Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

[Krayon]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

hey does anyone know where to source refractory cement and perlite? My passion for pizza has been rekindled recently, and I'm glad there are other people in the Philippines doing this.

edit: I live near Metro Manila, so any supplier from that area would be a godsend.

[lwood]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

Hi Krayon,
Raffy on this site is in Manila and knows all the suppliers. Try to contact him and let me know if you don't get a response, he's not on the site much anymore. I would make your own refractory cement, that's a lot cheaper

[lwood]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

@Mustbecrazy-I have built my oven with unexpanded perlite or what I think your calling pumice. It makes a good insulator. I used a 7 to1 mix and have about a 4" layer over the entire dome. My oven performs well but it gets a little too hot on the exterior of the dome for my liking. So I will be adding another layer of expanded vermiculite to the exterior of the dome.

[Krayon]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

Hi Krayon,
Raffy on this site is in Manila and knows all the suppliers. Try to contact him and let me know if you don't get a response, he's not on the site much anymore. I would make your own refractory cement, that's a lot cheaper

alright, I pm'ed him a couple of hours ago (and you as well), so I'll wait out a bit. as for making your own, would it be strong enough for a cast oven?

[pelang]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

H1! good thing i found out about this forum. I've been searching for something like this for a long time now. My husband, a german national and I used to have a bakery business here in germany. My husband, a master baker is now retired and although we were intending to continue with our business after his retirement, we were forced to stop the business because he had a mild stroke last year. Originally, I am from the Philippines and we would like to spend some time in the Philippines. Since we still have the passion for baking, I would like a Brick oven built in my property there because I'm sure we would miss our good german bread over there. And yes, we could bake pizza and much more. I'm sure you guys could give me information where to buy the materials (bricks etc.)
for building this oven. By the way, I saved some materials from our bakery like Pizza stones which I could use for the flooring of the oven. Are those necessary? I also bought an oven door which could stand the heat up to 650?C. There are also available sheets which are of the same materials as the door which are also heat resistant. I was thinking I'd buy some of these for the inside walls of the oven, or am i too naive?

[lwood]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

Most materials are available in Manila. Where are you in RP?

[pelang]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

i am from Borongan, Eastern Samar- in the Visayas region in the island southeast of Samar.

[pelang]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

Hi Krayon!
were you able to contact Raffy already? Let me know soon.

[churri]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

Jayjay-raffy-lance-

Guys i know your thread was been a while in here. I would just like to ask if anyone of you guys have already made your own OVEN. Because im also planning to make one here in mindanao, misamis occidental area. And if its okay I would like to visit your area, to sea how is it goes. And what wood you were using, or is it the traditional charcoal?

Thanks, I hope someone could help me.

[lwood]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

I have made an oven here in Naga/Bicol. Your welcome to come visit. Look at the facebook link below, message me. No charcoal used here, just firewood.

[Lancer]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

Been a few years since I was here but finally the houses are 99% done and I'm getting ready to start on the pizza oven. Right now we're sourcing some really great red clay we've seen in various pottery and tripod stoves made in the area. When we find it we'll mold, sun dry and fire the bricks ourselves, only way to be sure. Also planning a trip to Camiguin Island, a volcanic island to get perlite, aka pumice. Have a question about this stuff, is it ash or little lava rocks?

Another question, to insulate I'm considering layers. Two filled voids defined by three layers of fire brick (1st) and refractory concrete. (2nd & 3rd) Firewood is at a premium here and they also use "coconut coal" which is dried, toasted, coconut shells. Plan on using rice husks in the fuel mix because unlimited quantities are basically free. So insulation has to be very well done to save $. First layer of the oven is the fire brick set with cement and capped with refractory concrete. Then I'll set some lava rocks into the refractory concrete to support the next layer with a void between filled with perlite 100%. Then we'll build a 1/4" plywood form with cutouts allowing the lava to come through. This form will eventually burn away I'm sure. When we pour perlite rich refractory concrete it will be held up by the lava rocks which also shouldn't conduct heat due to the holes in lava. Above this poured layer, with more lava rock supports, I'll put fiberglass insulation. Someone mentioned the outside of their oven was 150 degrees. Even if my oven is this hot with a perlite filled void that's still not hot enough to harm fiberglass insulation, yes? Attics in the desert get hotter than that and fiberglass insulation is used. Then I'll encase the fiberglass in a void and pour a final layer of refractory concrete, using again lava rock supports through to the previous layer of concrete. Both voids are bridged by lava rocks. Then a nice tile mosaic...etc, then pizza. Sound reasonable? Good plan? Help me make it better, any ideas?

Here's a pic, the seawall addition is now done. The pizza oven will go on the main floor front right side. Just below and before the blue water tank.



What it looks like up above...





The circular thing sticking out of the seawall is the pool. In yellow is Abby, 3 year old girl we're adopting with her 2 yo brother Augustine.



New lapdog, Gary, and me.



That's it, any help would be much appreciated. We're moving to make the wood fired pizza oven dream a reality! Help!

[cobblerdave]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

Gudday
I have used fiberglass house insulation as a secondary insulation. 2in of ceramic insulation take the heat out first and drop the temp that the rockwool has to bear. If and only if, the pearlite layer drops the heat right down should you consider using it. The fiberglass has plastic binders that will not be pleasant and perhaps poisonous when they burn off.
I did not mention temps on purpose as it depends on the manufacturer and the purpose it was made. So as long as your willing to change you mind on using fiberglass if that pearlite doesnt drops the temps sufficiently you can concider it. By the way the pealite layer will have to be dry not just the cement cured to work correctly, wet it will still transmitt heat.
Hope this helps
Regards dave

[Lancer]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

The perlite should remain dry as the only holes into the void will be from the bottom up, for venting moisture out the base while the heat stays up.

The plastic coating you mentioned, I didn't know about that, thanks. I'll make the perlite filled void thicker...was planning 3" thick, I'll go 4". Thanks cobblerdave

Btw, hows the election going down under? I have 2 Aussie friends, one wants change of government the other wants reelection.

[Lancer]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

cobblerdave, want to ask your opinion on something. I read through the first page of your thread on your build, so far. Very nice btw, great look. Anyway your platform is square and your oven a round dome. Therefore any rain that ends up on the square part of the platform that's not covered or enclosed by the dome tends to "wick" as I think you put it, as wax gets pulled up a wick, into the dome adding moisture. I've come up with a plan and I want to know what you think. My plan is to make the platform round, a circle like the base of the dome, but 3 inches smaller than the dome. Then a 1/4" strip of plywood wrapped around the circular platform. Now build the triple layer dome with the final layer on the outside overlapping and enclosing the platform by 3". When its all set up remove the plywood strip from between the platform and dome. Now there's expansion and contraction joint for differing rates of dome vs platform...no stress cracks. The dome sits on the platform and also encloses it. Any water that lands on the dome runs off like a roof and gets no chance to land on the platform and wick in.

Its just an idea, what do you think, will it help keep out rain?

[Lancer]

Re: Red Clay Brick Oven in the Philippine Islands

General question...

There is a limestone mining business a couple hundred meters down the road. A friend of mine here, his wife is related to the owners and can get us in. There I should be able to find very high quality crushed limestone. I'm considering mixing the cement as follows:

1 part limestone, crushed fine
1 part red clay
3 parts sand
1 part Portland cement

What do you folks think?

I don't know if I can find cooked limestone here, or "lime", but I could cook the limestone, at least somewhat, when we fire the bricks, would that be better?