Pretty cool find

[Les]

I was driving down an old road to check out a bridge being built when I drove by this. The house associated with it is long gone. These things seem to pop up in the least expected places.

Les...

[RTflorida]

Re: Pretty cool find

Good eye and a sweet find. How big is it internally?

Les, your 2 for 2 on the cool finds.....this one is much less creepy than the "Blair Witch meets backyard crematory" you found the first time.

RT

[Les]

Re: Pretty cool find

this one is much less creepy than the "Blair Witch meets backyard crematory" you found the first time.

RT

LOL - the bushes in front had thorns, kinda forbiding...

I go past the road every day to work - I'll measure the width on Monday (weather permitting)

Les...

[nissanneill]

Re: Pretty cool find

Great find Les!
It seems a pity to see something as well made just abandoned like this.
Don't you just wish you could pick it up and take it home?
The dome is very well made, probably an experienced mason.
With the bushes and roots (well they look like roots) through the dome, looks like it hasn't been used for quite some many years. Even all the carbon has vanished from the inside.
How is it vented (Chimney/flued) Les?

Neill

[asudavew]

Re: Pretty cool find

Nice find Les!

Standard reds?

[asudavew]

Re: Pretty cool find

Can you imagine how much wood it would take to heat that puppy up!

[Xabia Jim]

Re: Pretty cool find

Nice Find Les....I love looking for chimneys and old ovens!

They still have community ovens in Spain....wonder if they just keep them hot?

[Archena]

Re: Pretty cool find

Great find Les!
...
With the bushes and roots (well they look like roots) through the dome, looks like it hasn't been used for quite some many years. ...
Neill

I think they are cobwebs. I don't see any plants that could account for roots there or anyway for a plant to take root on top.

But I agree it hasn't seen use in quite some time - notice the crumbling brick in back.

So, Les, have you found out who owns the property yet?

[PizzaPolice]

Re: Pretty cool find

Man, that's 17 kinds of cool! Good eyes, Les.

[Les]

Re: Pretty cool find

How big is it internally?

It measures around 57 inches at the floor. After the 9th course, it really flattens out. I don't know what kind of brick they used - looks like standard reds to me. There is no insulation. They went with the dome and then added another layer of brick on that, then a 2 inch mortar cladding. Also - no vent , it all came out the front. There is a local historian on the news here, I may ping him about the properties history.

Les...

[exceloven]

Re: Pretty cool find

Les,
Are you kidding me. That is crazy that you came across that oven. That is really cool. I can't wait to find out how old it is.

Mark

[nissanneill]

Re: Pretty cool find

Hey Les,
your time and effort on this oven is appreciated, so when/if you can find and get information from the historian, can you determine whether or not the bricks are fire bricks (which for it's age I doubt whether the technology was that far advanced then) or common solid reds?
The inside of the oven looks to be in incredible condition with no apparent spalling or cracking.
This oven might put to bed once and for all that a good oven does not necessarily need to be built out of (what are expensive or unobtainable in some areas) fire bricks.

Neill

[RTflorida]

Re: Pretty cool find

I'm waiting for Les to clean that puppy out, throw in some wood, and give it a whirl
Might want to take a whole truckload of wood with you...looks like an all day fire

RT

[Archena]

Re: Pretty cool find

Looks like the tender is already there....

[Xabia Jim]

Re: Pretty cool find

This oven might put to bed once and for all that a good oven does not necessarily need to be built out of (what are expensive or unobtainable in some areas) fire bricks.

There are lots of ovens made out of other materials but the firebrick is great for longevity. Clay bricks and various mixtures of clay bricks work. The 200 year old Sagunto oven was thin red clay bricks done on their side...note post.
That was also one big oven with a low dome! You can see the bricks in the pics

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f21/sagunto-oven-1659.html

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f21/200-year-old-oven-1445.html