Capt Jon's Cob Oven

[Capt Jon]

Re: Capt Jon's Cob Oven

Pizza!
This was last Sunday.
We had our second round last night, absolutely awesome.

The last pie pictured hadn't been cooked yet. It was attacked before I could get a shot of the end product.
Crushed San Marzanos, prosciutto, smoke mozzarella and fresh basil with a drizzle of olive oil. Man that was good.

[Capt Jon]

Re: Capt Jon's Cob Oven

...and here we are today.
After 3 months of weekends and gallons of sweat.

Still quite a bit to go for the finished product but hey, we have an oven that functions wonderfully.

Won't be firing it up again till the vermiculite and cement then, stucco have been applied and cured properly.
Speaking of which, the chicken wire support for the mixture was put on today.
Hoping to mix and apply tomorrow.

[cobblerdave]

Re: Capt Jon's Cob Oven

Gudday capt
From what I have read trying to marry cement produces to a clay dome does not work as its not just different explanation rates its that the dome is unfired clay and will drawn water out of the air. You will always have an amount of water turning to steam and effecting the stiff cement layer. Traditional insulation and finishing layer of clay,straw,cow manure ,lime were all breathable and if cracked could be fixed with some more of these. The writer of the book I have suggests that a layer that a layer of blanket insulation could work before the cement stucco layer but recommends traditional insulation and finish and overhead cover from rains

[Capt Jon]

Re: Capt Jon's Cob Oven

Gudday capt
From what I have read trying to marry cement produces to a clay dome does not work as its not just different explanation rates its that the dome is unfired clay and will drawn water out of the air. You will always have an amount of water turning to steam and effecting the stiff cement layer. Traditional insulation and finishing layer of clay,straw,cow manure ,lime were all breathable and if cracked could be fixed with some more of these. The writer of the book I have suggests that a layer that a layer of blanket insulation could work before the cement stucco layer but recommends traditional insulation and finish and overhead cover from rains

Cheers Dave.
I have seen that posted a few time as well. As I often do, I'm going with the "Well, they must have done something wrong. Certainly I can do it better!"...Lol.
More than anything, I've already had a run at it and am committed to the process. We will see how it holds up. I was hoping that the "big fire" that I had this last Friday would have driven out any remaining moisture but, I know it probably isn't so.
I will commit to saying that I will post a "You were right!" (with pictures) as we get down the road and find that it just won't hold up.

[Capt Jon]

Re: Capt Jon's Cob Oven

Here's the day's efforts.
I have a door roughed in. Still have quite a bit of sanding to do so that it goes in and out a bit smoother and will adjust a couple of the screws for a bit more of a symmetrical appearance.
Think there's enough screws?

Also have the perhaps doomed vermiculite/cement plastered over the support wire going. If it doesn't hold up, it should flake off reasonably easy... I hope.

[Archena]

Re: Capt Jon's Cob Oven

Cool oven, CJ!

[bigdavenorcott]

Re: Capt Jon's Cob Oven

Here's the day's efforts.
I have a door roughed in. Still have quite a bit of sanding to do so that it goes in and out a bit smoother and will adjust a couple of the screws for a bit more of a symmetrical appearance.
Think there's enough screws?

Also have the perhaps doomed vermiculite/cement plastered over the support wire going. If it doesn't hold up, it should flake off reasonably easy... I hope.

Great oven Jon.

I've been scouring the interweb for ideas for months now (like everyone who starts dreaming of their own WFO I expect), and this is the closest to what I have in my head - really useful, thank you.

Can I ask, did the vermiculite/ cement work, or would you go with traditional finish next time?

Cheers!

[Capt Jon]

Re: Capt Jon's Cob Oven

Hi Dave,
Actually your note is pretty timely. I'm still grinding away on the "complex" during the weekends (a year later) and I have been thinking recently about updating photos and giving the results of how the build has held up.
Short answer for now is it has performed extremely well.

I'll cut out a bit of time this weekend to take a few photos and add the pros and cons to how this novice has progressed.

Thanks for asking and Cheers,
Jon

[bigdavenorcott]

Re: Capt Jon's Cob Oven

That's great Jon, I look forward to your post!

Rather than hijack your thread with my questions I started a thread myself, so if you have any advice I'd be really grateful: http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f6/c...tml#post174487

All the best

[cobblerdave]

Re: Capt Jon's Cob Oven

G'day capt Jon
Great to hear from you again its good the ovens performing well .
Myself I would really like to hear how that oven door has performed over the time. I'm interested to see how a wood door survives over a time span. I've made a rough wood one myself and it survived one use, and performed well enough. But I picked the wrong wood , and it probably have not survived another. So any information would be great . I'd like to have another go at a wood door
Regards dave

[Archena]

Re: Capt Jon's Cob Oven

<waits patiently for pics>