Raffy's WFO Build

[Tscarborough]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

"bagasse"

You do not hear that word often.

[Eric Pfeifer]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Very impressive! Just the motivation I need to finish! Thank you!

Eric Pfeifer

[ebramirez]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Thanks Raffy.

I am trying to figure out where to locate it in our house in Valle. The best location is against the perimeter corner wall, but I am not sure about the setback requirements. Maybe it can be considered just part of landscaping.

Btw, do u mind if I ask how much u spent? I am talking to a small contractor to build it after I finalize size and location. I will put a tile roof (i have spare tiles), just so there's less chance of sparks flying and so it doesn't get so wet. I'll also include a side table, which you need actually. I am planning to make the oven 30-32 inches. I hope this is big enough to roast a small pig. I've cooked lechon a few times in our 30inch gas oven.

I bought a big tarp for our oven in tali to prepare for rainy season. It has a roof, but rain there flies horizontally. The clay oven was so cheap to build. I spent only about 8-9kpesos on it, including the base and the gi roof. I had left over materials from our house build and labor was done by us and our gardener. If I fire it long enough (1-1.5 hours). Floor temp gets up to 900F and the pizzas take 2 minutes. I've tried using bagasse (my friend grows sugar and makes muscovado) to fire the oven but it's really not ideal. It burns too fast and has a lot of residue which actually hampers airflow. It works well, I get slightly worried though when I bump the walls with the bakers peel.

I wanted to ask, are you required to have your chimney so high?

Paella in the oven, I will try sometime. Lechon is actually next on my agenda.

Tx!

[Raffy]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Anytime, Eric. You can bug me anytime. Try making paella in the oven. Surprisingly, it works very well just keep the tin foil handy just in case the fire starts to char the surface of the rice.

[razbarb]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Hi Raffy, just read yourwhole post.
Thanks for providing such an engaging thread on your WFO build.
I've been making pizza in a woodheater the past 2 winters, i think it's time to move my butt and build an oven!

[ebramirez]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Raffy,

Thanks for the PM. I'm kinda envious of your wfo!

I've had a 27 inch earth oven in our beach house in Tali batangas since January. We built it ourselves and absolutely love it. We use it every other week. Our routine is pizza and empanadas/calzones, then a meat roast (so far chicken or leg of lamb), and then 5 or 6 loaves of bread or apple pie. If I still have energy, I bake beans or make callos or something braised and leave it till morning. I use wood trimmings from our trees or from the neighbors. I make pretty good bread - country bread, whole wheat, raisin, walnut, etc. We bake bread every week and the money saved pays for my lpg bill. My gas consumption has gone down even more.

I'll get started building one in our house in Manila. I'd like to do a pompeii. I hope I can bug you with questions. I know where to get the fire brick and the refractory cement. I'm not so sure about the blanket and getting a guy to actually do the work. The chimney on our wfo is only about 18 inches btw and it works pretty well. There's hardly any smoke also because it gets hot quickly and I use dry wood.

Anyway, great looking oven. Congrats!

Eric

[John K]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Gees Raffy!!

Now I'm hungry after looking at all that food. There goes the diet

[Raffy]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Thanks for posting your party pics! Very nice! And talk about start of oven build to official pizza party in record time.....good going Raffy!

Thanks! I'm sure you'll breeze through your build as well. When you are enthusiastic with a project work just happens faster than you expect.

Raffy your build was inspiring and the party showed your effort was worth it! Congratulations.

Rod

Thanks, Rod. It is surprising how simple pleasures can make you feel very fulfilled.

Man, that's some good looking food. I want that chicken!

Thanks, Keith. Two words paprika and rosemary. Rub your chicken down with those and don't forget salt and pepper to taste.

Raffy,
The party looks like it was a huge success. Looks like you really put out some food from the oven. Congratulations.

Eric

You could tell by the dirty cooking floor me thinks hehehehe. Yeah, cooked hell of a lot of food that day. 46 pizzas, roasted potatoes, chicken, porkloin, and vegetables. Tiring but very satisfying to feed friends and family.

[Raffy]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Hey Mike,

I am glad that my oven build has been able to inspire you. If you are doing more pizza and roasting, a dome or pompeii style is definitely for you. I chose a pompeii style oven mainly because it is flexible and allows you to perform different styles of cooking.

The enclosed or gabled-house design helps with protecting your oven from weather conditions and the elements, not to mention, allows you to add more insulation like loose perlite, vermiculite etc. Moisture is the enemy. It increases heat up time and the steam could possibly build up and cause cracks in your dome. Having said that, I found ways to waterproof my igloo oven to keep out the rain and keep moisture to a minimum.

If you have a roof over your oven, I don't think you have much to worry about. I cannot comment much on protection with other types of weather conditions (mine is tropical) but I can say several oven builders have stuck with the igloo design in an outdoor setting and they are doing quite fine.

There are many ways to waterproof your oven. I chose a 2-layer approach. First layer will be a chemical that will penetrate the pores of the stucco and virtually plug them when it hardens. Do a google search on capillary action waterproofing. Second layer will be tile and grout. I'm thinking maybe either just plain tiles or maybe a mosaic design. You will still need a tarp to cover your opening and chimney to ensure wind doesnt blow rain into your oven.

REMEMBER: Do NOT waterproof until your oven is dry. Moisture in your oven will turn into steam once you start firing up your oven and it will find a way to escape. If it can't find a way, it may create a way to escape in the forms of cracks.

I hope this helps. Good luck to you. Happy building!

Raffy

[mikejetmore]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Raffy, Your stove has inspired me. I was planning on building a barrel oven, but after seeing your stove, I'm set on it. Question for you and anyone else - I live in Western Montana - is it absolutely necessary to build a cover for the stove? I have the perfect spot to build one, but it won't be possible to build a cover. I'd hate to invest the time into it only to have it ruined. Any comments are much appreciated.

[eprante]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Raffy,
The party looks like it was a huge success. Looks like you really put out some food from the oven. Congratulations.

Eric

[kebwi]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Man, that's some good looking food. I want that chicken!

[Fish Wheels]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Raffy your build was inspiring and the party showed your effort was worth it! Congratulations.

Rod

[fxpose]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Thanks for posting your party pics! Very nice! And talk about start of oven build to official pizza party in record time.....good going Raffy!

[Raffy]

Re: Raffy's WFO Build

Thanks, Mark! I cooked so much pizza but there is no evidence of them cause once they were out the oven they would be snatched up right away. It's a great feeling to have so much people enjoy your cooking.