My New Oven "In Temporary Location"

[castiron]

I have been lurking on this site and others for a while learning and reading everything I could on pizza ovens.Here is my new oven that I just built.It is based on a design that I got off the M.H.A. " Masonry Heater Assoc.".web site.A lot of information on there site with some great Masons.I have been trying to decide what style to build and settled on this design.Easy to build and it is working great.I built this one in a temporary location and used RedART Clay and sand as a binder.Will use refractory cement when I build the permanent one.As you can see I got it up to almost 1000 today floor was about 500-600 degrees.Pizzas were taking about 2 to 21/2 minutes.Let me know what you guys think,and if you have any suggestions or other thoughts.Thanks.

[toddj]

Re: My New Oven "In Temporary Location"

Wow! Cool! but seriously, throw some more blocks under that hearth, hate for that thing to sag on you at full fire :-)

[castiron]

Re: My New Oven "In Temporary Location"

That's a great suggestion.There is actually 2 more stacks of bricks on the inside bottom area.I am thinking that I will have it up for a couple of months before I take it down. I'm new to this whole brick thing so on the permanent oven I will actually build a real foundation.

[toddj]

Re: My New Oven "In Temporary Location"

it just looks the main weight is on the cement board under your floor and i think it may give up on you. Cool oven though!

[dmun]

Re: My New Oven "In Temporary Location"

I did some google work about the redart clay: It's a dry potters clay that seems to retail for about twenty bucks for a fifty pound bag. Let us know how your arch holds up. This might be a good alternative for folks who can't get fireclay for the homebrew mortars.

[castiron]

Re: My New Oven "In Temporary Location"

Your right it is basically a potters clay.Really easy to work with.I mixed it 4 parts sand to 1 part clay.I did this oven with 1 and 1/2 bags.So far the inside seems to be doing ok. A few small line cracks on the outside,but no big deal.The good thing about it is that when I tear this oven down I can reuse the bricks...

[dmun]

Re: My New Oven "In Temporary Location"

...and reuse the mortar! Frances used a sand/fireclay mixture and her oven seems to be holding up fine.

[castiron]

Re: My New Oven "In Temporary Location"

Just another up date on my oven..It's been up for about a month now and I have fired it up about 6-7 times..Last night being the most recent.Pizzas came out great.my friends were really impressed.They were taking about a minute to cook.Oven temperature was abot 800-900.The red clay-sand mixture is standing up really good.On a side note,I was firing it up last week,when I heard some-one calling out from the side lot.I looked over to see who it was.I walked over and he informned me that he was the local "FIRE MARSHALL",my heart just started to beat faster.He said he was next door at the apartment's and noticed the smoke,and just wanted to make sure everything was ok.I told him that I was getting my oven ready for pizza.I just wanted to down play it,since I was alittle concerned about the location of my "temporary oven"..He inquired if he could come over and take a look at it,I said sure.He came over and was kind of impressed.He did not have any worries and said just to be careful.So I guess I was afraid for no reason at all...As far as I'm concened nothing beats home made pizzas.

[Frances]

Re: My New Oven "In Temporary Location"

Phew, that would have increased my heart rate, too! Its nice that he was impressed...

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: My New Oven "In Temporary Location"

Fire marshall...I am still dreading that visit (or from the pollution control folks), even though I checked it all out and it seems to be legal. I figure that I will just feed them pizza and all will be well...

[RTflorida]

Re: My New Oven "In Temporary Location"

Same fears here. My local fire dept is only 1/2 mile away, I can't believe I have not "had the visit". The trucks literally drive by my house for probably 25% of their calls. I've filled the neighborhood several times with smoke (when smoking ribs, pork butt). The thick, humid in the air in the morning holds the smoke close to the ground for hours. My plan is the same as Drake's when they do show up - FEED THEM!!!
Thank goodness for no pollution control - I'd be serving 20 - life at this point.

RT

[castiron]

Re: My New Oven "In Temporary Location"

Here in Washington State, in the winter time,you can have an in door fire in your fire place even if there is a burn ban,if it is the only heat source you can afford.The fire marshall said as long as I was going to cook food,it was acceptable.I am sure laws vary by state...My main concern also was the location of the pizza oven in relation to the house.When I put it in it's permanent location,I will make sure it is farther away from the main house....

[brimbleshoes]

Re: My New Oven "In Temporary Location"

Awesome to see this! This is the best thread ever!

I'm thinking of doing the same oven design as temporary oven so I can get a feel for it. I have been looking at that design for a while now as it seems the easiest to build and whatnot.

Do you have more pics of the build and the oven? I'm also in WA (down in Vancouver) -- how does the clay/sand mortar hold up in the rain? How long did it take to build? Any tricky parts of the build that you learned from? Also -- if you don't mind me asking -- what was the total cost for the temp oven?

Looks like its somewhat of an older thread, but anyone with insight on this oven design would be most helpful. New to masonry here, also!

thanks!

[WoodchuckDad]

Re: My New Oven "In Temporary Location"

Very nice.