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  • #16
    Re: Cob Oven Build

    Keep the roof above the oven - someone (I don't remember names well) had problems with pests when her oven was too closed off
    "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

    "Success isn't permanent and failure isn't fatal." -Mike Ditka
    [/CENTER]

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    • #17
      Re: Cob Oven Build

      Hi Mark,
      Great oven, are you sure you want to build another one,, Looks like that one is working well..

      Nice Job,,
      Cheers
      Mark

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      • #18
        Re: Cob Oven Build

        Originally posted by ThisOldGarageNJ View Post
        Hi Mark,
        Great oven, are you sure you want to build another one,, Looks like that one is working well..

        Nice Job,,
        Cheers
        Mark
        Thanks for the accolades! The clay oven is working well and we have used it 4 times to make various meals. It is on the small side and I would like to have something larger and more permanent. I am bad about "chunking" wood into the oven and the fired cob is strong but it will chip! Also, my door of 13.5 inches is tight for a 12" peel. (I need to buy an 8" banjo peel)

        I checked out your album for things cooked and your build. You have some tasty looking birds there! I also would like to cook a turkey and the present oven is too small. (I'll try a chicken though)

        Your oven looks great; what is the diameter and what would your recommend for a good size. I am debating at the minimum probably 36" but will consider a 40" max. I like the idea of less wood and time to fire but want a good comprimise to allow larger items. Do you think 36" is adequate?

        Thanks; Mark.
        Last edited by marklewis; 04-04-2010, 10:21 AM.

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        • #19
          First Pizza!

          This was the first fire for cooking and the first pizza cooked. It was very good!! I realize I have much to learn about making sauce and dough and cooking but am off to a good start!

          I tried a sourdough bread using a starter but it didn't turn out. Back to the drawing board; in the mean time I'll make some bread using packaged yeast.

          It has gotten warm here (NC) (high was 87). The oven is a hit but I think we'll enjoy it more in the cooler months vs. the hotter summer days to come.
          (It gets 98 degrees here with high humidity!)

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          • #20
            Re: Cob Oven Build

            Your oven looks great; what is the diameter and what would your recommend for a good size. I am debating at the minimum probably 36" but will consider a 40" max.
            My oven is a hair over 40 inches inside, the door opening is 20 1/2 .... I put a 20 lb, turkey thru that door with no problem at all...

            As far as the size, 40 is great, 36" I think would be more than adequate, and I believe thats a size many of the members are using... I laid mine out and honestly it just worked out well with that size dome on the foundation...

            Just put a nice soapstone counter on it over the weekend, Still have finish work to do.. The beer can chicken is a great dinner,, I like to do it in a heavy cast iron pan, then you can add potato,onions,garlic etc.. its very easy give it a shot.. Here's a pic with the new counter..

            Cheeers
            Mark
            Last edited by ThisOldGarageNJ; 08-16-2010, 05:54 PM.

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            • #21
              Re: Cob Oven Build

              Hi Mark

              I just posted an answer to your question on my profile thingy...

              Your oven looks great, really tidy looking mud oven! And the pizza looks yummy pizza too, congratulations! What are you going to use for insulation?
              "Building a Brick oven is the most fun anyone can have by themselves." (Terry Pratchett... slightly amended)

              http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f8/p...pics-2610.html
              http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f9/p...nues-2991.html

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              • #22
                Re: Cob Oven Build

                Originally posted by Frances View Post
                Hi Mark

                I just posted an answer to your question on my profile thingy...

                Your oven looks great, really tidy looking mud oven! And the pizza looks yummy pizza too, congratulations! What are you going to use for insulation?
                Hey Frances; Thanks for sending me a link to your oven pictures; your oven truely is work of art!
                I'm going to use 4" of vermiculite/concrete mix over the dome for insulation. I used a 5 to 1 ratio under the hearth. I formed a test area of 3" on the dome and after 1 hour of full firing it was about 100 F. I think 4" will perform well for my needs and then a final layer of rendering for protection/cosmetic detail.

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                • #23
                  Re: Cob Oven Build

                  That thing looks great! Any update? New pics? I am going to try and do an earth/cob oven soon and am trying to figure out the best mix of clay/sand. Where did you get your clay from? Was it commercial or just out of the ground?

                  Joe
                  Last edited by SloW8; 05-27-2010, 06:30 PM.

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                  • #24
                    Re: Cob Oven Build

                    Originally posted by SloW8 View Post
                    I am going to try and do an eath/cob oven soon and am trying to figure out the best mix of clay/sand. Where did you get your clay from? Was it commercial or just out of the ground?
                    Joe
                    Joe, FWIW I'm also just completing a cob oven build. I used commercial "ball clay", which is a very fine powder. The mix was equal parts clay, sand, crusher dust, with some portland cement added. I think the amount of clay could have been reduced even further to reduce cracking, although the cracks haven't been too bad.

                    The essential thing is to add fibres (aka "fibers"). I used quite a bit of natural rope chopped up; traditionally straw is used. Either way, make sure you have something in there!

                    Also consider a design with a chimney situated outside of the door/opening.

                    Cheers,
                    Mick
                    My Clay Oven build:
                    http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f43/...dah-12821.html

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                    • #25
                      Re: Cob Oven Build

                      Hey Joe, Thanks for the reply. I drove some back roads and found a dark red spot where the road crew had dug through a hill. Clay is pretty common here in fayetteville NC. My mix was 1 part clay, 1 part sand mix from lowes and 1 part reddish sand 1.5 feet down in my back yard. I also purchased wheat straw from lowes and shred it by hand and added it to the mix.

                      There is a thread on here from a guy in hendersonville nc where he first made cob bricks and then built his oven. I think this will work well or you can do wet bricks like I did or probably just lay it on thick around a sand mold core & make sure there are no air gaps.

                      You may want to experiment first with a very small oven just to see how you like your mixture etc. Some even make a very small test one that you could bake a muffin in as a test.

                      Be prepared for cracks with a cob oven. eventually I will make a larger firebrick oven when I get time. Have fun!!!

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                      • #26
                        Re: Cob Oven Build

                        Mark,
                        what a great job! my visionof cob ovens is mud piles with burn marks on them. yours looks like a piece of pottery. nice job.
                        Steve
                        living in Coastal NC
                        more details of the build at:
                        http://Stevespizzaoven.wordpress.com

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                        • #27
                          Re: Cob Oven Build

                          Thanks, It looked even better until the cracks formed! (as they will!)

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                          • #28
                            Re: Cob Oven Build

                            Nice work all around, that does look like a fun project to try. Little boys playing in the mud, some things never change.

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                            • #29
                              Re: Cob Oven Build

                              mn8tr: Amen!! no better stress relief than to get dirty!! I saw your build; looks nice. Did you design it or use some plans? I was wondering if your bricks in the dome are larger than most builds? The larger bricks would expedite building. Did you cut the dome bricks at angles to reduce the cement gap or just go with it? any problems after firing. It really looks good: I want to do permanent build with firebricks and I like your design: any drawings or schematics you could post, etc??

                              Separtely, the pool and hot tub are a nice addition to the oven!

                              Thanks, Mark Lewis

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                              • #30
                                Re: Cob Oven Build

                                are you still using the cob oven. how has it held up? did you ever finish the outside?

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