PPP or KPP How much wood to make a pizza?

[mikku]

I don't know if this has been discussed before, but I am interested to know how much wood, and what size pieces; what species of wood; you use to make a pizza?

Once you are up to pizza temperatures, your WFO should be good for a lot of other things.

How much wood does it take to heat up your oven to produce the first pizza?

Please give oven size and design so we can calculate pounds woods per first pizza or kilograms of wood per first pizza.

This is where you can pound your chest and show how efficient your build is.

I would like to know, because I have to put up some firewood for the coming season and need to know much more I need if I am going to use my WFO!

Also things that would be interesting to discuss is how you go about preparing your wood, how small you cut or split your wood and any machines you use to make processing wood into firewood!

I just spent Sunday cutting up old oak that was cut three years ago, the big log was elevated but about 1/3 of the wood was already punk from dryrot or whatever microorganisms do to fresh wood. My yield was not great, but I got a start on next years wood gathering program!

[Gulf]

Re: PPP or KPP How much wood to make a pizza?

I am glad that finding hardwood is not a problem where I live.

I try not to use large oak logs. I hate to split oak. I usually scrounge and find the larger limbs that most wood cutters leave behind. I may make a few cuts with my chain saw but, usually end up finishing with large pruning shears. The small limbs make great fire starter.

The last time several hardwood trees fell on my property (Katrina), I rented a gas powered woodsplitter to save all the wood. Prior to that, I used a splitting maul and wedge. Most all of the oak that I have ever split was for fire places, 18? to 20? in length. I think that 12? or maybe less would be suitable for the oven and a lot easier to split.

I haven't tried split wood in my oven, but so far, I have found 3" and less diameter limbs work great.

[Tscarborough]

Re: PPP or KPP How much wood to make a pizza?

I use approximately 2 cuft of wood, call it 8-10 pieces, 18" long x 4-6" diameter.

[mikku]

Re: PPP or KPP How much wood to make a pizza?

I agree, splitting oak is a real chore. I cut yesterday to 350mm lengths. Even at that, I had one hell of a time hoisting one block (to be used as a splitting block) into my van. The rest were quartered. I am going to look for some wedges, now I have been using a "Japanese Fireman's Axe", it is real similar to a splitting maul. I try to choose limbless pieces for splitting and do the rest with the chainsaw. Last year, I cut up an entire tree including all the branches and twigs. The little stuff down to finger size got wrapped with "himo", that plastic wrapping twine that doesn't stretch. A lot of effort but great stuff for an early fire in the woodstove.

I've been told the best time to gather wood is winter months because the trees are dormant with less water in the wood. Below freezing temperatures makes splitting easier as well.

[mikku]

Re: PPP or KPP How much wood to make a pizza?

Tscarborou, that's a lot of wood... How long does your WFO stay hot after your pizza session is over?

[Gulf]

Re: PPP or KPP How much wood to make a pizza?

"Quartering"? Sounds like you did a bit of ripping with the chain saw . Glad to hear that you are OK
I did a quick search for the Japanese fireman's axe. The splitting maul when struck with a sledge hammer or the back of a single bladed axe can be used as a wedge also. Imo a splitting maul or single bladed axe will work best. Either tend to get stuck in hardwood. The blunt edge of a splitting maul or single bladed axe can be struck to help drive them on through.

I'm not sure about the seasons and the below freezing temps, but the lack of leaves and the cooler temps make gathering and splitting wood easier and more comfortable .

[Tscarborough]

Re: PPP or KPP How much wood to make a pizza?

4-5 days to ambient, 3-4 usable for cooking.

[david s]

Re: PPP or KPP How much wood to make a pizza?

I was interested in this question a couple of years ago and weighed the wood before and after. I started with 10 Kgs and finished with 6, so I had used 4 Kgs/ to get to 350 C and the whole dome was completely white. The wood used was Eucalypt (hardwood) and my oven is 21" in diam.

[stonecutter]

Re: PPP or KPP How much wood to make a pizza?

I use what I need.

[mikku]

Re: PPP or KPP How much wood to make a pizza?

The fireman's ax is just something my friend gave to me to use when I bought my land. He said that it has been handed around for years between friends and it was originally a fireman's--I guess an antique. But it has a heavy head and quite a taper...not as much as the mauls that are for sale. The import woodstove shop sells them--but a wild price tag! If a Japanese person has a wood stove--it is like a status symbol or decoration.. they have to have all the bells and whistles that go along with it---and always top quality! But they turn around and buy split wood delivered! Wow!

I burn wood to heat and save on fuel!

Yes! Splitting is a real challenge--you make a round-house full swing with all your power and the axe hits a knot and just bounces! Three or four times--same thing and pull out the chainsaw and cut slabs until you can split again--great fun!

[mikku]

Re: PPP or KPP How much wood to make a pizza?

Hi David s !
Somehow, I knew you would have an exact number!
Your oven really has to be efficient--hope I can hit numbers like that.
Just about split a gut lifting some pieces yesterday--so when the oak is dry--should have plenty of wood in this bunch only for next year's WFO use.
I am going to look into the ume wood source... Ume is called plum but it actually is apricot. They prune a lot--so there should be some good firing wood available. Also, the apple orchards do a lot of pruning as well.. We have many orchards around us as well.

[mikku]

Re: PPP or KPP How much wood to make a pizza?

4-5 days to ambient, 3-4 usable for cooking.

So 2 cuft is really a deal if you can plan menus over a 3-4 day period!

[mikku]

Re: PPP or KPP How much wood to make a pizza?

I use what I need.

I will also--along with everyone else who has a WFO! Thought I was getting time off for Golden week--argh! Started a new project today and the other carpenters are behind schedule--only Sundays off if you want to! Otherwise work straight thru until the project is done! So the oven sits longer! I hope it gets better with age--like wine! Or old farts!