Building tandoori oven

[PureBlue]

I know this forum is mainly geared toward making pizza ovens, but I figured the principles would apply for tandoor ovens. I have seen the terracotta pot method of cutting the bottom out and then encasing the pot with motar and using fire brick for the bottom. Is this a good method? Will the terracotta hold up? Could I make a skeleton shape of the oven with some type of metal wire mesh and then use refmix to actually make the oven? I am just trying to figure out what materials to use and what the most effecient way is to make it. Thanks for all your help.

[gjbingham]

Re: Building tandoori oven

Somebody on this forum did one, or at least discussed it, I think. Do a search for tandoor or tandoori and see what you get. If nothing else, I would guess that a firebrick oven could be done pretty easily. I'm thinking that you would need more mass than refmix alone.

I'm not quite sure how they get them hot though. I've been to many restaraunts with tandoor ovens and watched the chefs cook in them, but the firing seems to be over once the cooking is going on.

This is something that I've considered for a long time. I think that my WFO will do the same job as a tandoor. We'll see.....

[jengineer]

Re: Building tandoori oven

Musa has done one back in the early days. as Bing said do a search. Musa also has an old web site, not updated last time I looked at it that shows the process he took.

welcome aboard

[dmun]

Re: Building tandoori oven

The original tandoors are terra, not even cotta. They are clay, not fired beyond the wood fire that cooks the food. I think the modern commercial ones are made from the same fired refractory materials as the commercial ovens, I'm sure they wouldn't hold up to commercial use otherwise.

[edschmidt]

Re: Building tandoori oven

If you havent seen it here is a link to a detailed build using a purchased tandoor liner http://www.piers.thomson.users.btope...com/index.html. I actually made my own tandoor inner chamber from earthware clay, then fired in my kiln. I havent installed it yet, mostly because Im not that excited anymore about the cooking process with this style oven. But receintly I had an apithany (I know misspelled) and realized I could use this liner not only as a tandoor, but also with a little modification could make it work with a wok on top of the opening, and with a thick plate of stainless it could heat a hibachi. Now I just have to wait for a thaw so I can get digging.(-11deg. windchill BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR)

[edschmidt]

Re: Building tandoori oven

OOps try this The Tandoor Site

[PureBlue]

Re: Building tandoori oven

I did a search on tandoor and tandoori, but it seems it was mentioned in passing in all those threads. There was no real discussion of actual construction. edschmidt, thanks for the link to that site. Although that looks a little more advanced then what I was looking for. The liner looks to be purchased, whereas I am trying to build the liner myself to keep cost down.

[asudavew]

Re: Building tandoori oven

Tandoor Oven Construction Progress

[dmun]

Re: Building tandoori oven

I followed the links to this tandoor supplier: five hundred bucks for an unbaked clay pot? Hmmm. I can see why the guy asudavew linked to used firebrick and a flower pot.

That's incidentally a pretty traditional churn shape, lots of old churns out there, and it's no harder cutting the air hole in the bottom than cutting the bottom off a flower pot.

[PureBlue]

Re: Building tandoori oven

so is the flower pot a proper material? If I used that and refmix to encase it and firebrick for the bottom would that hold up? I just don't want the flower pot flaking or something and leaving particles in the food.

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Building tandoori oven

I can see why the guy asudavew linked to used firebrick and a flower pot.

For the record, this guy (Robert Musa) is an early pompeii builder and we often quote him talking about how a properly sized fire should make your wife say "oh $h1t!" and you kids say "Cool Dad!"...one and the same...

Drake

[gjbingham]

Re: Building tandoori oven

I love that description! Kind of a classic, huh?

I'm a bit confused about the tandoor issue. It seems that you should be able to do anything in a wfo that you can do in a tandoor. Am I mistaken?

Thanks
George

[PureBlue]

Re: Building tandoori oven

Ya, you could do everything in the wfo, but I don't have one. I just wanted to make a cheaper oven that I could cook indian food in. I didn't want to make a large wfo.

[dmun]

Re: Building tandoori oven

So is the flower pot a proper material? I just don't want the flower pot flaking or something and leaving particles in the food.

Plain terra cotta has got to be better than unfired clay. You'll notice that in this design, the firebrick part is what is in direct contact with the fire is refractory.

[gjbingham]

Re: Building tandoori oven

If you don't want a WFO, I'd buy some refractory cement online (ebay) and make one for probably around a hundred bucks +/-.

Sound reasonable dmun?