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  • #1

    Muds ovens

    Has anyone had any experience building a mud oven ?
    I would love to have a go at it as I once built a mud brick kiln as an experiment. It worked extremely well. Gas fired with forced air induction (vacuum cleaner on blow) 1/4" steel rod poked in a hole through the side for temp indication. It got hot enough to melt the interior surface of the inside in fired,melted sheets. Fired the pottery ok to an estimated 1100C The mud stood up really well. I was thinking of building a mud mix reinforced with straw over a sand form. Remove sand soon after the oven is completed to allow it to shrink. Mud is a wonderful insulator as well as providing plenty of mass.
    Kindled with zeal and fired with passion.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: mud ovens

    There are a couple of threads of mud ovens... I like this one very much:

    http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f3/h...exas-3397.html

    But as for advice or personal experience, no. Sorry.

    If you build one, please remember to post progress pics - mud ovens are really cool!
    "Building a Brick oven is the most fun anyone can have by themselves." (Terry Pratchett... slightly amended)

    http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f8/p...pics-2610.html
    http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f9/p...nues-2991.html

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    • #3
      Re: mud ovens

      I haven't read Kiko Denzer's book, but I gather it's a major inspiration for a lot of people who end up building earthen ovens.

      Amazon.com: Build Your Own Earth Oven, 3rd Edition: A Low-Cost Wood-Fired Mud Oven; Simple Sourdough Bread; Perfect Loaves: Kiko Denzer, Hannah Field: Books

      Ed

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      • #4
        Re: Muds ovens

        Hi there,

        I am in the UK and currently building a wood fired clay oven. I have pics of my progress so far and will post them on here if any one is interested. Just finished my brick archway today and am very proud

        Papa

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        • #5
          Re: Muds ovens

          Originally posted by Papa Laz View Post
          Hi there,

          I am in the UK and currently building a wood fired clay oven. I have pics of my progress so far and will post them on here if any one is interested. Just finished my brick archway today and am very proud

          Papa
          Papa, please do post the pics!
          Sharing life's positives and loving the slow food lane

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: Muds ovens

            Hi there

            Some pics are posted are this thread http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/3/he...as-3397-5.html

            Papa

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            • #7
              Re: Muds ovens

              I've got Denzer's book on order.

              My move is still sorta up in the air but I'm planning on moving by the end of the summer. Once I have my own place I'm planning on building a cob oven. I found a site showing a portable cob oven - it was on a wooden, wheeled platform a lot like a cheap BBQ might be. Unfortunately, my French is non-existent so I couldn't read it but I now think I have the stand problem solved - a post platform filled in with cob. The posts will supply the strength to support it (cob walls would need to be too thick to have any useful space under it) and the cob will enclose the storage area.

              Which brings another question to mind - any one ever use wood ash as insulation? It's used in rocket ovens (which are really weird but cool) as insulation and is supposedly pretty good.
              "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

              "Success isn't permanent and failure isn't fatal." -Mike Ditka
              [/CENTER]

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              • #8
                Re: Muds ovens

                Okay, the book got here today and I'm busily drooling all over it!

                There's one trick I've found thus far that I'm definitely gonna try - building a small scale test oven. Unlike brick, you can build a working model at ridiculously small scales - muffin oven, anyone? (Okay, it was a kid's oven built on a single brick - but hey, it works!) I'm gonna try it at the personal pan size just so I can go ahead and try it out!

                Not this week, though.... Click image for larger version Name: 52.gif Views: 1 Size: 458 Bytes ID: 271384
                1 Photo
                "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

                "Success isn't permanent and failure isn't fatal." -Mike Ditka
                [/CENTER]

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                • #9
                  Re: Muds ovens

                  Wood ash as insulation? That's a new one. It's light, it's non-combustible, might even work. It would have to be kept scrupulously dry, but of course so does your mud.

                  We've all seen wet wood ash: it compresses into a sodden mass.

                  Mind you, we've seen the failure of lots of "traditional" insulations like sand, gravel, and broken glass, but this one sounds like a possibility, especially above the dome. I think it would compact to uselessness below.
                  My geodesic oven project: part 1, part 2

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                  • #10
                    Re: Muds ovens

                    wood ash is a great insulator, as has been noted.

                    Also, if you run water through a pile or container of wood ash, the substance that you get at the bottom is caustic lye. watch your eyes.

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Re: Muds ovens

                      Are you still considering an earthen oven?? I've built a cob oven and #2 is in the works. I'd love to hear about your plans

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Re: Muds ovens

                        Hi,

                        Sorry I took so long responding to this. I'm in the middle of moving and things were and are crazy.

                        Yes, I'm still planning to build a cob oven. If all goes very well, I'll start in the spring. My new place is only temporary and I don't know for certain yet if I'll be buying or renting the land for my next one this year. As soon as I can buy and the weather permits I'll be slinging the mud! I'm even planning to buy straw bales for Halloween so I'll have them in the spring!

                        In the meantime, I'm thinking about attending a workshop. I just don't know if time and money will permit.

                        So, how well does your oven work? Any problems with spalling? That was a big concern for some folks. I'm less concerned about that - I want pizza!

                        Later!
                        "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

                        "Success isn't permanent and failure isn't fatal." -Mike Ditka
                        [/CENTER]

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                        • #13
                          Re: Muds ovens

                          Originally posted by Archena View Post

                          So, how well does your oven work? Any problems with spalling? That was a big concern for some folks. I'm less concerned about that - I want pizza!

                          Later!
                          no problems, not even a bit! I've never seen spalling on any of the cob ovens that I've met. Is it just a theoretical concern or has it actually happened

                          good luck!
                          Last edited by Leah; 09-26-2008, 10:07 AM.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Muds ovens

                            Theoretical. I never saw a reason why it should be more prone to spalling - after all it's basically 'brick' that has been molded before firing. A really big brick, granted...

                            I'm glad yours is doing so well. I can hardly wait to get started!

                            Later!
                            "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

                            "Success isn't permanent and failure isn't fatal." -Mike Ditka
                            [/CENTER]

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Re: Muds ovens

                              Hi
                              Has any one suggested using the sludge at the bottom of a builders bucket!
                              My dad tough me to brick lay and I have built a few fire places with him. He is from the old school and is 73 now. Every time we were about to build a fire place he used to keep the sludge from the bottom of the water buckets. This was made up from cement, lime, plaster and all other things to mention. When it dried he would smashed it into small pieces and dust, this was then used to line the back and sides of the fire place and behind the bricks. When I asked him why he did it, he told me that the building sludge residue would seal the back, never burn and has thermal properties. Next time I see him I will pick his brain further to see if this was an old wife tail, a way of getting rid of the sludge or true

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