QLD Pizza Oven

[Worb]

I thought I might whack a few photos up of the WFO. I keep seeing these beautiful ovens by blokes with real talent. While it's great to see, it's discouraging for those of us who are masonry impaired. I thought I might add my attempt so people can see that it doesn't have to be perfect, and that any mug can have a go.

I posted some of this thread in a different area and decided to move it here as it seemed more appropriate.

The Footing, dug on a stinking hot day day with a hangover, sorry - wine flu.

Base in progress with the Cheif Quality Assurance Officer overseeing the build

Base Completed. In hindsight, this was the hardest part.

Vermicement base. Freaky stuff, I was worried it wouldn't dry, but it came good after a day or so. After having an unsuccessful go at a couple of mixing methods we found the easiest way was to pour the vermiculite and the cement into a plastic kiddie pool, mix it all around then add the water and mix again. Sounds simple, but it took a while and several big messes to come up with this master plan.

Snazzy little landing with provision for an ash pit hole, and most importantly, somewhere to rest a drink.

[Worb]

Re: QLD Pizza Oven

Below is my setout for the floor, my attempt at the arches (don't have a bricksaw and my bolstering is pretty hit and miss). It's rough, but going to be rendered so I wasn't too concerned about it being pretty. The bricks and the strap were my resolution to anchoring my hendo indispensable tool (and what a tool it is, could not have done without it). I ended up using a sand form towards the top. In hindsight I should have persevered with the indispensable tool, I couldn't see what I was doing with the form and it ended up being a bit of a dog's breakfast. I used a circle of mdf, cut in half(ish), overlapped and screwed together under the sand. I used a car jack to hold 'er up there. There was a moment when removing the form where I just had to rip the jack out and hope for the best. A bit puckerish, but amazingly satisfying to see the dome staying up, holding together all by itself.






I live on a corner block in a small town with my back yard exposed to the road, am getting a running commentary on my progress from everyone from the local garbo to random strangers. And the common thread - I'm gonna build an oven one day. Amazing how many people want to build a WFO, but you see so very few around.

[Worb]

Re: QLD Pizza Oven

Insulation blanket and vermicement. Not a fun day. Whatever they pay the laggers that work with insulation every day, they deserve double.

Finally, rendered and near finished. I still need to finish the bricks on the landing, and make the ash bin, but I fear this may never be finished now its usable.

By the way, the missus suggested (demanded) the name, I was going for MUD GUTS.

[Worb]

Re: QLD Pizza Oven

The end result of 5 weekends work. Bloody beautiful, from the first bite of the first pizza it was worth it. [ATTACH]22348[/ATTACH][ATTACH]22349[/ATTACH]

Happy drunk mates (always the best critics)
[ATTACH]22350[/ATTACH]


The almost complete view from the back door. We made a little herb garden beside the oven. Should be just the ticket to help fuel our culinary fires.
[ATTACH]22351[/ATTACH]
A massive thanks to all the mates who helped, I do think it would have been cheaper to hire a helper because now I have a stack of mates who feel entitled to pizza parties. Oh well, a couple of beers and some good food with mates, could be worse.

And thanks to the wife (financial controller, motivator and mud mixer extraordinaire. She's the one that looked after the kids and let me play in the mud for a month, Thanks Bub.

[fxpose]

Re: QLD Pizza Oven

Cool looking build! You'll get years of enjoyment out of it.

[dtrbovich]

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Good work! It looks great! You have me jealous that yours is finished lol

[mn8tr]

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Very nice work, I am nearly done myself just some tile and grout work remaining.

[nissanneill]

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Good one Worb,the hard work is done, now get to and finish it off with your ash pit (nothing worse than looking for suitable metal bin when you should be cook'n pizzas mate), and make yourself a good insulated door to preserve that heat after pizzas and cook your breads, roasts etc.

Cheers.

