Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Making a door for the oven. How do I go about it?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Making a door for the oven. How do I go about it?

    I'm building a homebrew cast-dome oven and looking at door construction and design. I will build into the cast a reveal to allow a door to go in at the entrance to the oven which will separate off the flue from the oven, with the aim of retaining heat for longer cooking.

    For the door, I'm working around the concept of cutting stainless or mild steel panels to form the door. I'll build in some insulation to go in between an inner and outer steel panel. Does this sound workable? What could the insulation be ...maybe a Vermicrete mix as I have the materials? I've seen some doors with a steel inner panel and a thick piece of wood on the outer side. I've got some nice block-oak from a kitchen worktop which could be cut to size ...but won't it get to combustible temperatures?


    Any advice or experience would be great!
    Last edited by WoodywWun; 06-22-2020, 02:21 AM. Reason: To add tags.

  • #2
    I have built a few doors using high temperature cement and vermiculite.
    I made a mould and lined the mould with a mix of stainless steel needles, fondue cement and vermiculite, the oven door is still in one piece and working well after three years.
    I have also made a stainless steel door filled with ceramic fibre board but the door can only be a loose fit as the steel will expand and jam in place if you are not careful even crack your oven!

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks for the reply Fox. Wow, that looks good! I suspect a lot of work went into it. A few questions, if I may? Were the handles cast in or added later? What is the material that you have protected the edges with? Is there a fire-proof rope attached on the oven side to help seal the door? Does it wedge neatly in place (probably!) or do you need to hold it in place with the likes of a weight in front? I'm guessing that accurate moulding of both the door reveals and door really helps?

      Thanks for the steer on steel and it expanding, I hadn't thought that it would be that significant but I guess for a tight-fitting door it would be?

      Like the oven!

      Comment


      • #4
        Start by going through the "Show is your door" thread on the forum.
        For me, a primary door has 2 purposes.
        1. Holding heat in for baking
        2. Holding heat in for another pizza fire on consecutive day. Less fuel needed to bring the oven to temp.
        For #1 you want to put the door on the oven shortly after your last pizza. A wooden door won't stand up to that very well. Mine is proof of that.
        For #2, I can put the wooden door on the oven the morning after a pizza fire and get baking tempuratures for the next 24 to 48 hours. That's going to depend on your oven construction of course.

        You can go with anything from a single metal plate to wood to a fully insulated metal construction. My metal door has up to a 1/4 inch play in the portion that fits within the arch and expansion is not an issue.
        Inside the door is 3 inches of blanket left over from my build.

        The most common I've seen out in the world is just a simple metal plate. Both in Italy and here in the US. The over achievers here on the forum appear to go with an insulated metal construction.
        Welding stainless is a tricky business. I paid a pro to make mine.

        This wood door however I made in a few hours from red oak for about $130.
        I charred it pretty good putting in on the oven just hours after a pizza firing. The next afternoon the oven was at 575 F and my door was smoldering but still intact.
        After that incident I started leaving the oven open overnight and placing the wood door on the oven in the morning and got temps more in a baking range of 350 to 400.

        Now that I have the metal door I close up the oven after a pizza fire and have to open the oven the next day (allowing heat to escape) to get it into a usable range for baking.
        Or I leave it in place until I build another pizza fire.
        I still use the wood door as well. It's light weight compared to the metal door and my wife can readily handle it. In my opinion they 'perform' equally.

        We cross posted so I'll add just a bit.
        Both my doors leave a 1/8 to a 1/4 inch gap between the door and inner arch. Even at the hottest the door has ever been, that gap remains.
        So I think the gap does its job. I concur with fox and would not construct a door with a 'snug' fit in the arch.

        As for additional gasket material, given the performance I see from both my wooden and metal doors, both without a 'snug' fit and without any gasket I have never considered adding a gasket to the door as they work like a dream without it.
        Last edited by Mongo; 06-22-2020, 12:51 PM. Reason: Adding info
        - George

        My Build
        https://community.fornobravo.com/for...mente-ca-build

        Comment


        • #5
          I'm going to be making a door in the near future too.

          A wooden door would be easiest for me to make. I was planning to add a layer of ceramic blanket (left over from the dome insulation) and then a 1mm thick stainless steel sheet to the back of the door to help prevent it from burning so badly.

          It's still a little way off and I need to do some more research but does this approach seem feasible?

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Hattori-Hanzo View Post
            I'm going to be making a door in the near future too.

            A wooden door would be easiest for me to make. I was planning to add a layer of ceramic blanket (left over from the dome insulation) and then a 1mm thick stainless steel sheet to the back of the door to help prevent it from burning so badly.

            It's still a little way off and I need to do some more research but does this approach seem feasible?
            I'd be concerned about the portion of the blanket that would be exposed on the edge of the door. It will shed nasty fibers.
            If you want to go the extra mile with a wood door, add the plate but not the blanket.
            I was using my wood door for weeks with only some discoloring. It was only when I placed it on the over with an 'active' fire that it got scorched. But even then the door survived and still functions. It's just 'seasoned' now.
            I'd love to see how a metal backed wood door behaves.

