36" oven build near Charleston, SC.

[Slowly but Maybe]

Re: 36" oven build near Charleston, SC.

Almost done with the stucco. I have one or two more spots that need some touching up, but I'm pretty pleased with what I have here.



Also, we've been using it. I've probably cooked about 30 pizzas and 7-8 strombolis. We are making our own dough and everything has been really good so far. Looking forward to experimenting more. Now if I can only find a good supplier of firewood around here...


Margherita with arabiatta base and smoked mozzerella was my fav.

[Slowly but Maybe]

Re: 36" oven build near Charleston, SC.





Anyway, I will try to start the stucco tomorrow.

[Slowly but Maybe]

Re: 36" oven build near Charleston, SC.

Couple pics of my progress on oven curing from today:



this picture is at about 750-800 degrees or so, and the carbon is burning off for the first time.



this is closer to 900 degrees, and you can see that virtually all of the carbon is gone. I started burning at about 11:15 this morning, and actively managed the burn for a good six hours, reaching temperatures just above 900 degrees at the dome peak. I still have not seen any cracks develop, which is unexpected. Maybe I'm just not noticing small ones, I don't know.

Oh! I almost forgot to add that we cooked our first pizzas last week during oven curing. I think we hit about 600-650 at the dome that day. We just picked up a doughball from a local grocery, divided it into three balls and made simple margheritas. They weren't the best ever, but man did we enjoy eating them!!

[Slowly but Maybe]

Re: 36" oven build near Charleston, SC.

Burned in the oven again today. I went up to about 400deg, and maintained it for about 3.5 hours. As of yet I have not seen any cracks, so I am pleased. I have read the oven curing thread, and there seems to be a variety of approaches. I am trying to go slow and low, but I want to keep the fires burning for several hours, as i feel this will be more effective at driving out water than simply hitting a target temperature and then shutting it down. Can anyone explain why this is a bad (or good) approach to oven curing?

[jamie]

Re: 36" oven build near Charleston, SC.

not sure if this is ur first build or you are a pro, but holy crap! that is one pro looking foundation. i would like to see some finished pics, but so far, that thing is jam up!

[Slowly but Maybe]

Re: 36" oven build near Charleston, SC.

I've made some progress this past week. I got the anchor plate and chimney in place, and I've insulated and covered it with wire. yesterday was my first small fire. I got it up to 150-200 degrees at times, and burned it for about 30 minutes. Today, I went up to 250-300 degrees, and burned it for about an hour and a half. I'm guessing that I'm ok to push on up to 350-400 tomorrow. Does that sound right? Am I burning for long enough?

Here are today's pics:





So far, the chimney seems to draw really well. I am seeing vortexes in the ashes on the oven floor underneath the flue, and virtually all of the smoke is going out of the chimney. I am guessing that once I get up to some real temperatures the chimney should draw even better. I have to say that I'm very pleased with what I have built here. I can't wait to finish this thing up and do some cooking.

[deejayoh]

Re: 36" oven build near Charleston, SC.

And you did it sans form... congrats!!

I think it looks great, and I know how good it feels to get that last brick set in place

[Slowly but Maybe]

Re: 36" oven build near Charleston, SC.

I'm limited to four images per post, so here are the rest of the pictures.

[Slowly but Maybe]

Re: 36" oven build near Charleston, SC.

Finished out my dome today. Guys, this thing isn't pretty or nice, but I think it's going to get the job done. Looking forward to attaching the chimeny and burning some fires!!










I never did fix the "coning" that came as a result of a flaw in my indespensible tool design. I think it's still going to cook pizzas just fine. I have two full rolls of FB blanket that I will be cladding the dome with once I get it dried out, and then of course wire and stucco, with ceramic tiles around the mouth and floor base. Chimney is an 8"x48" double-walled stainless pipe, screwing onto a duravent 8" anchor plate. Should get that in sometime next week. I'm about 50 weeks into this project now, and feel great to have completed the brickwork.

[cobblerdave]

Re: 36" oven build near Charleston, SC.

Gudday
Ref is "The Bread Ovens of Quebec" Lise Boilyand Jean-Francois Blanchette
(1979 ). Its avaliable as a free downloadable PDF through the Quebec Museum

Regards Dave

[cobblerdave]

Re: 36" oven build near Charleston, SC.

Gudday
The 63 per cent ratio that is quoted by all was the average door to roof height over a number of 18 centery ovens in a study done in Canada during the seventies. I can check out a ref for you when u get home if you like.
The main point is that is is an average over a number of working ovens . Some higher some lower but an a average none the less .From my knowledge I believe that as long as it is under 2/3 of the oven height it should be right. Yes I have a friend with a tunnel oven if I remember rightly it is 52 per cent and it works well
Regards dave

[deejayoh]

Re: 36" oven build near Charleston, SC.

Well, it appears that I have made a miscalculation. I failed to take into account the height of the swivel I used in my indespensable tool, and as a result, the interior height of my dome is going to be 20.5" as opposed to the 18" called for by the plans. My entry arch is 12" high by 19" wide, as called for. Do you think that the extra 2.5 inches in ceiling height will affect the way the chimney draws? I can't believe that I'm just now noticing this on row number nine. My options are to continue like this for the last couple rows and have the 20.5" interior dome height, or try to "flatten" the last couple rows to keep the height closer to the 18" that it currently is on row nine. Thanks, guys.

I would say it won't really affect the oven, but why not adjust the height while you can? FWIW, to my eye in one of your pictures it looks like with the last course of bricks your dome is coning-out - e.g. getting pointy instead of round. I had this problem at about the same course and ended up knocking off the bricks and relaying them.

As for the form, I think with the right mortar mix it is not really necessary. I didn't use one at all for my dome.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: 36" oven build near Charleston, SC.

Slow,

I looked at your pics closer and it did not appear that there is a reveal in inner arch. Maybe I can't see from the pictures but in may pose an issue with the door. I don't think the extra two inches in dome height will be a factor. You have a huge chimney opening, just don't pinch the final chimney size too small. I think Tscar had some ratios of oven opening to chimney somewhere in one of his threads.

[Slowly but Maybe]

Re: 36" oven build near Charleston, SC.

Well, it appears that I have made a miscalculation. I failed to take into account the height of the swivel I used in my indespensable tool, and as a result, the interior height of my dome is going to be 20.5" as opposed to the 18" called for by the plans. My entry arch is 12" high by 19" wide, as called for. Do you think that the extra 2.5 inches in ceiling height will affect the way the chimney draws? I can't believe that I'm just now noticing this on row number nine. My options are to continue like this for the last couple rows and have the 20.5" interior dome height, or try to "flatten" the last couple rows to keep the height closer to the 18" that it currently is on row nine. Thanks, guys.

[Gulf]

Re: 36" oven build near Charleston, SC.

Just thowing this idea in there. Using a string and counter weights.
String and counterwieght
Also, this post on the subject by TScarborough shows that the technique is used on a large scale. Checkout his post and pic here on post #37 .

I would give it a try if I had it to do over
EDIT: As Russell recomends, Karangi Dude's removable platform and a car jack did work great for me also.