Neill

[Worb]

Re: QLD Pizza Oven

Nissanneill
I have squirreled away a sheet of stainless I got on the cheap. Going to fold up a purpose made ash bin, have told myself MUST BE DONE BEFORE CHRISTMAS! Also, got a mate with a new wire feeder welder and he's just itching for a project to unleash it on. I'm thinking a 3mm checkerplate hollow steel door. I'll have it made a couple of inches thick and fill it with some perlite I held back. I think she'll be apples.

I'm planning a pizza party tomorrow for a few mates. This is the practice before I get a dozen workmates over after the work christmas party in a couple of weeks. Wish me luck, am still perfecting my peel technique. Half the time the pizza ends up folded over like a taco, it's getting hard to convince the guests that it's my culinary fusion of a Mexican staple and the classic Italian pizza.

[cobblerdave]

Re: QLD Pizza Oven

Dear worb
So... this is where your hiding..... By the way nice neat oven can't say that about ya mates though. (mates are his friends not his wife by the way,our american "mates").
Insulated oven door:- Mine a copy from a bloke in Sydney. Just ply wood with a 50mm slab of heebel block bolted on to it The edges are cut so it fits into the oven reveal nice and tight. Hebels cheap, easy to come by (bunnings) easy to shapes Wood saw and chisel, insulated and heatproof enough.
check out the Assie section a thread called oven door thats were I found this one. It also contain a link for an Aussie firm that sells a Temp gauge that you can fit to the door which ia about $20.
Regards

Dave

[Worb]

Re: QLD Pizza Oven

Cobblerdave, I thought I'd copy my post to where it should be. I'm not across proper forum etiquette, but didn't want to hijack someone else's post.

Yes, the mates are messy. But I can lock the doors to keep them out of the house, and hose the concrete off after they go.

Had a cookup last night, oven was too hot for pizza, apparently timing is everything, the bases burnt straight away. I had more success cooking the pizza on the stainless steel peel I made up. Everyone keeps telling me (a thousand times over) about pizza stones and how I should get some, but my response is I HAVE AN 1100mm PIZZA STONE ON THE BOTTOM OF MY OVEN! I need to work out the best way to make a pizza, transfer it to the peel, slide it off in the oven and get it out again. It looks so easy on youtube. I'll comb the forum for some hints and tips. In the end, I think more practice is in order. Bugger, oh well, I 'spose if I must.

At this stage if I don't let my mate make a door he'll crack a tanty. He's a little too excited about using his new welder, I'll get a door out of him then may look at an intervention. I've got a feeling the door I'm having made might be a bit too heavy. If this proves true, the heebel design sounds like the go. I looked at the temp gauge link the other day, almost looks too good to be true. I think I may have another item on my list for santa to bring me..

[cobblerdave]

Re: QLD Pizza Oven

Dear worb
You're got etiquette you can at least speel it damn forum no spell check.

Oven doors As far as i have found out 2 types insulated and fully sealed fitted to keep the heat in the oven after the fires out. Basically when your cooking with the retained heat deap in the brick and floor. Secound type fitted just outside the chimney with provision for air to get passed into the oven and far enough forward let the smoke get away so you fire is going. Basically the fire going and your keeping heat loss down. No reason that the secound type can't be used to seal the oven when no fires still going. now that I think about it no reason it could have holes at the topand bottom as well to let the smoke out air in? Worth investigating? The hebel one I'm mucking about with with doesnt fit tightly in the entrance only the reveal so I can place it foward so air can get around it. But basically the B@#$^* bloody heavy. I know I said 50mm 2' but I had 75 mm hebel and didn't want you to make it to heavy if you choose that path. Now steels going to be hot oven gloves are going to come in handy I bet.

