new build in Brisbane - Vibrok Caminetti

[cobblerdave]

Re: new build in Brisbane - Vibrok Caminetti

G'day
Will they burn? You can bet they will if there seasoned. I think you have covered some of the best burners ... You could add river red gum and malhee roots but they come from the Deep South.


PS I get ride of any ash now as a build up will insulate the hearth from the reflected heat from the dome.

Pic is what is called a top down fire. 3 in logs on the bottom, sticks used to build a log cabin, fill with newspaper, pile little twigs on top. Build it directly under you chimney and light. When its got a roar on push it into you oven. My personal take on this is I use charcoal from the old fires and soak in a coupla tablespoons of metho.
Beauty of this is that it heats you chimney first so it draws well and then the fires got a good bit of heat going before you push it in. I know its a bit about face to what you usually do ie small first building up to big but it works cause heat goes up catching the small its and they will catch the big bits underneath.
Regards dave

[applor]

Re: new build in Brisbane - Vibrok Caminetti

Thanks for the info guys.
I will definitely be scouring around for free wood that I can start seasoning.

For some seasoned wood to get me started now, I have found a seller with great pricing but I am not sure about the wood types.
He says it a mix of:
blue gum (known as red gum down south), spotted gum, gum top box and iron bark.

Are these woods suitable? He says they burn hot and clean.
I need wood capable of hitting 500c as the purpose of my WFO is for Neapolitan style pizza.

[Greenman]

Re: new build in Brisbane - Vibrok Caminetti

This wood gathering thing gets to be a bit of a drug. Everywhere I go I have one eye peeled for wood gathering opportunities. Outside of the city there is opportunity aplenty. Where the highway runs parallel to the power lines there is often 100 metres or so of vegetation separating them. Just need to get on the powerline side of the show and you will often find the timber that was cleared when the power line went through, dry as a dead dingo's and away from inquisitive passers by.

I recently dropped a eucalypt for a neighbour that was standing dead and starting to drop little limbs from the top. At 60 cm across the stump it yielded about a years worth of WFO fuel. I have ended up with many varieties of mostly hardwoods at varying stages of seasoning but in all, about 2 years supply. Like you say it is about getting a start. Some of the free stuff might already be dry.

[applor]

Re: new build in Brisbane - Vibrok Caminetti

Yeah some of those suppliers I listed cut it to size to fit for WFO.
The trees in the back of my pics are on the back neighbours property so can't touch those.

As mentioned there are people offering free wood for pickup but I don't think any of it is seasoned so I won't be able to use it straight away.
I need to get some wood now and can start drying out some of the free wood in the mean time.

[cobblerdave]

Re: new build in Brisbane - Vibrok Caminetti

Gudday
I've never actual brought in firewood. You will have to split that down to size you'll want stuff thinner than your wrist, not logs.
I noticed a bit of bush at the back of you in one of your pics,you'll find tree falls burn well something about 2 to 3 in thick is perfect. In QLD on all public land its not legal to collect firewood. But tree falls no one seems to mind. You pull up in a truck and break out some chainsaws someone will complain.
With free to take away wood you'll find it will probably need some seasoning. But you have got to watch it, old fences and building hardwood ... Forget it they have been treated now for years. Mango forget that too its poisonous and its common offered as firewood. T
Be carefull of what the neighbors offer you to they can be offended when you don't except there offer of what is rubbish. You have to be firm cause its a WFO and not a rubbish burner. Feed them some pizza anyway that works for me.
Regards dave

[applor]

Re: new build in Brisbane - Vibrok Caminetti

Hey guys I'm at the stage where I need to buy some firewood for the oven. I am guessing ironbark is the wood of choice in Brisbane - where do you source yours?

