Cheesesteak's WFO build - Take Two.

[chidding]

Re: Cheesesteak's WFO build - Take Two.

That first fire must feel amazing, makes me want to have a sick day and go home to work on the oven.

And wow.. you live next to buckingham palace? :P

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Cheesesteak's WFO build - Take Two.

Great-looking oven, 'Steak. I really like the round arches of your entryway. Can't wait to see the finished product!

[Cheesesteak]

Re: Cheesesteak's WFO build - Take Two.

Well . . . I've made some more progress in the 100 degree heat.

I didn't like the draw with the 8" clay flue liner (6" inside diameter) - so I ripped it out and went and picked up some 8x13 oval clay flue liner. Installed and draws like a champ.

Lit another fire - a bit bigger this time.



I also wrapped the dome in insulating blanket (that stuff is nasty) and framed the enclosure with steel studs. I wanted an overhang in the front - because I built the stand to accommodate a counter in front.



I added some reinforcement here and there, cut the OSB roof sheeting and installed.



I don't know if I should be concerned at all with the opening for the clay liner. I've got steel studs around 1" off the liner, and set the wood roof around 2 1/2 - 3" back from the liner, and wrapped some of the insulating blanket between the liner and wood sheeting. My plan is to construct a metal / concrete board / cultured stone chimney with a real stone chimney cap.



Any reason I should be concerned about the clay liner? I'm going to have several air vents in the enclosure for ventilation.

Thanks - and Happy 4th to those in the U.S.

[Aegis]

Re: Cheesesteak's WFO build - Take Two.

I'm jealous with the progress you are making and the great build! Just simply beautiful! I am not jealous with the 100 degree temps for sure! I was hoping to be further along a avoid hot weather myself. Great job!

[Cheesesteak]

Re: Cheesesteak's WFO build - Take Two.

Thanks . . .

After some thought - I've decided to undo some of what I've done and enclose the clay flue liner. I'm going to wrap it in the ceramic blanket insulation and enclose it with a concrete board enclosure.

Yesterday - I took off the roof sheeting and some metal supports, and cut one of the trusses so I can install the concrete board enclosure.



I hope to get the enclosure finished and installed tonight after work. It's only going to be 99 degrees today . . .

One step forward, two steps back . . .

[Cheesesteak]

Re: Cheesesteak's WFO build - Take Two.

Alrighty . . .

I've addressed the chimney / flue issue. I wrapped the clay flue liner with insulating blanket.



And then I slid the concrete board chase over the chimney and set it in a bed of mortar at the base of the chimney:



The principle here is the same as the double walled steel chimney pipe. That's simply two steel tubes with insulating wool blanket between. It should work . . . right?

I spent some time re-installing some metal bracing and will complete that task tonight - hopefully get the roof sheeting back on as well. Tomorrow - I hope to install the backerboard on the rest of the enclosure and maybe get the metal roof on.

Have a great weekend!

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Cheesesteak's WFO build - Take Two.

I really like your concrete board flue enclosure. Should work a treat. BTW - Where did you get your clay flue liner?
John

[Cheesesteak]

Re: Cheesesteak's WFO build - Take Two.

John -

Thanks - the enclosure was an attempt to avoid heat build up in the enclosure without building a stone / brick chimney - which I wasn't prepared to do. If i backed up to the beginning - I probably would have opted for the duravent pipe. I didn't realize you needed to enclose the flue liner as well. Lesson learned.

I picked up the clay liner direct from HC Muddox - which is right down the road from me. The liner is also sold at lots of stone yards.

I looked on the HC Muddox website and they say there's a distributor in Orange, Ca - which shouldn't be far from you.

Thompson Bld Materials
141 W. Taft Ave.
Orange, CA 92863
Phone: 714-637-7373
Website: Thompson Building Materials

I gotta tell ya I love the soapstone floor in your oven. All of my kitchen counters are soapstone (may have said that before) and I'm looking to do my landing and outdoor counters with soapstone . . .

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Cheesesteak's WFO build - Take Two.

