Ready for the concrete!

[Chaz Aus]

Re: Ready for the concrete!

Hi all

Finished pouring the top today. i have gone with a brick edge at top for a bit of a feature (unless i change my mind and just render over it when i am rendering the blocks as not totally happy with my brick laying!). The brick is the same as our house and plan to have a charcoal/dark grey render that matches the roof of our house. The dome of the oven will be similar colour to the brick and then have a grey tile on the work areas - well thats the plan at the moment!!

Picked up the insulating blocks earlier this week which i am planning on laying on a thin layer of sand. i hope to get the bricks this week but wont be able to start till the week after as family we havent seen for a long time are coming over from interstate.

May get some time to start the arch frame and prepare the IT as i have decided to go with this method.

Have posted some pics from todays effort.

thanks agian to all.

[david s]

Re: Ready for the concrete!

"the other query is re the flue. I was looking at using the besser block that I am using for the stand. It will be a 2-3 high and eventually rendered to look like the rest of the oven. Is this OK, ie will they be able to take the heat coming up the flue without cracking?"

Hi Chaz,
Just reading your thread.
The concrete blocks for the flue are most likely to crack from the heat. Use something more refractory, standard bricks are ok or stainless steel.

[OzOvenBuilder]

Re: Ready for the concrete!

Hi Chaz, regarding your firebricks, they would be better in the long run as the are designed for heat, one reason being the standard clay brick would eventually deteriorate faster due to the hot/cold cycling that occurs in WFOs.
Maybe try calling some of the suppliers in Melbourne as I can source for around $3 ea brand new first quality, maybe a little more if you're buying less than a pallet (approx 330).
You don't know any truckies that do the Adelaide - Melbourne run that may be able to help with freight on back loads??

Cheers,

Russell.

[Chaz Aus]

Re: Ready for the concrete!

Hi

thank for the comments to some of my queries and apologies for taking so long to put up an update.

i have progressed to putting the dome up. had a week off and have spent the last three days getting the dome and the first arch done.

i wasnt to keen on putting the photos up as it hasnt come up as neat as some of the others i have seen on the site but i will put it down to the character of my oven!

if there is one lesson i have learnt during this stage - go slow! i think i tried to work to a time and why i most probably didnt get the best finish. i started with the IT but found i lost a bit of shape near the arch. once i was about five rows from finishing i changed to using corflute held up with bricks and some timber. it shaped around the dome height i needed well as long as you supported the corflute

i have used second hand bricks (from a friend) for the dome but used new ones for the floor. it has two layers of insulation under the floor. i went with the high temp mortar (Fondu) for the bricks that i purchased from Bianco Building Supplies.

as i went along i applied some of the mortar over the bricks. not sure if i will get to regret this?

next will be to finish of the flue and outside arch before i start the curing process. i was planning to leave for 1 week to dry naturally before i start gradually increasing the heat. once i finish the curing i will apply the insulation (25mm ceramic insulation (i think)) and then thought of applying a layer of vermeculite as i have seen a few times on the site that you cant ever have too much insulation. after that i will apply the final waterproof render.

[Chaz Aus]

Re: Ready for the concrete!

Hi all

has been a while since my last post. have been busy working on the oven during weekends but regularly check updates by other forum members.

i have attached a couple of pics showing my progress to date. have two layers of insulation (approx 2-3 inches of the ceramic stuff) covered by wire mesh and under about another 2 inch of cement/sand/lime mix. will be finishing the bench tiles next weekend afterwhich i am covering the dome with a final layer of acrylic render which hopefully will provide some waterproofing (although i expect that it will never be totally waterproof).

have also been starting small fires gradually. after the first couple had some steam/vapour coming off the top of the dome (without insulation). this stopped after a few more fires and decided to place the insulation and cement mix.

so far seems to be holding well (fingers crossed). i still havent put the oven to the full heat test as i have taken other forum members advice that you can never go to slow with the curing process. hopefully i havent rushed the insulation bit but seems to be differing views on whether you this before or after the curing process. my eagerness took over on this part of the oven build.

i may try some bread while i am curing the oven but will need to build a door of some sort, at least a temporary one which i can use to test the size/design.

thanks again to all forum members as every little bit of advice and experience all goes into a melting pot with a little bit of own ideas thrown in. i think that is how each oven has its own little bit of character.

i am also starting to get a long list of people eager to try a WFO pizza plus also generated i think another 2-3 people that may give it a go. i have highly recommended this forum for advice and general information.

till next time

best regards

[Chaz Aus]

Re: Ready for the concrete!