Quite a few companies sell seasoned ironbark for $220-270 a cubic metre:

Brisbane & Gold Coast Firewood
Seasoned Split Firewood - Delivery Gold Coast, Brisbane, Northern New South Wales
Firewood Products for sale in Brisbane

And then this mob are cheaper at $160:

Firewood For Sale in Brisbane | North Brisbane Firewood Sales

These guys are selling for $110/m3 but delivery not included in that:

Firewood , delivery available , get ready for winter . | Other Home & Garden | Gumtree Australia Ipswich City - Glamorgan Vale | 1041588252

Also this group seem quite cheap (400kg for $315) EDIT: maybe not, 1m3 = approx. 300-500kg so this is pricey.

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/brisbane-city/miscellaneous-goods/firewood-pizza-oven-bbq-smoking-food-per-kg/1034677520

And lastly there are a few posts on gumtree offering free hardwood for pickup - which would be great though wont be seasoned so I will still need to buy some in the mean time.

[cobblerdave]

Re: new build in Brisbane - Vibrok Caminetti

G'day
Myself, is go for two coats.
The first to practice putting in a few lumps and bumps. Then a day or so later often your first practice under your belt you can then take them out.
Regards dave

[david s]

Re: new build in Brisbane - Vibrok Caminetti

[QUOTE=applor;170791]So I should leave out the boncrete from that 'recipe' and just do a waterproof paint after I've done some fires to dry out the render?

Yes
You say multiple layers of render but if I am doing the mix as per above can I not do it all at the same time?

Yes you can, but you will get a better result (less cracking) with two or three layers. I usually do one layer only to save time.

[applor]

Re: new build in Brisbane - Vibrok Caminetti

So I should leave out the boncrete from that 'recipe' and just do a waterproof paint after I've done some fires to dry out the render?
You say multiple layers of render but if I am doing the mix as per above can I not do it all at the same time?
Plan to build some formwork around the entryway and front side and then use a trowel to do the dome.

[david s]

Re: new build in Brisbane - Vibrok Caminetti

By adding Bondcrete to the mix you will be making it waterproof to an extent. I think this is a mistake as it will also tend to lock in moisture. Better to wait until you've had around ten decent fires after applying the render then apply your waterproofing. Each layer of render should be slightly weaker (leaner of cement content) than the previous one, but richer in lime than the previous one. Also it's a good idea, as soon as you've finished the final rendering coat, sponge it for a nice finish and then wrap the whole oven in cling wrap to keep the moisture in the outer layers for a week. You will see moisture condensing on the underside of the cling wrap. This will enhance the strength of the outer shell.

[applor]

Re: new build in Brisbane - Vibrok Caminetti

They also recommend finishing with this to seal it:
Bondall Natural Finish Sealer
Which I could also use on the entry arch and entry hearth of the oven.

And then paint after?

[applor]

Re: new build in Brisbane - Vibrok Caminetti

OK it seems I have mis-understood, to get the thickness I need for a nice finish I will need to use a mix of types.
Just had a look at what they use to achieve this render:

http://www.woodfiredovens.com.au/wp-content/gallery/residential-kits/6z1b0074.jpg

"You can use 5 bags x 20kg sand and 1 x 20kg of cement . Add to this 5kg of lime plus 800mls of Bondcrete and 1 x 20kg of an aggregate 2ml-7ml (crushed granite, only for affect)"

Does this sound better?

[Liteceeper]

Re: new build in Brisbane - Vibrok Caminetti

32mm is very thick for render most premix renders are placed in 6mm layers a thick layer will crack badly

Agree with Toomulla, the recommended thickness per layer is 2 to 8 mm for DryPak Render Coat. A few layers say 24mm seems reasonable.

Use an large paddle mixer attached to an electric drill to mix and follow water ratio exactly, initially it seems too dry but loosens up as you mix it well.

[Toomulla]

Re: new build in Brisbane - Vibrok Caminetti

32mm is very thick for render most premix renders are placed in 6mm layers a thick layer will crack badly

[applor]

Re: new build in Brisbane - Vibrok Caminetti

I'll be going to bunnings tonight and buying cement render.

What is the minimum thickness I need to make my dome? I am thinking 32mm should be OK?