52 inch mobile brick oven in moving van

[windage]

the hybrid design of steel girdle and arch had everything to do with it's integrity..see the early build photos

[david s]

How has the brick oven stood up to being moved a lot? I have heard reports of brick mobile ovens rattling to bits. Some cast oven manufacturers make a single dome casting option specifically for mobiles rather than multi sectioned ones for this reason. Interested to hear how it’s stood the test of time.

[windage]

It was nice running that big trailer all self contained, but hard to move around. The next one will be much smaller and just cater events closer to home, using my shop as the 'commissary' for one and two day events. ( see; 81 inch first build, first post)

[windage]

our set up 2 weeks ago at the Poppy Mountain music park, Morehead, KY...bigger, better banners..oven still going strong..still pushing 900f with bake times under 2 minutes...keeps the oven person busy with 4 in at a time!

[windage]

Got it, I remember seeing your 81" build when I first came onto the forum 3 years ago, what an inspiration! I wanted to put a light in my oven so bad after I saw that build

I do remember from the restaurant photos and info I saw that it was a lower temp oven with longer bake times for a different style of pizza (around 600F floor temp with 4-6min bake?)

I was thinking that with this oven being fired at higher temps, you would go for a neapolitan style dough but perhaps you are trying to keep your product the same at all locations? I have a dough recipe that I use for my home oven which uses unbleached AP and Olive Oil and the only reason I use that recipe is because it is trying as hard as it can without the true heat of a WFO. When I fire up the wood fired oven, I have a hard time getting good bakes out of that recipe due to the temps, I need lean 00 dough to prevent scorching, but maybe the pans help with that. I will have to give that a try someday

yes, the big oven runs 500 to 600 on floor, 700 (white) to 800 dome temp as read by hand held thermo..the pan helps in several ways; easy build, fast transport to oven and buys time for pie to bake through without scorching..then easy to pull pan and crisp bottom...what temps is your WFO running? Wetter dough gives good oven spring at these temps..I have switched several years ago away from typical 'high gluten' white to a Harvest King, unbleached, unbromated hard red winter wheat flour...richer flavor, nice browning without any sugar..

[windage]

just completed our 3rd annual show at Poppy Mountain Music festival, Morehead KY...hard to believe this mobile oven is already 3 years old and going strong

[clg763]

Got it, I remember seeing your 81" build when I first came onto the forum 3 years ago, what an inspiration! I wanted to put a light in my oven so bad after I saw that build

I do remember from the restaurant photos and info I saw that it was a lower temp oven with longer bake times for a different style of pizza (around 600F floor temp with 4-6min bake?)

I was thinking that with this oven being fired at higher temps, you would go for a neapolitan style dough but perhaps you are trying to keep your product the same at all locations? I have a dough recipe that I use for my home oven which uses unbleached AP and Olive Oil and the only reason I use that recipe is because it is trying as hard as it can without the true heat of a WFO. When I fire up the wood fired oven, I have a hard time getting good bakes out of that recipe due to the temps, I need lean 00 dough to prevent scorching, but maybe the pans help with that. I will have to give that a try someday

[windage]

cig, that particular build was a cooperation with my buddy Doug, who is a fab guy. I gave him the weights, he grabbed some steel he had. And you are correct, it's Overkill on the hill ! Part of the reason for the bigger base is to be able to pick it up and move it in and out of the van if needed. The van stays in hillbilly country for now, so the pizza has to be somewhat redneck; not too thin and sparse. I use Harvest King unbleached/unbromated with Olive Oil, no shortening. I start my sauce using "pizzaolo" by Stanislaus (no corn syrup).
This is my fourth oven, my second gen mobile design. My first oven is the "81 inch first build" thread;

http://www.fornobravo.com/community/forum/pizza-oven-design-and-installation/commercial-pizza-ovens/9864-81-inch-first-build-and-first-post

The pans give faster transport to oven,provide a consistent size template, prevent flash burn of bottom, provide faster rotation and easier management until pan gets yanked to finish off crust. It's a hybrid system I developed in my shop years ago.

[clg763]

Just got through your entire thread, I am moving my mobile cart oven to a trailer currently so I am taking notes with your build. Just curious, why did you use such massive steel at the base of the oven? You could easily put 30 tons on your base, I know its good to have things nice and strong but I have never seen a base anywhere near that beefy. Mine is made from 2" square steel with 1/4" thick walls and while it has a bit of reinforcement in the middle, it is nothing like the monster you made. Nonetheless, it doesn't flex at all, we drove a 6,000lb skid steer over top of it just to see it would hold up, since my 48" cast oven is about 1/5 the weight of that (1200lbs) so it is way over built for me.

I bought my base premade at an auction for $7, with a few minor tweaks, it fits perfect, I cannot imagine how much all that steel must cost.

The build looks great, it looks like you guys are already enjoying it!

Are you planning on doing neapolitan pizza in there or a different variant? I ask because your crust doesn't look like lean 00 dough, do you use oil or AP flour? Is there a reason you use pans instead of loading with peels?

Sorry for all the questions, just curious what your approach is.

[windage]

Re: 52 inch mobile brick oven in moving van

day 4 of our first event with the mobile oven, bake temps 900 to 1000+, bake times from 90 seconds to 4 minutes....depending on flame..found a local supplier of "kiln dried" Oak and Hickory !

[windage]

Re: 52 inch mobile brick oven in moving van

here is our first event set up...a local music festival with plenty of other vendors, aprox 30,000 people at peak attendance..

[windage]

Re: 52 inch mobile brick oven in moving van

here she is feeding people for the first time...GREAT response...fast bake times and proper cooler temps...fun night !

[windage]

Re: 52 inch mobile brick oven in moving van

here she is leveled up at the shop, gen set going in..usual troubles; electrical, plumbing, tires, labor, time, etc....

[windage]

Re: 52 inch mobile brick oven in moving van

the last night pizza van is in the side yard, tomorrow she leaves for her shake-down cruise in the parking lot of the pizza shop..wish us luck

[windage]

Re: 52 inch mobile brick oven in moving van

masking, painting, ..oven shot with my lady...oven painted by daughter Amber