Tanzania/Canada

[Gulf]

Welcome back Steve,

In those posts are some broken links pointing to an ImageShack account. Here is the full link to one of those pics (http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/1...flatcoarse.jpg). You may be able to log into your ImageShack account and retrieve them.

Hope this helps.

[SteveS]

Hello All, It's SteveS back online again from quite a hiatus. Cobbler Dave....I hope you are well. I am back in Tanzania but neglected to upload pictures of my oven build from my hard drive at home prior to my departure. I need some of those photos especially the one that shows the re-bar I installed in the floor of the oven as we are going to attempt to move the oven to a different location. When I went to look on the forum, they don't seem to be included in the original posts where they were originally. There are only a few. Does anyone know why these photos aren't attached to the original posts anymore and if or where I can find them?

[cobblerdave]

Re: Tanzania/Canada

Dear SteveS
Thought about you the other day and showed an old mate your thread. Well hows things with you?
With myself....well the oven outwest hasn't happened yet ...just to wet
O by the way remember how I got you interested in building the arch for the entrance guess what....



Had problems with the damp and deceided to extent the entrance.... and funny about that the two ovens look pretty similar now...
love to hear from you

regards and god bless
Dave

[cobblerdave]

Re: Tanzania/Canada

Dear SteveS

Great to see you great works refected on the faces of the kids.....
"Your a good man Charlie Brown" is certainly the best way to sum things up.
Just re-read the whole post. I have loved the chance to take a few steps with you on your journey. . Admire that you built a great oven with some pretty lo tec building materials. (Can not believe I took "Bricky in Oz" to task there at one stage.)
Can't wait till you start another oven it going to me "Beaut" for sure.... you'll have access to so many more materials and tools .... Just put a post in the Ozzie section so I don't miss it

Enjoy the spring
God bless
Cobblerdave

[SteveS]

Re: Tanzania/Canada

Thanks for the kind words Laurentius. That qoute (based on the character for children's enjoyment) reminds me of the kids at our center there. Thanks for putting a smile on my face!

Cheers SteveS.

[Laurentius]

Re: Tanzania/Canada

Hi SteveS,

It was totally wonderful to see the happy faces that you help provide with your labor of love. My hat off to you. "You're a good man Charlie Brown".

[SteveS]

Re: Tanzania/Canada

Hello Dave....and yes I am still out here, although I am now on a diffferent continent and in a different hemisphere.

It is 8:00 am here in my home town of Simcoe, Ontario, Canada and as I sit here and type I can't help but become so emotional about what I have experienced over the last 2 months. I am here with my cup of tea in a quiet house. The sun is rising in the east and the soft music I turned on earlier is soothing to my ear. My wife is still in Africa doing so many good things and will be returning next month. For the time being I will begin the spring start up of our farm and continue to tackle the todo list which incidently includes the construction of a new T-14 purple martin house. I am a great fancier of these birds.

I must apologize to all of you here on the forum for not writing this post sooner. I did return early on Friday but continue to struggle with the 8 hour time change. As they were last year, upon returning, my migranes have been severe and constant. I forced myself to stay up yesterday and last night had the best sleep so far. I feel quite refreshed this morning and am headache free....whew!

As I mentioned earlier about being emotional, it goes part in parcel when reflecting on life and the paths that it leads you on. One of those (all be it) short paths, but oh so important and worth while ones, was this oven building project and ALL the help and encouragement I recieved from everyone here, especially you Dave.

Through the the marvel of modern communication my questions were answered, and everyones ideas, advice, and encouragement was shared. To all of you who participated ...thank-you, thank-you, thank-you! Through all of your help I was able to complete the oven and now our Tumaini Children's Foundation family can enjoy a variety of food prepared in it.

