Dolf's Bushveld Oven

[Dolf]

I should probably have started a tread on the build earlier, but rather late than never I guess. I will also duplicate some of my initial pics just to keep the whole thing together.
The weekend I cast the insulation floor. You will see I only did the main circle. I planned to do the mouth as well, but in the final levelling of the floor which I did same time, I ended up going thicker than I planned & did not have enough vermiculite. Fortunately I read many comments re the option to insulate the mouth or not, so I rather finished the whole thing at the same time than to try to add another bit of vermiculite later.
In the pic you will see that I have only got the brick inner walls built and that the outer stone work is still coming. The pic with the floor cast is taken from the north west while the other two pics are from the south, so if you see 2 very dissimilar doors in the different pics, it is because there are 2 doors
The area below the oven is split by a dividing wall. The door under the oven mouth (the oak door) is for wood storage only (door to keep snakes out). The steel door is where I want to lock the batteries of my solar electricity away.

[Onefella]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

I like your central raised fire-pit. Nice stonework too.

[Dolf]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Thanks! Glad you like it.
One bonus of africa is that the weather is often nice enough to spend the evening out with a nice fire and the milky way :-)
That space is my shrink - by day to toil with my tools/toys and by night to chill

[Dolf]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

I managed to get the floor in this weekend. I am quite happy with it for may reasons.
1. not too shabby for 2nd hand bricks that were lying around since the seventies.
2. I only had a few of the large squares and they were just enough!
3. The side chips & gaps do not look too badly
4. I see no ridges to catch the peel

So far so good, and having loads of fun :-)

[eprante]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Dolf,
Very nice work so far. You win the award for the most exotic setting. I keep looking into the bush behind your oven looking for a pack of hyenas or some other creatures.
Good luck,
Eric

[heliman]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Looking good!

Are those fire bricks?

Any time frame to finish the project or are you just doing it when time permits?

Hope it will be open for business by May next year when I head to SA again!!

[Dolf]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Hi
Thanks for the kind comments :-)

yes they are. in another thread earlier I was worried about this myself. The bricks came from a Pilkingtons glass furnace which was refurbished in th eseventies. These have been lying around since then in my father in law's possession. The big ones in th efloor are the only big ones I had. th erest is normal brick size.

I work as & when I have a chance. The farm is in BelaBela which is some 120km from my home. I surely hope it will be done before next May! :-)

[Dolf]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

A weekend full of disappointment and fun.
I built my opening?s first arch and had some supporting loose bricks on the outsides to counter the push-out effect. Next morning, full of enthusiasm took the frame away and admired my nice arch. I then proceeded to take the loose support bricks on the sides away to allow me to start with the first course, but when I moved the support bricks away the whole arch collapsed
Only then did I realise how weak the H40 is! It?s almost like a smooth textured shortbread that just powders between my fingers. I guess that is what you get for being too much in a hurry. I then proceeded to build a part of the layers around the opening to do the support-work and left it. When I get back in a few weeks I trust the curing will be better and I trust the joints to be stronger this time. I will then re-build my arch before progressing with the courses.
The second hand bricks obviously has chipped sides and I did not try to select nice ones as I guess a random selection will spread a more even look throughout the oven. Not the same quality look you guys get with the new bricks, but some character I think.
All in a days learning I s?pose?

[heliman]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Keep going boet - this is going to be an awesome oven when finished. Setbacks like this are bound to happen but in the end you will succeed for sure.

[lwood]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Keep it up Dolf, just one more story to tell while cooking pizza.

[Dolf]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Thanks for your support Folks!

[Dolf]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

I made some progress this weekend. :-)
3 layers down and my newly restored arch in place. Perhaps good that arch number 1 failed as you will see in this pic, I took the advice elsewhere on the site (which was actually about a shaped doorway) and made the arch smaller to retain more heat, yet leave a larger gap at the bottom for a very large pizza. (The stack of bricks inside the oven is to act as temporary protection for the arch so that the baboons don't jump on it sideways & break it before I have a solid structure

Man this is fun !

[Tscarborough]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

I told my baboons if they got anywhere near my oven before it was finished they were grounded for life. Your baboons are not teenagers, I will assume.

[lwood]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Lookin good

[eprante]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

I hate it when the baboons jump on my arches before they have had time to set up.
Nice to see the progress Dolf. Enjoy the process, the food is even better.
Eric