HEARTH
FOUNDATIONS
FOUNDATIONS
room.
INSULATING YOUR HEARTH insulate under the your hearth now while it is
accesible and easy to do. For commercial
production bakers, it is especially important to
have sufficient insulation under their hearths for
The hearth tiles laid in 1-1/2” to 3” of
optimal performance.
grog are naturally semi-insulative, providing a
There are several materials we have used
sustained baking period without the addition of a
with equal success.
structural heat-proof insulation beneath the tiles
and grog. A casual baker, one who bakes
infrequently or for only a couple hours a week “Skamol”
will be satisfied with the performance of the oven A commercial non-toxic product now
without any additional floor insulation. available as a load bearing insulating
Insulating your hearth, however will extend the prefabricated block is a Danish product made
period during which you can bake from a single from vermiculite and waterglass pressed under
firing. 40,000 lbs., called “Skamol”. We are now using
If you plan on turning your hobby into an this product on some of our installations.
artisan bakery someday, then you should plan to
Vermiculite concrete slab
24
Chapter 3: Design and construction
25
www.mainewoodheat.com for the latest design information
Chapter 3: Design and construction
CHIMNE
CHIMNEYY
SUPPORT
SUPPORT
It is not
recommended that a heavy
masonry mass be built
resting on any part of the
masonry core. Any
masonry chimney built
should be supported by the
veneer walls, not by the
oven core. If a short (2' to
6') masonry chimney is
built directly above the throat and
supported by angle iron and the veneer
walls, a standard clay flue tile 8.5" x 12.5"
can be centered over the throat and then
rest on the refractory elements. Flue tiles
should be set with refractory mortar and
be free to move relative to the surrounding
masonry. To protect an outdoor oven’s
sole plates beneath the chimney from
freeze/thaw cycles, the outdoor chimney
should be fitted with a cap.
STONE HEARTHS
27
www.mainewoodheat.com for the latest design information
Notes
28
Assembly of the le Panyol 4
oven core: Models 66, 99, and 83
29
Chapter 4: Assembly of the le Panyol Oven core: models 66, 99, and 83
1
P lace the hear th tile on a bed
hearth
of gr og or sand and ensur
grog ensuree
the
theyy ar
aree level
level
2 Center the o
appr
appro
ovven entr
entryy
o ximatly four inches fr om
from
the fr ont edge of the hear
front th.
hearth.
30
Chapter 4: Assembly of the le Panyol oven core: models 66, 99, and 83
31
32
Chapter 4: Assembly of the le Panyol oven core: models 66, 99, and 83
7
Block the assembly by
tightening the metal wir
wiree b
byy
inser ting pieces of brick or
inserting
stone betw een the wir
between wiree and the
voussoirs.
33
9
Wet the outside of the oven using a
watering can or spray-nozzled garden
hose making sure all joints are
thoroughly wet.
34
Chapter 4: Assembly of the le Panyol oven core: models 66, 99, and 83
11
With the remaining portion of the
refractory mortar, mix enough water to
create a slighly thicker mixture than
before and spread by rubber gloved
hand, starting from the bottom, to
complete the installation of the oven.
35
38
Chapter 4: Assembly of the le Panyol oven core: models 66, 99, and 83
39
40
35
Assembly of the le Panyol Oven core:
Models 120 and 180
41
Chapter 5: Assembly of the le Panyol Oven core: models 120 and 180
INTRODUCTION
Le Panyol oven core kits, because they
The 120 and 180 are made from the are already formed, only need to be
same Terre Blanch (white earth) as the supported under each voussoir section as
smaller model (66, 99 & 83) and follow the they go together. A cardboard template is
same classic French round oven design, but provided with each oven that matches the
the larger ovens have larger chambers and inside curve of each oven model. Using the
thicker walls. Instead of single voussoir template, the oven builders or builder/buyer
elements that reach from floor to capstone, can cut 1/2" plywood replicas of this pattern.
the professional model voussoir elements are The model 120 requires 18 plywood “ribs”,
divided into stacking tapered tongue and cut to match its pattern, whereas the model
groove segments. The model 120 has three 180 requires 22 ribs, cut to fit it’s unique
stacking tongue and groove segments in each pattern. The three ribs for each oven that fit
voussoir and the model 180 has four stacking over the door lintel have to be additionally
tongue and groove segments in each notched where they rise past the inside of
voussoir. This allows each element to be the door opening lintel. This can be done
manufactured and handled in the factory, as easily on site with trial and error cutting and
well as in the field installation by one placement of these three notched “ribs”.
person. Each element also has very slight
freedom of movement from every other
element, so while the combined system has a
very stable form, the system also has built in
flexibility and great ability to absorb
differential heat expansion and minor
movement.
ADDITIONAL MASS
44
Chapter 5: Assembly of the le Panyol oven core: models 120 and 180
Notes
45
www.mainewoodheat.com for the latest step-by-step oven installations.
Chapter 5: Assembly of the le Panyol Oven core: models 120 and 180
47
www.mainewoodheat.com for the latest step-by-step oven installations.