Now you've been offering some burn't offerings to the gods have you.. your not alone there I'd bet. I havn't got a proper peel to date. so my pizzas go on trays. bit of an advantage if you like thicker bases and toppings. Making them on the oven floor gives you pizza with puffed edges right. If you make them on trays you can prove the dough off a little longer and get puffed bases.
Heat control wish forno had those infra red thermo thingys in Aust I'd buy me one of them. Basically I flash the oven up for 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours. Little sticks 25mm thick mostly and get the flames licking up on the roof. You'll find it burns the carbon off the walls. I let the fire die down to coals push them to one side when ready to put the pizza in I add some small sticks to get the flames licking up the roof again. this will give you the radient heat to cook the tops. if the hearth cools down rake over the coals and it will heat up pretty fast. fire to one side add some sticks and your away again Ive only done this over an Hour and 1/2 so far but doing this you could keep it cooking pizza for hours I'm sure.
Well gas bagged enough
keep posting you experiences it adds to us all
Dave

[Worb]

Re: QLD Pizza Oven

Cobblerdave,

I think I went a bit hellboy and stoked her too much. I'm using thicker wood, and plenty of it too. I think everyone who builds a WFO must have a streak of pyro in them, when I look at the oven I can hear her saying 'Feed Me'. Must learn some self control.

When I raked the coals back to the walls, the base bricks had a bit of a glow where the air met the edge of the coals. I left it 10 minutes, then mopped the floor with my home made floor-mopping-doodad. 10 minutes was obviously not enough, but in my defence I had a crew of starving yobbos screaming PIZZA. Next time, less fire, more time, no mates.

We made a simple dough with what was in the cupboard - plain flour. I need to investigate what flour to use. Though, the plain flour dough works well, and does puff at the edges on the brick. I was sceptical that it would cook through before it burnt, but they are grouse. I burnt out the wife's mix master making the dough. I think I need to buy a heavy duty unit, I'm over kneading dough, and a pair of dough hooks does a pretty good job.

I like the idea of a door to keep the heat in while the fires going. The heat the oven throws out will be welcome in winter, but might get a bit much in summer. I've got some stainless left over, I'm thinking leave a 2 inch(ish) gap at the bottom, and place it outside of the chimney. This may help with starting, get a bit of a draft going and stop some smoke billowing out the front. Another job for THE LIST.

Am really enjoying the oven, well worth the time and money. Everyone that's seen it in action raves about it. I should have listened to the advice in Russel Jeavon's book. When people say they want to make a WFO he tells them 'yeah, but then your mates will come over and drink all your booze and eat all your food'. Wise man the Russel.

[Worb]

Re: QLD Pizza Oven

I am slowly starting to get the hang of the oven.

Had all sorts of drama moving the bases to the peel and off into the oven last time. This time smaller bases (elementary my dear Watson) heaps of flour and shake that sucker to keep it loose. Pizzas turned out beautifully. I am confident I can keep a couple of dozen mates pacified next saturday after the work christmas party.

(And for an encore - apple sauce, banana and maple syrup pizzas. Mmmmmmm)

Thank you to all the FB folk who gave me the confidence to have a crack at a WFO. Anyone thinking about it, just have a go. Even the ugliest oven cooks beautiful tucker (food for the non aussies).

[cobblerdave]

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Orb
Thats sounding good.... thought ya might go to much the other way and find out how to cook the 30 min pizza....too cold.
My trick for mixing dough is the ( old not used to much these days) bread maker check out the mates bet ya someone has one thier not using.
Most have a dough cyle takes about an hour. Gives you a little time to flash a bit of heat into the oven.
Need lots;-You can make the dough a day ahead knead into individual balls wrap in platic wrap and into the fridge:- cool retards the yeast... an hour to warm up and away it goes again.
Dough left over? wrap in plactic and into the freezer ...the little yeast beggers can handle a bit of cryo and come back to life. yes I've done this and it really works would't leave it for months however.
Check the Aussie section theres a Tippo OO flour you can buy at coles. At a pinch 50/50 bread mix and plain flour makes an fair pizza dough.... bit expensive though...
Hope the rains hold off for the Xmas party... nothing peeves the missus off like a house full of half wet smelly mates......

regards dave