Hello from Texas

[Frances]

Re: Hello from Texas

Yes, me too also! Lots of people asking about clay ovens around here, so please do post your pictures.

[Papa Laz]

Re: Hello from Texas

Some pics of my oven, still under construction. I hope to have sand form built and first layer of clay applied this weekend. I have used Kiko Denzers book as inspiration.

Papa

[Ed_]

Re: Hello from Texas

Glad to see the beer glass making regular appearances! Proves you have the right attitude.

[Papa Laz]

Re: Hello from Texas

I have now done the sand form, 1st layer of clay going on in the morning.

Papa

[james]

Re: Hello from Texas

Very cool. Keep the photos coming.

How's the weather? Warm enough to get really dirty?

James

[Papa Laz]

Re: Hello from Texas

Weather has been kind for last couple of days of building, managed to get 1st layer of building soil on to sand form. Being very impatient I also removed the sand form on the same day. Dome shape is really nice and my drying fires have been a success. Unfortunately it poured down with rain all night last night so the oven was covered up as I don't have a roof over it yet.
Latest pics below. Insulation layer next, when the weather allows me to get on with it.

Papa

[CajunKnight]

Re: Hello from Texas

Now that a beautiful site to see.

[Archena]

Re: Hello from Texas



So, where's the all done now pic?

[Papa Laz]

Re: Hello from Texas

Having some teething problems with insulating layer , some cracks appearing in it and some smoke. I have stripped it off and will be re applying it this weekend. Have cooked some wonderful pizzas and other dishes so the oven works fine but obviously I need to sort insulation out. Also I have to build a roof over the oven for protection against our awful English weather
I will post pics as soon as done. Thanks for your interest.

Papa

[Archena]

Re: Hello from Texas

Coolness! Looking forward to it!

[Didjman Pablo]

Re: Hello from Texas

Hey guys/gals,

John started this thread about my oven. Many thanks to him for his help in making it happen. He and I also used the Kiko book as inspriration; with around four or five other beer drinkin' and Jameson Irish swiggin' friends. We all shared with the input which helped to work through any issues that were unclear in the book.

I have had a few things go wrong myself. The bricks in the arch were very old and none of us are masons so that has already been re-built. The cracks are a constant problem.

I found that if we had brought the first layer to the front of the arch, there would have been a better result. The book was unclear about that and the diagram shows it exactly as myself and Papa built ours. All I can say is keep applying more mud and it will help. We still have not applied the final plaster finish layer for that reason.

Don't get me wrong; we absolutely love our oven and all the great Pizza parties, bread we have enjoyed so far.

Papa, if I can help with any pointers let me know.

Pablo

[Papa Laz]

Re: Hello from Texas

Thanks Pablo,

Have used my oven quite a few times without insulation and I have to say results have been great so far. I am in the process of having a roof built over it at the moment. I have not had time yet to get insulation back on yet though. I may extend the mud to the end of the brick arch first as you suggested.

I made the verticle chicken recipe found on this forum at the weekend, it worked a treat. And pizzas are delicious.
I can't believe the heat in these ovens, it's amazing. Unfortunately I have burned my hair and eyebrows a couple of times after getting too close to the top of the arch where the real hot stuff comes out

I will post more pics as I progress.

Papa

[Papa Laz]

Re: Hello from Texas

Hi all,

As promised here is my near as damn it finished oven with roof. I just have to put a smooth finish mud on there now and maybe some decoration sculpture and thats it.
sorry about picture quality my camera phone seems to be buggered.

[texmex]

Re: Hello from Texas

Sorry to resurrect this fantastic old thread, but it has a ton of great info for clay oven and other builds, which I really need to reference.

Searching the forums can be so difficult on this site!

[Archena]

Re: Hello from Texas

Um, did you try the Search feature?


Here, this is the alternative oven section: Other Oven Types - Forno Bravo Forum: The Wood-Fired Oven Community