Finished the bench tiling this weekend and covered the dome with a final layer of acrylic render. In the next couple of weeks will paint the dome to match the colour request from the one that must he obeyed!

Will also finish the rendering of the besser blocks next week. Tried one small side today to see how I go. Did it on the side facing the boundary fence and not really visible - just in case. Finished it off to match the dome with a sponge that I just lightly wiped the surface. Created a nice finish.

Things still to do to finish oven:

1. Render of besser blocks
2. Paint both dome and stand
3. Construct door

Re curing things have been going reasonably well. It's amazing the difference the insulation makes. Even without a door the bricks keep quite warm for some time.

Oh also made my first edible thing in the oven today. Toasted cheese sandwich. While I had the oven on this morning thought i would make use of the heat. Didn't take to long to cook. Had to chuck the first one out as it got extra toasty!

Till next time

[mrchipster]

Re: Ready for the concrete!

Didn't take to long to cook. Had to chuck the first one out as it got extra toasty!

that happens quite often for the first food in the oven. keep a close eye when you are cooking the first thing in for the day, be it pizza, bread or something else.

Nice build and great progress in short bursts.

Chip

[Chaz Aus]

Re: Ready for the concrete!

Hi All

had a go at my first pizza (pic attached)!! not perfect but very happy for my first pizza.

also attached some pics of the rendered oven. hope to paint this weekend.

bought myself a digital thermometer. Insulation is obviously working well. with inside temp around 350-400 plus the outside of the oven was around 25-30 degrees C. also under the slab temp was around 20-25c.

havent got a door made up yet so will be interested in how long the oven can keep temp once i can close it off.

slowly getting more comfortable with getting the fire going and seeing how the oven heats up.

[Bacterium]

Re: Ready for the concrete!

Looks good Chas, your at the point where a whole new level of fun begins.

Couple easy things for early days:
pork spare ribs, get decent one from butcher marinated and cook in cast iron skillet
Greek style meatballs with a cube of halloumi cheese inside
....if oven is too hot just cook them forward under the inner arch

Karangi has a great breakfast for next day using pizza dough, refer to his what's cooking thread.

[Chaz Aus]

Re: Ready for the concrete!

Thanks Damon

It's definitely a great time when you get to this point in the build. You are actually cooking but also at the same time learning about how the oven works so every time its a bit different.

Even how to best light a fire. Have tried a few methods and definitely the top down approach has worked the best. Takes a little while to get going but once it does it's pretty much on its own.

Thanks again and look forward to sharing more experiences - good and bad.

Will definitely try the ribs on the weekend with a few beers. The weather in Adelaide is supposed to be good over the weekend.


Regards

Chaz

[Bacterium]

Re: Ready for the concrete!

Yeah I'm hoping to get my top slab poured.......but I'd rather be drinking a slab and eating pizza.

A trick with the pork ribs, for the last half of cooking if you have the right size skillet stand them ribs upwards with skin poking up and if you get it right you can get them to crisp, like crackling.

[Chaz Aus]

Re: Ready for the concrete!

Hi all

time for another update.

have pretty much finished the oven and yesterday finished the timber panel at the rear and last week finished the door although will likley put a thermometer in and some sort of heat seal.

i have posted some pics.

with the door i used some steel plate cut to size and a flat bar that i welded together (if you can call it welding but it all held together!). inside the door i have two layers of the ceramic insulation. as the door is metal there will still be heat getting through but hopefully it will work OK.

would like to put in a thermometer in the front and also some type of seal around the edge to assist with keeping the heat in. the handles are a bit square edgy so may do some cosmetic work on them and also look at getting some thicker timber for the handles.



thanks again to all

[Chaz Aus]

Re: Ready for the concrete!

here is a pic looking at the oven from the (still in construction!) pool end.

[Bacterium]

Re: Ready for the concrete!

Nice having it near the pool.

[Chaz Aus]

Re: Ready for the concrete!

Thanks Damon

Hopefully it will all work out Ok. Eventually will look at having a verandah/pergola over the oven for shelter from the rain and sun.