Looking for some input

[AZDevil09]

I am looking into building a smaller pizza oven to complement my outdoor kitchen that I built myself. It would be a smaller oven only needing to cook AT MOST half a dozen pizza at any given meal, likely more like 1-2 on normal use. I currently use my 7 burner gas grill.

Two questions, do most buy the pre build oven and just build around it or are most building their own from scratch like the PDF instructions available on this site?

Second, of course the Brickwook kits caught my eye as they make the "dome" process so simple. However, I found a couple of posts on there saying that they are no good but could not find more information on why or where they fall short. So if I could be pointed in the right direction for information on that as searches only come up with an handful of of posts and non too telling.

Thank you!

[topbrown]

Re: Looking for some input

EVEN A DEVIL FAN DESERVES ADVICE:-D

I just finished reading The Bread Builders, a book where Alan Scott writes about building a wood fired oven. It appears to me that those ovens follow his leaf except, the door opending. He says the Dome entrance (door) should be 67% of the dome height. The flue should be out side this door.

My 2 cents
Larry Brown

[NCMan]

Re: Looking for some input

There are a lot of successful WFO builders on here to help answer any and all questions you may have. Ask away. Myself, I'm just a mere newbie , also in the process of reading the same book.

[boerwarrior]

Re: Looking for some input

Welcome! You are in the right place!

I started out with the intention of building a Brickwood oven and even got as far as building the base for it. But then I changed to a Pompeii and very glad I did!

I also wanted a small oven - sometimes I cook only for my wife and I. So I built a 32 inch. But I was pleased to find I could cook >50 pizzas in an afternoon when we hosted a big party. Just need to control the heat well and have the pizzas ready to go!

My build is here: http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f8/3...nia-19283.html

I still have the unused Brickwood form if you decide to go that route! (but hopefully you won't)

Neil

[ncsmoker]

Re: Looking for some input

Neil,
I also started with the brickwood oven form, but changed my mind. I was lucky enough to be able to return it. Nowhere near as good a design as the FB

[ncsmoker]

Re: Looking for some input

AZDEVIL09,

The brickwood oven at first glance looks great, very easy to either build using bricks and the form, or, on the cortile, buying castable refractory and making your own concrete forms that you mortar together.

I initially purchased the Cortile form, but the main problem I could not get over was that the chimney came directly out of the oven chamber. There is no way that thing will stay hot for more than a few hours at best, and I really wanted to be able to cook bread and other food for several days after firing it up. In addition, the other 2 ovens have openings that are way too big, causing loss of heat. I know you can make the opening smaller, but it seems like a band aid fix. If you are just doing pizzas and don't mind using additional wood to heat, no problem using these kits, they are just not ideal.

On the plus side, their step by step foundation tutorial is very nice. I used it when doing my build, and it worked great. I also added a 2" layer of vermiculite/cement insulation in the pad as they recommend. Figured it couldn't hurt, and would be impossible to add later if I wanted to.

For what it's worth, I returned the forms to the company and went with the FB CASA 2G90.

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Looking for some input

I also started with the brickwood oven form, but changed my mind. I was lucky enough to be able to return it. Nowhere near as good a design as the FB

You are fortunate you chose an alternate route and did not invest in building this oven.

The Brickwood Ovens scheme incorporates multiple serious design flaws and is physically incapable of reaching viable pizza temps without throwing enormous volumes of wood into it. Also, it is not configured to store enough heat to enable slow-cooked dishes like casseroles, roasts or bread (dispite claims on the Brickwood Oven FAQ page).

There is a reason the Comments section on the Brickwood Ovens YouTube video has been disabled. I feel for the assumedly large number of well-intentioned oven-builders who bought into the plan and were left with an oven that works marginally at best. Glad you weren't one of them.

After reviewing the Forno Bravo plans, read through as many build threads as you need to. And by all means ask questions!

[ncsmoker]

Re: Looking for some input

You are fortunate you chose an alternate route and did not invest in building this oven.

The Brickwood Ovens scheme incorporates multiple serious design flaws and is physically incapable of reaching viable pizza temps without throwing enormous volumes of wood into it. Also, it is not configured to store enough heat to enable slow-cooked dishes like casseroles, roasts or bread (dispite claims on the Brickwood Oven FAQ page).

Couldn't agree more. At least the owner worked with me to get the forms returned, so it all worked out. Lesson learned.....do more research than you think you need to.

Very happy with my CASA 2G 90