            Think of it this way: You could probably make 4 or 5 wood doors for the price of a fully insulated metal door.
            - George

            My Build
            https://community.fornobravo.com/for...mente-ca-build

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by WoodywWun View Post
              A few questions, if I may? Were the handles cast in or added later? What is the material that you have protected the edges with? Is there a fire-proof rope attached on the oven side to help seal the door? Does it wedge neatly in place (probably!) or do you need to hold it in place with the likes of a weight in front? I'm guessing that accurate moulding of both the door reveals and door really helps?

              Like the oven!
              I do have accurate moulds but the door is not a very tight fit, there are a few mm clearance all around and the door just free stands in place butted up to the frame.
              i just painted a layer of fondu cement into my mould, heigh temp cement sets really quickly, and them added a mix of vermiculite and fondu cement with the steel needles.
              i have a lid for the mould that pushes everything down tight and the next day it is cured and ready for use.
              It does not really have a proper handle just a bit of wood stuck on the back!
              Not ideal but effective and functional.
              when this one really fall apart (not long now) I will post some pictures of the new one...

              Comment


              • #8
                The 'Show us your door' thread is very interesting and worth a look. It won't give you a definitive answer as to the best design but what it does is show various approaches to door construction. Everything from a simple plywood door to elaborate welded, insulated steel doors. To me, it looks like a choice along the road of complexity and initial cost, balanced against the effectiveness that is required of the door, with more investment of time and materials being needed for WFO users who want to prolong oven temperatures to venture beyond the pizza. The 'sacrificial' wood door seems to be a cost-effective and manageable option that many go for.

                I'll post the door design that I eventually end up with but it's going to be between a double skinned steel door and a cast door, I think. It's a pity aluminium has such a low melting point as it's easier to work with than steel but could easily be used for the outer skin of a sandwich door construction?

                Comment


                • #9
                  Woody,

                  Just an FYI - you might find the website sendcutsend.com helpful when constructing a steel door. I used them to cut a piece of sheet metal for my custom trim collar around the stove pipe. Had it in less than a week. If you can draw what you want they can laser cut it for you. And the pricing is super reasonable.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Thanks for the idea skulessa. I'm checking out some UK based suppliers.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Mongo View Post

                      I'd be concerned about the portion of the blanket that would be exposed on the edge of the door. It will shed nasty fibers.
                      If you want to go the extra mile with a wood door, add the plate but not the blanket.
                      I was using my wood door for weeks with only some discoloring. It was only when I placed it on the over with an 'active' fire that it got scorched. But even then the door survived and still functions. It's just 'seasoned' now.
                      I'd love to see how a metal backed wood door behaves.

                      Think of it this way: You could probably make 4 or 5 wood doors for the price of a fully insulated metal door.
                      thanks for posting about the wooden door option. I'm debating it myself and wondering if you could comment on the heat retention with just wood (and no insulation)?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by WoodywWun View Post
                        The 'Show us your door' thread is very interesting and worth a look. It won't give you a definitive answer as to the best design but what it does is show various approaches to door construction. Everything from a simple plywood door to elaborate welded, insulated steel doors. To me, it looks like a choice along the road of complexity and initial cost, balanced against the effectiveness that is required of the door, with more investment of time and materials being needed for WFO users who want to prolong oven temperatures to venture beyond the pizza. The 'sacrificial' wood door seems to be a cost-effective and manageable option that many go for.

                        I'll post the door design that I eventually end up with but it's going to be between a double skinned steel door and a cast door, I think. It's a pity aluminium has such a low melting point as it's easier to work with than steel but could easily be used for the outer skin of a sandwich door construction?
                        I've checked out the thread and didn't see anything there about using 2x4 wood. My plan is to use 2x4 pieces alongside one another with a nicer assembly of wood on the front. When the 2x4 wood gets ruined I can replace that part. What is stopping me is the efficacy of wood as an insulator. It looks like the thermal conductivity of wood can be 0.12-0.04 (reference here) but i'd like to hear about someone's experience using just wood because peopel are using metal, which has a much higher conductivity than wood.

                        I like your point that many wooden doors can equate the cost of a metal one.

                        Mike

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Michael Thomas View Post

                          I've checked out the thread and didn't see anything there about using 2x4 wood. My plan is to use 2x4 pieces alongside one another with a nicer assembly of wood on the front. When the 2x4 wood gets ruined I can replace that part. What is stopping me is the efficacy of wood as an insulator. It looks like the thermal conductivity of wood can be 0.12-0.04 (reference here) but i'd like to hear about someone's experience using just wood because peopel are using metal, which has a much higher conductivity than wood.

                          I like your point that many wooden doors can equate the cost of a metal one.

                          Mike
                          I just added a post to that thread showing how I made my door, which works very well and was cheap!
                          My 42" build: https://community.fornobravo.com/for...ld-new-zealand
                          My oven drawings: My oven drawings - Forno Bravo Forum: The Wood-Fired Oven Community

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by MarkJerling View Post

                            I just added a post to that thread showing how I made my door, which works very well and was cheap!
                            thanks for sharing MarkJerling ! I'll had a look and I understand how you did that; clear post and photos were helpful. If I go with metal this will be the design for sure.

                            Mike

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Michael Thomas View Post

                              thanks for sharing MarkJerling ! I'll had a look and I understand how you did that; clear post and photos were helpful. If I go with metal this will be the design for sure.

                              Mike
                              Thanks Mike.
                              My 42" build: https://community.fornobravo.com/for...ld-new-zealand
                              My oven drawings: My oven drawings - Forno Bravo Forum: The Wood-Fired Oven Community

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X