On the day that I left I picked up the door that I had had made which was 1 inch thick wood covered on all sides (except the outside) with 2 mm thick sheet metal and we finally had "The Mother of all Fires" and cleared the dome to a white hot. I was amazed to see whenever a fire is first lit, as white smoke accumulates in the dome it stays a consistant 8 inches above the oven floor throughout the oven while filling the dome and then exits out the chimney. The 63% door height ratio to the dome height really seems to work well as well as the pumice cement insulating layer.

On the menu for that evening was roasted chicken pieces and vegtables with mashed potatoes and gravey with a piece of avacado. It was a very special meal as chicken is a real treat!

The only thing left to do is to cover the outside of the dome with a layer of stucco which will be done next week. Also they will improve the serving/resting area around the front of the vent opening. Fortunately we were able to cover the oven area the day before with sheet metal to protect it from the rains that should be arriving soon.

I am planning to build another oven this spring here at home and will no doubt be returning to the forum.

Attached are a few pictures. Thanks again to everyone here from everyone at The Tumaini Children's Foundation in Usa River, Arusha, Tanzania, Africa. (tuchifo.com helping children in East Africa)

[cobblerdave]

Re: Tanzania/Canada

SteveS
You still out there? is there any more details to add to this story? love to hear more

Regards Dave

[cobblerdave]

Re: Tanzania/Canada

SteveS
You little Ripper!!!! its done.....you had me worried there... thought is was like the book you know the one read the whole lot, get to the end... yep last 5 pages are missing.
Oven looks good!! bread looks great!!!
Cleaning the bricks of the lime scale try Vinegar scrubing brush and water to wash it off... not as powerful as some acids but it works and I'm sure you can find some.

Congrats again
Cobbler dave

[SteveS]

Re: Tanzania/Canada

Just another quick question....is there a product that I might be able to get hee to clean the dried cement and residue off the outside face of the vent and chimney bricks?

Cheers, SteveS.

[SteveS]

Re: Tanzania/Canada

You're close Dave! I leave on Wednesday night.

Thought that I would post a few photos to show my progress. Curing temp is up to 550 degrees. Thought that we would try a bake while curing at that temp. Put the loaf pan on a couple of bricks to the right of the fire. Followed some of the great instructions on the Forno Bravo bread making pdf. and prestolemungo! Awonderful loaf with an egg wash and natural sugar carmalized on top in just 30 minutes. I left it in a little longer than the 22 minutes recommended since the coals had died down a bit. Internal bread temp was 200 degrees....took it out, put a bit more wood in to take it back up to temp and shared warm bread with many small appreciative appetites.

Cheers, SteveS.

[cobblerdave]

Re: Tanzania/Canada

SteveS
By my calulations 1! day till you leave.......How goes the battle?????

Regards
Dave

[dmun]

Re: Tanzania/Canada

but I don't have the time

Decide in haste, repent at leisure.

Think if you have time to rebuild it if you crank it up to temperature too early and get it full of cracks.

[david s]

Re: Tanzania/Canada

Yes,
Crank up that Hibachi and keep it burning constantly but gently, for a few days. Monitor the moisture on the outside, then progress to larger fires until you are satisfied that the moisturevhas gone. Then do the stucco, cover with cling wrap to keep it moist, for strength and you're done.

[SteveS]

Re: Tanzania/Canada

Thanks Dave,

I love the charcoal idea. I have plenty of that. I also have a small hibachi grill that can hold the charcoal for the low slow burn so it is not just sitting on the oven floor.

Now I read that the idea is to cure the oven slowly which I understand lets the oven get used to to the natural expansion and contraction that occurs when you get the temperature up to 800-900 degrees and then as it cools back down to room temperature no cracking occurs.

What your suggesting is that since I'm on a tight time, keep the charcoal going at a sustained low temperature to drive out as much moisture as possible before starting to raise the heat/cool....right?

By the by, my thoughts on closing the door on the paper fire was to do that after the fire was out. I hope you don't think that since I'm below the equator, I think oxygen isn't needed for combustion...lol. Thanks again for quick reply and help on this!

Cheers, SteveS.