81 Inch First Build (and first post)

[SableSprings]

Re: 81 Inch First Build (and first post)

oven still doing well, business is growing. Attempting to do a naturally leavened dough using General Mill's "Harvest King" flour, as I can't seem to be able to buy King Arthur's "sir Gallahad" around here...

We had a taste/working test of several flours for pizza dough a few years back and settled on the Harvest King as the winner (certainly the best flour consistently available in our area). Also have found that it's great for bread and is now the only white flour I use for my baking (currently baguettes, sourdough, & breadsticks). I know there are lots of folks that swear by the caputo for pizza and high protein flours for bread, but at $25-$30 for 50 pounds, the Harvest King can't be beat (IMO).

Below are some pics of my last baguettes, sticks, and the bottom of a "test" sweet potato, yam, garlic, Asiago cheese pizza (all using Harvest King).

[Dagored154]

Re: 81 Inch First Build (and first post)

The second amendment protects the first admendment. there is a good reason they are 1 and 2. based on what I see here I am going to put my 3.5" soapstone bricks on top of FB Board and put splits on top of the soapstone in order to have a layer that I can cut to fit inside the dome and will be easy to replace. However, more second guessing, i doubt I will ever hurt the soapstone.

[windage]

Re: 81 Inch First Build (and first post)

The second amendment protects the first admendment. there is a good reason they are 1 and 2. based on what I see here I am going to put my 3.5" soapstone bricks on top of FB Board and put splits on top of the soapstone in order to have a layer that I can cut to fit inside the dome and will be easy to replace. However, more second guessing, i doubt I will ever hurt the soapstone.

I have, after 2 years of hard evening pizza baking, finally found a crack in one of the soapstone slabs...from heat? From poor support underneath? My perlcrete was laid up wet under the bricks, but then I added a layer of dry between my thermal mass bricks and my soapstone...wish I hadn't.
Rog

[Dagored154]

Re: 81 Inch First Build (and first post)

Here is a photo of the soapstone

[Laku]

Re: 81 Inch First Build (and first post)

Picture doesn't work. You can't link it from facebook.

[Dagored154]

Re: 81 Inch First Build (and first post)


what do you think of this soapstone for a cooking floor?

[Dagored154]

Re: 81 Inch First Build (and first post)

Hey windage. It was recommended to me that I ask you a question about soapstone. I have a great supply of 3.5" thick, 4" wide by 9" soapstone bricks that I would like to use for a cooking surface. I bought the FB board and put that down first and am wondering if I should put full firebrick next and then the soapstone laid inside the dome. what do you think?

[Tscarborough]

Re: 81 Inch First Build (and first post)

I think that the soapstone alone is too thick for a casual oven, certainly no need for firebrick under it.

[windage]

Re: 81 Inch First Build (and first post)

Hey windage. It was recommended to me that I ask you a question about soapstone. I have a great supply of 3.5" thick, 4" wide by 9" soapstone bricks that I would like to use for a cooking surface. I bought the FB board and put that down first and am wondering if I should put full firebrick next and then the soapstone laid inside the dome. what do you think?

Sorry, been busy and haven't been back here in a few months. Dagored, I love the soapstone and would absolutly use it in your oven....being 3.5 thick, it may take a little longer to heat up...but it will kick ass on heat retention, ease of cleaning, and "style-factor".
How much insulation is that FB board? I would not put any firebrick under the soapstone if this is a backyard, occassional use oven.
Link me to your oven build, or give a little more info.
thanks!

[tubehead]

Re: 81 Inch First Build (and first post)

With help from Roger I got my oven done and on the trailer. I am going to raise the oven up and finish the exterior but all in all it works great. The oven is 54" inside. I've been to a few events and it's a huge hit. I will start a build thread soon.

[windage]

Re: 81 Inch First Build (and first post)

Travis, good looking and great baking oven there. It fires fast and is big enough to do events. BTW, where did you learn to "throw that dough"? haha

[windage]

Re: 81 Inch First Build (and first post)

I am going to have to mount a steel guard bar to protect the outer arch from being hit by firewood. Not everyone is careful how they load the oven..

[SCChris]

Re: 81 Inch First Build (and first post)

Windage, please post a picture of your guard bar when you get there.

Thanks

Chris

[windage]

Re: 81 Inch First Build (and first post)

We have begun using the "boost" feature on our FB page and WOW! We are finding that to be the most cost effective advertising dollar spent. For current info and pics, Here is our link;

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Als-Ar...ed_target_id=0


Oven still running very well. We have settled into a pattern of dumping ash every 4 to 6 months, (remember, I cast an ash dump in the floor) and I clean the chimney at the same time. For our dough and customer desires, we have settled at 700 to 750 degrees F and a bake time of 8 minutes...

[windage]

Re: 81 Inch First Build (and first post)

new project underway, mobile brick oven in 48ft moving van, big event oriented. 52 inch interior diameter, 4 inch thick dome, perl-crete insulation built on a steel frame. Designed to be "modular", the oven, frame and all, can be picked up and moved out for replacement if necessary or to relocate to a fixed facility. I will start a new thread for this one...BTW, thanks for the number of views for my 81 inch oven post....at over 44,000 views...it's one of the most looked at brick oven post on the web..