Interior Light

[Hendo]

Is there any need for an interior light eg for when one is baking bread and there is no fire to see by? I noticed one elaborate setup:


photo linked from MHA News - 2006 Meeting - Backyard Oven with Peter Moore

but wonder if something simpler is out there?

[maver]

Re: Interior Light

It's simpler to have an external light (I use an old one that used to be used in our living room) that I bring out if I'm baking at night. The sun works well during the day. I don't need a light at night if I'm doing pizza as I keep a good flame going for that.

[jengineer]

Re: Interior Light

Plus these guys also make wood fired furnaces and at times you may want to see what the fire is going. Thus they use a quartz window. Sure it can be done but Maver has it right as you really need outide lighting to see what you are prepping and puttin ginto the oven. You could alos use a spot focal light off to the side the shine light into the oven at night.

[CanuckJim]

Re: Interior Light

Hendo,

I guess it would be cool to have an interior light, but I've never really found the need for one, even baking in winter and at night. Like Maver, I sometimes use a cheapo flashlight (Home Cheapo again) if I'm baking a lot of rolls at once, say 50 or so, just to make sure the ones at the very back aren't getting too brown.

Instead, I installed three small potlite spots in the ceiling of the oven portico. One shines directly at the oven mouth, the other two light my loading areas. This seems to work fine. I'll post a pic in the Gallery.

I suspect installing an interior light with a quartz lens would be expensive, and I wouldn't want to be crawling into the oven on a regular basis to change bulbs. Already did that once to point the dome bricks. I'm a slender guy, but it's no fun.

Jim

[Hendo]

Re: Interior Light

Thank you all for your thoughts. Without knowing any better, I'd imagined that visibility without a fire to see by would be difficult, especially when one's own body is obscuring the only light source (sun). But on reflection, I realise I'll be standing back some from the oven opening, which should let some ambient light in. If not enough, then a flashlight should do the trick. I'll also allow for a directional spot light for any night time viewings.

Cheers, Paul.

[christo]

Re: Interior Light

I am also intrigued by the refractory casted light box in Hendo's link at the top of this thread.

I am planning on giving this a shot this spring.

I've been on line looking for sutiable glass and I think this will do:

Flat Borosilicate Glass, Borosilicate Circles/Squares

Glass specs based on this site - looks like the glass will hold till 500C - 930 degrees F - cutting it a little close

I'm planning on going with a 3/8 inch thick 5x5 square and setting it up so that I can replace the glass easily if/when I break it with the oven tools....

or maybe better yet a 3 inch circle of glass recessed about an inch or so into the brick - It would be hard to hit it with the tools then!

It looks like a 50 dollar experiement plus the cost of the refractory....

Christo

[james]

Re: Interior Light

I can't wait to see how these go. My experience is that you are in pretty good shape during the day and with a fire, but as you say, with retained heat cooking and your shadow, the extra light could be useful.

For evening cooking, particularly if you are not near good overhead lighting on a deck or patio, I bought a narrow flashlight that I can hold in my front hand along with my peels -- which shines into the oven as you work. I've had an over that was literally in a dark field, and that was the only way to do it.
James

[redbricknick]

Re: Interior Light

How about a peel mounted heatproof l.e.d ?

[christo]

Re: Interior Light

Probably just need to tape a flashlight to the peel handle nick!!!

[redbricknick]

Re: Interior Light

Tape? How am I supposed to get on the home shopping network using tape?

[james]

Re: Interior Light

Function over form?

Sometimes you just need to use duct tape; even if it doesn't match your oven's stone exterior.
James

[redbricknick]

Re: Interior Light

O.K. Here is my ideal peel. A handle of horizontal scrub, which is a slow growing rainforest hardwood indiginous to Tasmania and has the unique characteristic of being able to retain it's bark indefinitely,(see picture of handrails) a paddle of figured Tasmanian rainforest hardwoods, rescued from forests which are being clearfelled for paper pulp as I write this, edge glued similar to this skateboard built by Ian Hewitt, ny neighbor in Tasmania, and a mounted, adjustable led flashlight which can be turned to face the side of the oven your pizzas are cooking on.

[Xabia Jim]

Re: Interior Light

I use a small mini mag light in my mouth. Leaves the hands free

[Hendo]

Re: Interior Light

Since I submitted my first post on this, I have been persuaded by a friend, who has worked all his life in domestic lighting, to consider using low voltage halogen spot-lights. These can tolerate high temperatures extremely well, as long as metal enclosures are utilised. So now I?m thinking of incorporating one or two near the entrance of the oven, perhaps just above the vent opening in the chimney (my vent will end up around 12? deep for various reasons, which will become obvious when I start to post photo?s). If the lights don't eventuate, I'll probably get out the Petzel headlight.

Nick - I love the idea of a laminated Tassie hardwood peel, and will have to investigate further.

Thanks all for your input ? yet more ideas for me to ponder over in my never-ending quest to build the world?s best brick oven (don?t tell me ? I already know that it resides in your back yard!)

Cheers, Paul.

[james]

Re: Interior Light

I think I mentioned this before, but our producer for our precast ovens makes a version for the Italian market that offers a halogen in-dome light option. So at least we know that I can be done.
James