Forno Tito

[JoeT62]

I had started posting pics of my early progress, but then the thread got moved to traditional grill design. As the grill comes together, I will post more there, but I figured this is still mostly a pizza oven!

Anyway, we took delivery of 3.5 yards of concrete yesterday, and poured the pad...

Pouring in...


Raking, screeding, raking, screeding...


After the screed...


Now I'm also contemplating putting a tandoor into my little kitchen (trade it out for some counter space). I remember seeing someone on the forum discussing this, but for the life of me can't seem to find it now. Any ideas?

[james]

Re: Forno Tito

Robert did that a while ago. He isn't very active right now -- he has been very busy, though we have talked and I know he uses his brick oven (and I think the tandoor) very often. I will write and ask if he could jump in and talk about his tandoor.
James

[PizzaPolice]

Re: Forno Tito

I attended the National Restaurant Association show in Chicago and saw a company selling gas fired tandoor cookers. Way expensive.
If I were re-doing my outdoor pizza oven, I would surely include a BBQ/smoker and a tandoor.
Try this: Tandoor Cooker

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Forno Tito

Here is a link to Robert Musa's site with photos of his Tandoor Oven Costruction.
Tandoor Oven Construction Progress
Drake

[JoeT62]

Tandoor

Excellent! That is just the type of thing I had in mind.

[JoeT62]

Another question

For all those corner installers....

I am planning a corner installation with this oven, and was wondering about that last row of concrete block (the one that ordinarily goes over the angle iron). Obviously to put it in, I'll have to improvise, but I did notice that the corner oven pictured in the plans skipped it altogether. Any thoughts?

[swripley]

Re: Forno Tito

Joe,

When I first posted, Maver shared a link to Widespreadpizza?s post who also did a corner install.

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/8/lo...nt-1598-2.html

See the post on 03/22

Although this didn?t work for me, I will have counters extending off both side walls, the more photos I saw the clearer it became to me what I wanted to do. Thought it might help.

Sharon

[JoeT62]

Re: Forno Tito

Sharon -

Thanks for the link. I am also going to have structures going off in each direction. A grill to the right of the oven, and a counter (and possibly tandoor) to the left. Hopefully the weather will cooperate this weekend - I want to start laying block!

Joe

[JoeT62]

Blocking it Out...

Got some block & concrete delivered today. Couldn't resist fighting off the mosquitos and making some progress...




Of course, even after counting over & over, I under-ordered.

No problem though, I just need a few more to get the tandoor enclosure finished.

[JoeT62]

Framed

Yesterday we poured the concrete down every other hole (and all 3 of the back corner) and I left 2" of rebar sticking up for the hearth pad. We also framed out the hearth pad. Today I created my rebar "grid" on slightly less than 12" centers (about 11"). I also put extra rebar at the front angle where support is the weakest. I just got back from Home Despot where I picked up some angle iron. My thought was to rest the angle iron against the front of the form (where there is no block stand beneath) to act as more extra support (more betterer).

[JoeT62]

Hearth Pour

Got some work done today. On to the cooking floor and dome!


Pouring the structural concrete. We used a heavy duty drill with a mixer blade and 5 gallon buckets. Ibuprofen here I come!
Structural concrete completed. Time for lunch!
Mixing insulating concrete in the kiddie pool. Mix was 5:1 as in the plans.
Done!
This is my worry: the vermiculite mix seems a bit "grainy" - I have read others who felt similar and it all turned out OK, but I admit to some concern. Maybe mixed too dry? Tonight as I run my hand over it, little flecks rub off. Nothing to do for it but wait and see at this point.

[dmun]

Re: Forno Tito

Yep, it's crumbly. I can still pick off pieces with my fingernail weeks later.

If it were solid as a rock, it wouldn't insulate. It's fine.

[JoeT62]

Re: Forno Tito

Thanks! It's just my compulsive nature to worry.

[james]

Re: Forno Tito

Hey Joe,

How did the heavy duty mixer and blade work? I've done that in the past, and it works well with mortar.

Would you recommend it? Did you kill the drill (along with your back)?

James

[JoeT62]

Re: Forno Tito

We mixed up about 1/2 to 3/4 of a 5 gallon bucket at a time. My neighbor manned the mixer while I filled the buckets with dry concrete and dumped the mixed ones into the form. All in all we were both surprised at how well and quickly it went. We had three buckets going at a time.

The drill survived, as did my back. I perfected a "swing and dump" motion to lift the 5 gallon concrete laden buckets. Actually my legs were the most sore, which I think means I used the right lifting technique.

Incidentally, the vermiculite layer seems to be hardening up nicely - still crumbly on top (like a coffee cake!) but it seems real stable.