600mm oven cast over sand - France

[thargog]

Whilst I don't want to rush things (haha it's taken me YEARS to get this far!), I know the firing will be long and slow. Is it ok to render after two or three days when the vermicrete has firmed up and then wait the week..?

Or are you saying vermicrete, wait a week, render, wait a week, commence firing?

[david s]

If you render over damp vermicrete you will be locking in the moisture. Allow it a minimum of a week to dry before doing any drying fires. Render after the drying fires are completed.

[thargog]

Got you. Thank you. Will report back...

In the meantime, thinking ahead, a quick question to anyone who has made a door... I have some lovely pieces of ready-shaped marine ply (from my formers for the moulds) which, with some sanding and cleaning up, would be a great base for a door. Is it completely stupid to say I could use these, lined with perhaps three layers of some really thick alu foil that I have, as a door?

Or I could make a temporary mould and face the ply with refractory mortar? or vermicrete? (although that may be too crumbly..!)

Or of course I could find someone to cut me a nice piece of stainless steel...

Any observations on appropriate solutions?

[thargog]

hey david - from memory one of your ovens is roughly the same size as mine - 540mmm diameter - i know the materials are different but i just wondered... once fully fired and you are able to bring it up to pizza cooking temperature, roughly how long does it take for you to heat it up?

also, does anyone have any door-making tips..?? I've been resting some of the ply up against the outside whilst beginning small fires and it seems very efficient at helping the chimney to draw - am thinking a wrap of alu foil isn't such a stupid idea in the short term...

[david s]

Some people think a small oven will heat up faster, but as the fire in the chamber is smaller it usually takes around the same time. The wall thickness is a more determining factor. My ovens take around 1 hr to begin to clear. If roasting or baking that’s all I give it. For cooking pizza it’s completely clear in 1.5 hrs. If i’m cooking pizzas for a big crowd I give it 2 hrs.

For doors go to the “show us your door” thread.