portable oven

[Laurentius]

Re: portable oven

So, I can see you have all the answers already!
Why are you asking for oven building advice? It is obvious you are going to do it your way anyway!

Still fighting to be heard? Lighten up, all will come clean in the wash.

[cobpaul]

Re: portable oven

I'm going to act on some of the advice many have submitted, while I understand and apprieciate the concerns of some posts, I can't afford to work with anyrhing else with the resources I have. I am not seeking advice on imaginary non-issues like being perched on the side of a hill with my oven or staying out of the rain. I am here for advice on the actual oven part of the build. Freindly helpfull pointers and direction is what I am seeking.

Many thanks to all who have given their time already.

[david s]

Re: portable oven

David do you par-bake? and would you really not fit 2 small pizza's at a time?

Yes, sometimes I do par bake it certainly makes it easier. But you are not really saving work because you are still doing the same amount of labour. I usually make approx 9" bases as that is what fits comfortably on my wooden peels and yes I can squeeze two in at a time, but it is not a comfortable fit and I prefer to do one at a time, but at 90 secs each they come out pretty fast. If you are cooking for sales you need to be that much more careful about not burning any edges.
At a function last year where I had two people prepping, me working the oven and cutting and boxing pizzas and another taking orders and money. We were so inundated with orders that the last customer had to wait 45 mins for their pizza. We did 60 pizzas in 2 hrs. Then said "sorry we've sold out". Another stall that was selling pizza chain rubbish had tons left over that they couldn't sell.

[cobpaul]

Re: portable oven

We were so inundated with orders that the last customer had to wait 45 mins for their pizza. We did 60 pizzas in 2 hrs. Then said "sorry we've sold out". Another stall that was selling pizza chain rubbish had tons left over that they couldn't sell.

Good to hear that you faired better than the chain!! What sort of feedback did you get? Were people ok with the long wait for the pizza towards the end? If I sold 10 pizza's an hour I would consider it an extremely good day!!

[david s]

Re: portable oven

Under the slab with an oven and roof over it do you know how long it would take for sheetmetal to rust out? Longer then the life of this oven if it doesn't become a family heirloom. There is ductwork on roofs all over the place that has been there for 50+ years exposed to the elements. The building I'm working in now has a 25 story hand riveted steel ventilation shaft running right up the center of it that has been there since the 20's.

I've also seen plenty of rusty gutters because they are full of wet leaves. Once any protective coating is breached the corrosion is fast if there is heat and moisture. Movement of the oven is highly likely to do this where it is sitting on top of already rusty steel bracing.Do you know how wet it is in Ireland? It rains practically every other day.
If the sheet metal is subject to heat and moisture then rusting is a problem. If vermicrete is placed directly over it then you have lots of moisture. If the thing gets wet then the moisture goes back down to the vermicrete and then condenses against the steel sheet. There is also some heat involved and even 4" of vermicrete will make a steel sheet underneath it warm. I have seen so many kilns that have passed their use by date because the manufacturers have used thin steel sheeting in preference to stainless, purely because of cost. Steel hinges that have rusted out and the door falls off. Nothing wrong with the rest of the kiln. Because Cobpaul is on a tight budget I did not suggest stainless, but cement sheeting is another non corrosive alternative. Anyway he's using some marine ply that he already has so this is really history.

[shuboyje]

Re: portable oven

With a properly built enclosure the hearth insulation should never get wet...it's a pain to dry back out. My oven is built this way, the metal decking never goes above ambient temperature. So there should be no heat and no moisture. This is exactly how they build modern commercial building. Steel structures is then topped with corrugated decking which is poured full of concrete. Most architects design these buildings expecting a 50 years life, and trust me on that number because I hear it in meetings all the time "we need to make sure this is going to last for the 50 year life of this building".

So whats the problem?

[david s]

Re: portable oven

Good to hear that you faired better than the chain!! What sort of feedback did you get? Were people ok with the long wait for the pizza towards the end? If I sold 10 pizza's an hour I would consider it an extremely good day!!

People loved them, we told those who ordered later that there would be a wait and had no complaints, but waiting is not what fast food is about. Either a larger oven, or two small ones would have been a better solution, but then you need more helpers. The beauty of a small oven is that you can easily keep it up to pizza cooking temps all night by feeding it frugally. So if the demand is low you haven't wasted a ton of fuel.

[david s]

Re: portable oven

Cobpaul,

I thought I had posted these pics on your thread, but must have been somewhere else. They may help you. I roll the oven on and off the trailer by myself quite easily.

Dave

[Laurentius]

Re: portable oven

"And the beat goes on"! Great song, by the Whispers, 1980. Just loving it.

[cobpaul]

Re: portable oven

So I haven't logged on in a while, sorry bout that guys. I'm ready to go in the morning with pouring the base with one exception. What excactly are the stainless steel pins?? are they just nail's you mean or something else?? also I found ceramic board in the builders merchants and except for the price I'm very pleased to have found it. Is it ok to use plastering sand with the cement for the base or does it need to be sharp sand??

[david s]

Re: portable oven

Stainless steel needles are known in the trade as melt extract fibres. You can get them from refractory suppliers. Add around 2% by weight of dry castable.

[cobpaul]

Re: portable oven

thanks david, I think that they'll be hard to come by though.....

[david s]

Re: portable oven

They're not absolutely neccessary. I've built a few cast ovens without them and haven't noticed any difference.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: portable oven

L,

Just saw your post, the song dates you a little........ummm, I remember it well too.

[cobpaul]

Re: portable oven

so the weather has been quite rough this past week and today while it has improved, it is still very overcast. I have cut the shuttering ready for assembly when I pour and while I would pour the base today, I cant because im busy looking after my daughter. I have chicken wire, would that suffice for the base do you think mikku? Also i found a supplier of refactory cement, they sell 25kg bags. they also have the ceramic board although it is quite expensive. Hopefully tommorrow I can begin pouring, weather permitting