Chapter 5: Assembly of the le Panyol Oven core: models 120 and 180
49
www.mainewoodheat.com for the latest step-by-step oven installations.
Notes
50
MODEL 66 99 83 120 180
WEIGHT 825 lbs. 1100 lbs 1188 lbs 2420 lbs 4620 lbs
(375 kg.) (500 kg.) (540 kg.) (1100 kg.) (2100 kg.)
TILE LAYOUT 3 wide x 3 deep 3 wide x 4 deep 4 wide x 4 deep 5 wide x 5 deep 7 wide x 7 deep
HEARTH TILE 39 3/8" x 30 3/8" 39 3/8" x 52 1/2" 52 1/2" x 52 1/2" 65" x 65" 90 1/2" x 90 1/2"
DIMENSIONS (1 m x 1m) (1m x 1.30m) (1.30m x 1.30m) (1.65m x 1.65m) (2.30m x 2.30m)
HEARTH TILE 2-1/2” 2-1/2” 2-1/2” 2-1/2” 2-1/2”
THICKNESS (63 mm) (63 mm) (63 mm) (63 mm) (63 mm)
INSULATING SLAB 3" thick x same 3" thick x same 3" thick x same 3"-6" thick x same 3"-6" thick x same
DIMENSIONS width and depth width and depth width and depth width and depth width and depth
TOTAL CORE 19 5/8" 19 5/8" 19 5/8" 26" 29-3/8”
HEIGHT (50 cm) (50 cm) (50 cm) (66 cm) (74.8 cm)
INSIDE HEIGHT 12-3/4" 12-3/4” 12-3/4" 17 5/16" 20 7/8"
(32.5 cm) (32.5 cm) (32.5 cm) (44 cm) (53 cm)
COOKING SURFACE 3.68 sq/ft 6.3 sq/ft 5.8 sq/ft 12.09 sq/ft 27.5 sq/ft
(0.35 sq/m) (0.56 sq/m) (0.54 sq/m) (1.13 sq/m) (2.54 sq/m)
WALL THICKNESS 4 1/2" 4 1/2" 4 1/2" 6-1/8” 6-1/8"
(11.5 cm) (11.5 cm) (11.5 cm) (15.5 cm) (15.5 cm)
DOOR OPENING 13 3/4" x 7 7/8" 13 3/4" x 7 7/8" 13 3/4" x 7 7/8" 10 1/4" x 21 1/4" 13 3/8" x 25 3/13"
(35cm x 20cm) (35cm x 20cm) (35cm x 20cm) (26cm x 54cm) (34cm x 64cm)
Appendixes A
51
2004 Addendum
Ash Dump, Dampers and Chimney Caps
An indoor oven should include an ash dump. When cooking pizza or other
live flame foods, no raking out of coals is required, but when preparing
to bake bread, ashes and some small live coals will need to be raked out
at the end of a burn.
The hearth is then further swept and swabbed with a wet cloth or mop.
Pivoting ash dumps made of cast iron, approximately 9" x 4.5", are
readily available at building supply yards. These dumps are usually
placed in front of the oven door beneath the throat. A knockout form for
the ash dump can be made for the concrete slab with pieces of styrofoam,
duct taped together and perhaps with a cedar shingle spacer in the center.
When laying the thermal block insulating layer, cut out a 4.5" x 9" hole
aligned with the hole in the concrete slab. Calculate the exact height
of the hearth and lay up a thin mortared level dike wall of firebrick,
ytong, or common brick strips around the hole. This will keep the grog
layer underneath the hearth from spilling into the hole.
Grog is then filled to the height of the “dike” around the hole and the
balance of the hearth tiles are laid and leveled on the grog. The tiles
around the ash dump should be carefully cut to receive the ash dump rim
so that it lays level with the hearth floor. The ash dump can be set in
using refractory mortar.
52
2004 Addendum
Damper
Outdoor ovens do not require a chimney damper, but will benefit from a
chimney cap. The terre blanche hearth tiles (especially at the door
opening) and oven core must be protected at all times from moisture from
rain or snow. If the tiles get overly wet in the winter, frost can get
into the tiles and cause them to crack. If the tiles are saturated in
any weather, a hot fire can cause thermal shock from steam expansion.
Protect your hearth and dome by creating a waterproof roof for the oven
and a cap for the chimney.
A custom made solid damper can also be fabricated by the MWH Co. or
another fabricator. A second option is an airtight spring loaded chimney
top damper. These are usually cast aluminum and are fitted to the
chimney flue tile at the top of the chimney. They double as a cap device
for the flue and will keep water out of the flue and off the hearth.
They are operated by a stainless steel cable, which snakes down through
the flue liner and/or can be sleeved out through a metal tube near the
oven throat to a lever handle or can be mounted to the inside of the
throat wall. Custom handles can be fabricated if the factory handle is
not aesthetically pleasing.
The Maine Wood Heat Co., Inc. can assist in the location of supplies of
any of the above mentioned components.
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