Rustic Primitive Materials

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

How about a pic of your oven with new vcrete. What do you have to work with on your island? I suspect you get a ton of rain so waterproofing your vcrete should be a priority. Do let your vcrete dry out as much as possible before getting too carried away with the curing of the oven.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

You have come a long ways since I remember your first post about an organic style rock foundation. Vcrete looks good. I did find if you make a curved trowel it helps with forming and packing vrete in position on curved surfaces. Keep up the good work.

[deejayoh]

Re: Wooden Door

I have some 2.5 inch slabs of rough milled fir on hand... is there any reason that I cannot use a piece for my oven baking door? My understanding is that if it is water soaked it should be OK... yes?... no?

Thanks Annie ...still curing my oven... tomorrow I go for 400!

if you want to use it for baking, even soaked in water it is going to burn up in a few uses. If you want to have your oven hot enough to bake, door goes on when the oven is still lit. I don't think there's any wood that will hold up. Even when backed with metal.

[cobblerdave]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Gudday Annie
Deejayohs right about the wood door it's not a case of if it will burn its when. But in saying that if you think the efforts worth just a couple of bakes why not.
You'll find a link to my own door at the bottom . It's made of airated concrete called hebel I like it cause it was cheap and easy to make without much metal working skills. That might interest you . There's also a link on there on the last post to a timber door I built out of a packing crate which survived one bake.
Great to see you back but as usual no pic. you really are a tease Annie)
Regards dave

[deejayoh]

Re: Rats!

.....I was just thinking about getting to baking temperatures requiring fire & closed door... If the oven gets hot enough for pizza with an open door why would baking require a lit oven with a closed door?

If you want to bake - then you get the fire going, and once the oven is good and hot you put the door on. That starves the fire of oxygen - but keeps all the heat inside. If you just let the fire go out with the door open and then put the door on, then the oven won't be very hot when you want to bake.

I'm talking mostly about bread here. Baguettes bake at ~550. Wood burns at about that temperature.

[david s]

Re: Wooden Door

I have some 2.5 inch slabs of rough milled fir on hand... is there any reason that I cannot use a piece for my oven baking door? My understanding is that if it is water soaked it should be OK... yes?... no?

Thanks Annie ...still curing my oven... tomorrow I go for 400!

I usually fire for exactly one hour, let the flames die, push the coals to the outside and the oven is at around 250C I then place the roast and fit the wooden door(it has a 12mm insulating panel) with the door fitted the coals go out frm lack of oxygen. A wooden door works pretty well but not if the temp exceeds 300C. Without an insulating panel soaking the door may help, but the water in the door will dry pretty fast, then you're cooking your door. Facing the door with sheet steel won't achieve much because as the steel or alum. is conductive it heats up fast and still cooks your door.
In fact I'm just about to put two chickens in the oven now. Just waiting for the flames to die and the oven is on 260 C the IR says the crown of the dome is 485 C

[david s]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

One hour 15 mins later. The gravy made from the pan juices has a beautiful slight smoky flavour.As the pic shows, the meat is falling off the bone.

[brickie in oz]

Re: Rustic Primitive Photo

probably would have done better with a box of crayons.

Yeah crayons burn well.......

[stonecutter]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

One hour 15 mins later. The gravy made from the pan juices has a beautiful slight smoky flavour.As the pic shows, the meat is falling off the bone.

Those look great!

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Annie,

BEC1208 aka Bruce made a door from an old aluminum baking pan. Probably find one a thrift store and fill interior with vcrete like you clad your oven with. Look at his thread.

[Gulf]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Annie,

BEC1208 aka Bruce made a door from an old aluminum baking pan. Probably find one a thrift store and fill interior with vcrete like you clad your oven with. Look at his thread.

Russell,
I had to go back and look at that one myself. It got me to thinking about a foil roasting pan. The disposable type turkey or large square rectangle pans. I just thought I would add a little slant to a great idea.

Annie M.
If you can't find something similar to that Bruce's Door was made or don't have the tools to work the thicker aluminum there may be another alternative. I think that a temporary door could easily be fashioned from a couple of these disposable pans. The material is thin and can easily be worked without tools. Stuff it with vcrete like Russell mentioned or pack with crumpled aluminum foil.

[Laurentius]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Hi Annie,

Bravo, bravo, your number 1 fan from Japan. I knew you could and would do it. Proud of you, babe. (sorry for not being PC)

[Gulf]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Thanks Annie M.
But, not really my idea alone. Bruce came up with an idea, Russell saw where it might help and posted it on the forum. Russell's post got me to thinking. It's just the forum working together to help solve a problem. If it works for you, thank the forum . If not............... blame Russell.

Seriously, I'm glad that you are having a great day.

[cobblerdave]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Gudday Annie



I could think of many reasons for that thing not to work but it did a number of times! for a friend of mine. I'm sure you can do better

Regards Dave

[david s]

Re: Rustic Primitive Materials

Italian ovens traditionally had wooden doors for baking and roasting. As well as soaking the door in a bucket they would seal around the sides of the door with wet newspaper.