Steady good heat without the large flames. How?

[stonecutter]

Re: Steady good heat without the large flames. How?

I just wanted to share the way I happen to do it....there are other methods that work as well. Just slow and steady...slow and steady.


When I built my first one, I was as nervous about firing it as you are. The cracks appeared and I started to worry. I described it to my neighbor, who is very well known in the field of masonry heaters, as a builder and instructor. He just smiled and assured me that it's normal, and outside of a colossal building mistake, the oven would last a long, long time. That was over 8 years ago, and the oven is as good as the day I started the first real fire. I don't use heat guns or thermometers while curing or cooking. It's all feel and sight, and when you start using it more you will do the same thing. Don't worry so much....just go slow, keep steady heat, increase it gradually day by day. Before you know it, you will be churning out pies.

[V-wiz]

Re: Steady good heat without the large flames. How?

I just wanted to share the way I happen to do it....there are other methods that work as well. Just slow and steady...slow and steady.


When I built my first one, I was as nervous about firing it as you are. The cracks appeared and I started to worry. I described it to my neighbor, who is very well known in the field of masonry heaters, as a builder and instructor. He just smiled and assured me that it's normal, and outside of a colossal building mistake, the oven would last a long, long time. That was over 8 years ago, and the oven is as good as the day I started the first real fire. I don't use heat guns or thermometers while curing or cooking. It's all feel and sight, and when you start using it more you will do the same thing. Don't worry so much....just go slow, keep steady heat, increase it gradually day by day. Before you know it, you will be churning out pies.

That is re-assuring, thank you for the info.

[V-wiz]

Re: Steady good heat without the large flames. How?

Here are some more from today, got the oven walls up to 400-425. Today went pretty well i guess. I got down the method pretty well. The charcoal chimney starter worked like a charm, lit up a few pieces of wood then constantly added wood, every 2 minutes i would throw in a piece inside, worked pretty well. The fire was constant and never went out in the chimney starter, i used scrap 2x4 wood at first then switched over to Hardwood/Mulberry.






Threw in some Mulberry to dry out for the next firing.



And here are the cracks thus far.

[stonecutter]

Re: Steady good heat without the large flames. How?

Looks good, those cracks appear normal.

[Laurentius]

Re: Steady good heat without the large flames. How?

Looks good, those cracks appear normal.

Cracks, cracks, cracks! Ovens are like, Plumbers they all have one, some are in your face, others are well covered. Stop worrying and cook something!

[Tscarborough]

Re: Steady good heat without the large flames. How?

If the outside render doesn't crack, you did something wrong.

[V-wiz]

Re: Steady good heat without the large flames. How?

600 F cure firing





and the cracks thus far.

[stonecutter]

Re: Steady good heat without the large flames. How?

Started curing mine today.

[V-wiz]

Re: Steady good heat without the large flames. How?

My next firing will be 700F, is 800F the finishing cure fire? or is that considered the "Scary" fire?

WHen you guys make a fire for pizza, you build a huge fire in the center, then when they are down to coals you spread them to the side right, now because you have this huge/scary fire in the center, doesn't this heat up the top of the dome quicker and much more hotter than the rest of the dome, if so doesn't this mean that it could cause the dome to crack because one area heats up alot quicker than the other areas? am i understanding this correctly?

[V-wiz]

Re: Steady good heat without the large flames. How?

Also do the cracks look normal for a 600F firing? i also have hair line cracks on the inside wall. Is this normal? i know its okay but is it normal? i guess it is as the oven expands from the great deal of heat? Thanks

[V-wiz]

Re: Steady good heat without the large flames. How?

Anyone? i will be firing it up tonight, the advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[SCChris]

Re: Steady good heat without the large flames. How?

V-wiz,
For Pizza I like a 725 to 750F deck and my pizzas take a couple of minutes. When I'm cooking pizza I keep a good fire running, not large, not small and when the fire burns down I add a log. I like to saturate the oven so I burn for 2 - 3 hours but could cook pizza at 1.5 hours. Once I'm done with the pizza I put a couple of sticks on the fire to push a bit more heat into the bricks and then shut the door. Cracks are normal and as long as they're not structural, you're OK. Yours look fine at the stage you're at.

Chris

PS.. I often raise the almost done pizza up in the dome to finish the pizza cooking.

[V-wiz]

Re: Steady good heat without the large flames. How?

V-wiz,
For Pizza I like a 725 to 750F deck and my pizzas take a couple of minutes. When I'm cooking pizza I keep a good fire running, not large, not small and when the fire burns down I add a log. I like to saturate the oven so I burn for 2 - 3 hours but could cook pizza at 1.5 hours. Once I'm done with the pizza I put a couple of sticks on the fire to push a bit more heat into the bricks and then shut the door. Cracks are normal and as long as they're not structural, you're OK. Yours look fine at the stage you're at.

Chris

PS.. I often raise the almost done pizza up in the dome to finish the pizza cooking.

Thanks Chris, i appreciate your feed back, however that doesn't answer my question, i was referring to when you guys heat up the oven and the fire/flames are centralized in the center.

[SCChris]

Re: Steady good heat without the large flames. How?

I start 2-3 hours ahead of pizza and unless I make a mess or the deck gets too cool, my fire stays around the exterior wall. I start the fire on either the left or right and move the burn to the other side. When I say move the fire I really just add wood to the side that I'm moving toward..

Does this help?

Chris

[V-wiz]

Re: Steady good heat without the large flames. How?

I start 2-3 hours ahead of pizza and unless I make a mess or the deck gets too cool, my fire stays around the exterior wall. I start the fire on either the left or right and move the burn to the other side. When I say move the fire I really just add wood to the side that I'm moving toward..

Does this help?

Chris

So you dont start your fire in the center? contrary to how other start the fire?

Thanks Chris.