Just another Aussie Oven :D

[Worb]

Re: Just another Aussie Oven

Hughness, this gave me a bit of drama as well. I ended up casting/moulding with refractory concrete.

I left a big gap in the arch, with the sides sloping inwards. Then I jammed (technical flue building term) a bit of tin underneath to follow the internal curve, and put an 8 inch plastic plant put in there. Then I poured in the concrete, and when it was firm removed the plant pot and put my flue on. I cut about 25mm slits along the bottom of the flue, bent them out at 90 degrees and placed it on the spot, then moulded a bit more concrete around to hold it in place.

To date, no major cracks, and if the bond between the bricks and concrete separate, the angle of the bricks means gravity will help hold it in there. It sounds agricultural, but works a beauty.

I'm lucky - I built my oven so the flue passes a few foot within my shed roof and was able to put a stay across to help hold it.

[Huhness]

Re: Just another Aussie Oven

Fired her up to full temp last night! Awesome!!

Got a clear dome and got to work cooking pizza!! I Think I need more flames while I'm cooking. I just couldn't get the chared crusts I wanted but the bottoms were perfect! They took a little over 2 minutes each is that too slow or just about right? Also how warm should the dome get when at full temperature? It was warm like a hot water bottle but I could leave my hand on there all night, it was comfortable warm not hot. Is that alright?

Thanks for everyone's inspiration and the knowledge you have all shared on here. I've been reading it for a VERY long time!

[brickie in oz]

Re: Just another Aussie Oven

Yes to all your questions..

[Huhness]

Re: Just another Aussie Oven

Hooray! Looks like it works then! Cheers Mate!

[brickie in oz]

Re: Just another Aussie Oven

All ovens cook, heat, cool and react differently, if it works, then it works.

[Huhness]

Re: Just another Aussie Oven

Applied top coat of render! It looks great!

[cobblerdave]

Re: Just another Aussie Oven

That ovens really neat.... why spoil the look of the brick with a steel chimney
couple of rows of brick to bring up what you have built to get the smoke above the dome....remember the most smoke you get is the first bit of flash up.....
Just a thought....

Regards Cobblerdave

[Gef]

Re: Just another Aussie Oven

Looks awesome Huhness - I love your explanations of the troubleshooting along the way. It looks like no-one gets a perfect one out-of-the-box. Your good clear explanations are appreciated.

...Gef

[carioca]

Re: Just another Aussie Oven

Nice build, mate! I also came across innumerable problems building my dome, went backwards and forwards in various places, but even though still unfinished (needs door) it makes nice bread, pizzas, lamb casseroles - you name it.

Noobs might want to download my Picasa album (232 snaps, with detailed info) to avoid making mistakes similar to mine. It lives at picasaweb.google.com/Brasa500C/Forno_del_gallo

Cheers,

LMH

[dmun]

Re: Just another Aussie Oven

Jascob:

Asking an Australian for costing information will not get you much data for United States build. Fire bricks are particularly expensive down under.

[lwood]

Re: Just another Aussie Oven

Applied top coat of render! It looks great!

It absolutely looks great. Is that just red-oxide and portland for the render? I want that same kind of render. Can you give me more details? thanks

[Huhness]

Re: Just another Aussie Oven

Thanks again everyone for the kind words!

@Jascob: Thanks! I know the costs won't mean much for you (everything is also MUCh cheaper over your way!) but here are the totals for materials.

Slab: 1900x1900x100 or so.. haha (0.5m/cu of concrete)
Stand: about 60 concrete blocks 5 half blocks. Plus 20x20kg bags of ready mix concrete to fill every 2nd core
Hearth: 35x20kg bags 1800x1800 100/70mm depth (the slab was uneven this was corrected with my hearth which was DEAD ON! which is where it counts )

I bought a kit from field furnace which had the floor tiles, insulated bricks for the floor, fire bricks, insulation blanket for the dome and all the bricks for the arch and door.

place chicken wire on the dome and use 3x20kg bags of acrylic render and score the surface. Then with 1 bag add you coloured oxide and create the desired effect ontop.

@lwood: yes that is coloured oxide LOTS OF IT! and acrylic render. I found the render in the bathroom section at bunnings. made by bostic.

I should take some pictures of the final product, I have a sanstone top and just need to go over the base with some colour.