San Clemente, CA Build

[jcapra]

Nice job your going to have a very good oven you'll be proud of!

[Mongo]

First fire last night. Worked my way up to this 'blaze'.
The flames are from a tiny stick of oak on a small bed of briquettes.
Got the ceiling up to 120F and was really just trying to get a bead on the size of fire and its effect on the dome. Will go a bit bigger today.

We were making (and eating) pizza in the modified webber while watching and tending this first fire. Pretty cool.
One thing I'm very happy with is even with this small fire I only got a few puffs of smoke out of the front and the majority went up the flue. That's promising.

[Mongo]

With the increased size of the dome from the insulation and the eventual stucco, I'm much happier with the proportions.

[Mongo]

Done with my blanket. Had more than I needed so I pulled apart the 1 inch blanket into 1/2 inch pieces and added a fourth layer. So I have 3 1/2 inches over the upper 80% of the dome. Didn't want to add a full 1 inch layer as it would deform the shape more than I would have wanted.

Still curing. Having fun each night building, tending my fire and staring at it. Adult beverages included.

Last night was my 4th fire and it was in the mid 200's. I'm fascinated by the pattern of the deposits on the dome. Will go into the 300's tonight.
I'm starting my fires with a small chimney of briquettes and adding small sticks of oak. Good temperature control.

Can't imagine there's a downside to too long of a cure.

The pizza is a bechamel sausage jalepeno. Came out of my converted Webber Kettle. Can't wait to turn that thing back into a grill. Still it's been good to me.

[UtahBeehiver]

You are doing it right by a slow go. Tortoise wins the race during the curing cycle. I have seen too many builders rush this phase of the build and end up damaging their ovens. It also takes a while to learn the nuances of your oven. Pretty soon you will be able to use some of your farms olives on a pizza. Great job.

[modified9v]

Nice job Mongo... Looks great.

[Mongo]

Re-posting a few photos since the great WFO Forum attack.

These are my 7th and 10th curing/break in fires. At some point I started moving the fires around in the oven.
If there are any cracks and I'm sure there are, I can't seem em.

[Mongo]

Wanted to start doing some baking during my curing fires. I don't weld so threw this make shift door together for about $140 and a few hours work. Red oak.

[david s]

I like the look of a wood door so have persisted with one for my ovens. If you don’t have an insulation panel facing the fire you will get charting on the wood. If left in place for too long it will burn. I find, even with an insulation panel the door can’t be used for long over 300C which is higher than you want for baking and roasting anyhow. Italians used to soak their doors in water to reduce the charring problem. This also introduces some steam into the oven, good for bread baking. They also used some excess bread dough around the door to get a really good door seal. Simple, effective and easy to remove.

[modified9v]

I like the idea of the wood door too! My grand parents in Sicily used wood doors and like David said they would soak them in water and seal with dough. Old school and messy I’m sure.

[Mongo]

Story of my wood door.
Been putting it on the oven the morning after a pizza fire and am able to bake for the next 2 days.
Door was getting discolored but still intacct.

I couldn't help myself and put the door on the oven before bed after a pizza fire and charred it pretty good. I took it off in the morning and hosed it down with water and put it back on. The oven was still 500 plus that afternoon.
It's still mostly intact and working well.
I'm having a metal door made so I can seal up the oven overnight.

-George

[Mongo]

I like the idea of the wood door too! My grand parents in Sicily used wood doors and like David said they would soak them in water and seal with dough. Old school and messy I’m sure.

What part of Sicily? We have a home there in a little village called Caltabellotta (AG). Spend a month or two there a year.
You should explore the wood door. To me the dough seal is unnecessary. Mine functions very well as for maintaining heat. Here's a torta salata al salmone (salmon quiche) baked at 300 f 2 days after a pizza fire.

[modified9v]

What part of Sicily?

.

I really don’t know... wish I did... all my relatives have passed on... I’m the oldest. Wish we had more of the history. My brother and I have discussed going over there and nosing around.

Great looking food coming out of you oven. We are doing a party of 15 Friday afternoon. Too fun.

[golfguiedo]

Hi Mongo - i am guessing you used 1/2" rope for your fire break? Seems like maybe 30' in total? any local supplier? brad.magnani@yahoo.com

[Mongo]

Hi Mongo - i am guessing you used 1/2" rope for your fire break? Seems like maybe 30' in total? any local supplier? brad.magnani@yahoo.com

1/4" square braid, It really does have a mostly square shape so it lays down very nice.
Great guess on the length. I used all but 3 inches of 30'.
Looks like I ordered 25' from sealwiz.com via Amazon. They sent me a 30' length. Seems like they are unloading their odd lengths via Amazon. Anyway, great stuff.