Record of my 32" Homebrew cast oven, on a brick base - West Midlands, UK

[Hattori-Hanzo]

Looking good Nick.

Try using semolina on your peel instead of flour. Semolina being coarser helps the pizza slide off the peel and it doesn't burn as badly in the hot temperatures like flour does.

[sergetania]

Longer a pizza sits on the peel more likely it's to get stuck. Wooden peels are still better than metal. Before you attempt to slide it off give it a shake to make sure it's moving.

[Robarb]

Cornmeal, I've been told, for the flour base on the peel helps aid reduced friction (presume this is the same as semolina?).

Also, use red pesto as a sauce base.... oh my goodness its good on pizza

[deejayoh]

Cornmeal, I've been told, for the flour base on the peel helps aid reduced friction (presume this is the same as semolina?).

Also, use red pesto as a sauce base.... oh my goodness its good on pizza

Cornmeal makes a huge mess on your oven floor. Gives you a nice layer of charcoal. Semolina is better, but has similar issues. Honestly plain old flour works best. Just throw a bit on your peel, and if you feel like it's taking too long - give it a shake before it sticks.

[Chach]

Cornmeal makes a huge mess on your oven floor. Gives you a nice layer of charcoal. Semolina is better, but has similar issues. Honestly plain old flour works best. Just throw a bit on your peel, and if you feel like it's taking too long - give it a shake before it sticks.

I agree I use a wooden bamboo peel to load the pizza as loading with a metal peel will condensate much quicker resulting in your pizza sticking faster and needing a lot more flour to keep the pie loose but by using a wood peel I dust with flour and knock the excess off every few pizzas and then put the pie on the peel dress it up and give it a few shakes to make sure its loose and in we go. I made (20) 8"-9" pizzas today and dusted the peel like this four times.

Ricky

[Nick J C]

Prep for render/stucco..... Copper pipe to sit on ceramic blanket, with lateral holes to allow maximum surface area for water to escape. I used 28mm, but doubt it matters. Siliconed into position so it doesn't move. I will cork it and remove to allow escape of steam, or may make a vent cap. I will use the top of the copper as my radius marker to render up to with my quadrant template.....see next post

[Nick J C]

I found the home made float useful for the Vermicrete, and as it only took 5 minutes to make, thought I would repeat for render/stucco. How I made it for those who want to do the same. I believe UtahBeehiver may have been the inspiration. Will also use a quadrant tool made to the final radius to get a decent hemisphere

[TonyPizza]

Prep for render/stucco..... Copper pipe to sit on ceramic blanket, with lateral holes to allow maximum surface area for water to escape. I used 28mm, but doubt it matters. Siliconed into position so it doesn't move. I will cork it and remove to allow escape of steam, or may make a vent cap. I will use the top of the copper as my radius marker to render up to with my quadrant template.....see next post

Superb work.

[TonyPizza]

Nick J C Can you advise on the widths of the layers inc the dome please?

am I correct in thinking:

Main cast: 5cm
Fire blanket layer? (I plan to use two layers of 1" blanket, like your self, but I am unsure if it will compress?)
Vermiculite layer over fire blanket?
Outer render?

I want to maximise the space I have available (108cm), so I'd be very grateful if you could advise what thicknesses you one up with.


thanks again

Tony.

[Nick J C]

Yes to main cast and blanket. My vermicrete layer is about 5cm thick (any thinner will be tricky as it is extremely crumbly) - the thickness, from my reading, is not necessary, with 2" ceramic blanket, but is to stiffen things up for the render. I havent done the render yet, but expect it to be a few cm thick

[TonyPizza]

Nick J C sorry, another question about your oven, if I may... the 450mm gallery entrance width you described on page one: was the 450mm the external measurement, or did it get narrower because of the lip you made to place the door against and therefore the 450mm is the gap closest to the inside of the oven.
Thanks again,
Tony,

[Nick J C]

450mm is the opening. The gallery itself is slightly larger (because of the lip) - perhaps 480mm

[Nick J C]

Drawn up some cad of the shelter I am planning to protect the dome

[Chalky]

Prep for render/stucco..... Copper pipe to sit on ceramic blanket, with lateral holes to allow maximum surface area for water to escape. I used 28mm, but doubt it matters. Siliconed into position so it doesn't move. I will cork it and remove to allow escape of steam, or may make a vent cap. I will use the top of the copper as my radius marker to render up to with my quadrant template.....see next post

Is the vent entirely necessary? Maybe I'm missing something but when you attached the decorative arch to the front, was the front sealed with vermicrete before attaching the arch? If not then you have space between internal arch and the gallery to allow steam out...??

[UtahBeehiver]

Best practices and cheap insurance. When liquid water sublimates to steam the volume of water increases by 1500 times which can build up pressure in the dome potentially cracking either the v/pcrete or render or both.