Dolf's Bushveld Oven

[heliman]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Pity about your lack of planning! No time for a dop?
As long as you do it better next time and send me your best Pizza receipe I will let you get away this time

Sorry Boet - I just a fleeting visit to PE to see my dad and some friends and I am off again. I blame the travel agent who for not allocating time for a visit to you!

Next time hopefully!!!

[Dolf]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Pity about your lack of planning! No time for a dop?
As long as you do it better next time and send me your best Pizza receipe I will let you get away this time

[heliman]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Great news Dolf .... I am passing through JHB on Wednesday but no time for a dop unfortunately. Spending 10 days in PE, then off to Venice and Greek islands for a bit. Look forward to see that oven of yours producing some fine pizzas...

[Dolf]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Yes! inst it wonderful how "authentic" the smoke makes it. I found with the curing that all smoke went up the chimney, but when I fire her for real, unless I pull down my draft door, there is a fair amount of smoke that does come out the door. Must say that sliding draft door works very well. Other than the fact that the little handle is obviously very hot and that stupid burned his hand first time :-/ (stupid!)
I also love the smell of the oven and the mystic clearing which whirls at the bottom as the clean air flows. This is fun! :-)

[cobblerdave]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Dear Dolf
Congrats!!! have watched your progress with interest. Bet you loved that first pizza and the oven looks so much better with the little smoke stain above the door.......

Regards
Cobblerdave

[brickie in oz]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

The oven looks great finished..

[Dolf]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Thanks C5Dad, very sure I will

[C5dad]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Congratulations Dolf! Happy cooking

[Dolf]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Share the joy! Other than final stone cleaning and finishing the rest of the wall & wood enclosure, I am done. She fires up nicely till my thermo clocks out at 520deg C after 2 and a half hours of firing!
She also holds her heat well as I suspected when the outer wall was still cold to the touch during max heat inside. The pizza making now needs lots of work and learning as the one in the pic is my first ever, but I look forward to lots of experimentation :-)
If you look at my tools and think you recognise the round peel with the hole in, you will be right - its one of the diamond wheels used during construction

Thanks a lot to all of you without whom I would not ever have been able to do this. Especially to James FB who's plans lead the way. I will think of you fondly while we enjoy our very own wfo!!

[david s]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

It looks like a decent lump of steel, so what if it rusts a little.

[Dolf]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Thanks David. Thinking what the B will do once trapped... I prefer a different pizza topping!

My only concern is that while I painted it with fireplace high heat black, I guess it will burn off in the chimney and may very well rust & become ugly. Time will tell. Would engine paint be more temp tollerant? Guess I should have gone stainless, but that is out of budget :-/

[david s]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Dolf,
your draft door is a clever set up. Maybe you could also adapt it to trap a baboon or two.

[Dolf]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

The weekend saw me working through my last set of curing fires with the last fires reaching a final roof high of about 400c. Next time I will try my first pizzas!
The building progress to the chimney cladding did not progress as I did not want to work around the active chimney around my curing fire, but I did take pics of the counterweight (old hammer head) which I built into the chimney to to regulate my built in draft door. It works fine! I need to exert some 1kg worth of push or pull to shift it (counter friction) but it stays where I leave it and works great! I now only need to add some sort of handlle, but this is one plan I think which worked very well

Cant wait to make the first pizza but will have to make tools first as I do not have peels yet!

Patience Lord - Please??

[Dolf]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Thanks :-)

You are most welcome - bring your best receipe!!

[heliman]

Re: Dolf's Bushveld Oven

Hey boet - hope I'm getting an invite for pizza and a good dop when you get this baby firing on all cylinders. A fine piece of building for sure - well done.