Thanks for the compliment. I am really anxious to get my oven completed so I can see how the soapstone performs. After reviewing the soapstone floor pics from Stevenb, I am now a little concerned at how long the floor will last before it begins to crack but I will address that if/when it occurs.

I'm envious of your countertops. I'll bet they are a joy to work on and their beauty is unquestioned. How do they handle oils and other liquid spills? I'm wondering what my floor will look like after many pizzas and spillovers. Hopefully the polished black side (vs unpolished gray) will tolerate burned cheese/meats etc well.

Thanks also for the lead. I actually called Thompson this morning and they are getting back to me with a quote so I'm guessing it's a special order item. I found another local vendor and will be calling them up too.
John

[Aegis]

Re: Cheesesteak's WFO build - Take Two.

I too like the cement board "chimney" I would have no idea if it will work or not. But may I ask why you didn't do a brick and mortar chimney with the flue liner? I am almost afraid to ask since that was my plan. Besides being ignorant of most of this build, what else am I missing with the chimney build?
Thanks in Advance
John

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Cheesesteak's WFO build - Take Two.

Hey Cheesesteak,

Thompson and the other local Superior Clay dealer doesn't carry 8"id clay flue tiles because they aren't common enough. Are yours the 1' sections of 8"x13"? Thompson has these in stock for $14.14ea. Thx.

[Cheesesteak]

Re: Cheesesteak's WFO build - Take Two.

Thanks for the compliment. I am really anxious to get my oven completed so I can see how the soapstone performs. After reviewing the soapstone floor pics from Stevenb, I am now a little concerned at how long the floor will last before it begins to crack but I will address that if/when it occurs.

I'm envious of your countertops. I'll bet they are a joy to work on and their beauty is unquestioned. How do they handle oils and other liquid spills? I'm wondering what my floor will look like after many pizzas and spillovers. Hopefully the polished black side (vs unpolished gray) will tolerate burned cheese/meats etc well.

John - We love our countertops! We've got quite a bit of counter (big kitchen) and had the fabricator make our kitchen and island prep sink out of soapstone. We also had him cut drain notches next to the sink that drain to the sink. We don't put anything on them - no oil, nothing - and love the way they look. Care is incredibly easy - but they do scratch (I think it adds character to the stone).





And, yes - I did use the 8x13. Note that the dimensions are not interior dimensions. I went to Muddox and initially got the 8" - but it was O.D. - with an approx. 6" I.D. I tried it - fired the oven and wasn't happy with the draw - that's why I took it down and rebuilt with the 8x13. Draws quite nice now. I think I paid around $11 per 1' section - but I got it at the source. $14 or so sounds right.

[Cheesesteak]

Re: Cheesesteak's WFO build - Take Two.

I too like the cement board "chimney" I would have no idea if it will work or not. But may I ask why you didn't do a brick and mortar chimney with the flue liner? I am almost afraid to ask since that was my plan. Besides being ignorant of most of this build, what else am I missing with the chimney build?
Thanks in Advance
John

Aegis (the other John . . . ) - the cement board is just a casing for my 8x13 clay flue liner. I didn't want to build a brick chimney - and didn't realize that the clay flue needs to be enclosed in something (other than the pizza oven enclosure). Brick / masonry is likely the best way to go - but I wanted to get it enclosed in something - I figured insulating blanket and a cement board enclosure would serve the purpose.

So - you're not missing anything . . . I just missed the need to enclose the flue liner . . .

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Cheesesteak's WFO build - Take Two.

Care is incredibly easy - but they do scratch (I think it adds character to the stone).

I hear ya. The base of the wet circular saw I used to cut the curve on my SS left a nice, uniform series of scratches around the perimeter of one of the slabs, but hey - imagine the character dragging pots, sliding pans and scooping peels will create!

Beautiful counters, dude. Your black sink with the brick backsplash looks strangely familiar! Thanks for sharing.

[Cheesesteak]

Re: Cheesesteak's WFO build - Take Two.

John -

You can sand those scratches out - start with 80 and go up to 220 - that's how the fabricator blended the seam in my counter. He said every 5 years or so you can lightly sand the counters to bring them back to "new."