Chip's 42 in Minnesota

[mrchipster]

Re: Chip's 42 in Minnesota

More door work yesterday, I decided to upgrade my well insulated door to remove the metal handles, recess the thermometer into the door, add a wood face, and two wood handles.

Pictures in order
1. Original door front
2. Modified door front
3. Modified door side (note wood cut back)
4. Modified door back (note thermometer probe)
5. Original door back (note thermometer probe)

The reasons for the changes.

1) Metal handles were hot enough to need pot holders when the oven was in the 800F degree range, so I wanted to get wood handles on the door.

2) Thermometer barely entered into the oven as you can see from the last photo. The probe was reading about 100 to 150 degrees low because it was primarily embedded in insulation. It is much more accurate now.

3) Added wood face for two reasons, first is aesthetic, I like the look better. Second is it seems to add another layer of insulation slowing the radiation of heat from the exposed aluminum surface.

The wood (cedar) is glued to the aluminum surface with hi temp silicone, and cut back from the edge about 1 inch to reduce the contact with the very high temp edge; The wood may not survive the heat long term but I thought I would give it a try. No real data yet but I think the heat loss via the radiating heat from the metal has gone down. Time will tell.

4) Wood handles worked so well on window door I decided to add to the well insulated door.

Chip

[mrchipster]

Re: Chip's 42 in Minnesota

I made a few batches of pizza sause with the fresh tomatoes and it was very tasty. I also made a few batches of salsa, and they make great salsa as well. Gives it a nice sweet flavor.

Randy

Picked a few today, The larger ones have their roots in the ground the smaller ones are from the plants in pots.

Chip

[RandyJ]

Re: Chip's 42 in Minnesota

I made a few batches of pizza sause with the fresh tomatoes and it was very tasty. I also made a few batches of salsa, and they make great salsa as well. Gives it a nice sweet flavor.

Randy

[mrchipster]

Re: Chip's 42 in Minnesota

How did your San marzzano tomatoes turn out? I got a ton of them from my plant.

Randy

Sweet and tasty none of them have made it to pizza yet but have used in a couple of salads and just eaten off the vine. Two in pots are producing but plants are small the 4 in the ground are huge and just started to produce red fruit, squirrels have gotten several of the low hanging pink ones so we are waiting.

Chip

[RandyJ]

Re: Chip's 42 in Minnesota

Wow that looks prett cool. Glad it worked out so well. How did your San marzzano tomatoes turn out? I got a ton of them from my plant.

Randy

[mrchipster]

Re: Chip's 42 in Minnesota

Twenty four hour temperature report. Not as good as my 4 inch thick insulated door but not bad Temp 305F after 24 hours down 115F. It was 58 F last night. and got to 83F today.

I think it will make a fine baking door.

I still need to put a rope seal on the door so it may get a little better.

Chip

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Chip's 42 in Minnesota

Points for originality, aesthetics, and coolness!

Not to mention effectiveness!

[ggoose]

Re: Chip's 42 in Minnesota

Points for originality, aesthetics, and coolness!

[mrchipster]

Re: Chip's 42 in Minnesota

Pictures with porthole door in place.

That temp is 390F 4 hours after first reading of 420F (middle photo). And the door had been off a few times. For fitting and other things.

Chip

[mrchipster]

Re: Chip's 42 in Minnesota

Well the porthole door is done and performs beautifully, I tested it with a well saturated oven with a starting temp of 420F 215C and after two hours the temp dropped to 410F 210C so I am very happy with the performance. Ambient was about 75F 24C.

I used a 5/16 square u-bolt cut in half to provide standoffs for the wood handles. The handles are drilled in the ends so the receive the cut end of the u-bolt.

I decided to use the handle hole to put in a thermometer held in place with two silicone washers.

(Sorry Al, no nautical theme design yet.) and No bread yet John

Here are the photos.

Chip

[SCChris]

Re: Chip's 42 in Minnesota

Arg! It's looking like it'll work fine Captain Chip!

Chris

I have visions with Kurt Russel as Captain Ron!! There are some great moments in that movie..

Arg!!

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Chip's 42 in Minnesota

Aye, it's ookin' great, Chip. Can't wait to see the shot of the artisan bread browning inside!

[mrchipster]

Re: Chip's 42 in Minnesota

Interesting idea Chip...I am curious to see how well it holds the heat. Perhaps an additional lid directly opposite the one you have would increase the insulating value if you conclude one is insufficient. Please let us know...

That is a good idea. since I bought the lid at a thrift store finding an exact match may be interesting. but I will try it with a single window first to see how it works. I would need to have one or the other glass windows removable to be able to clean the inside if needed.

I am planning on using High temp silicone to seal the glass window in place. and there is a small gap between the inner panel and the outer to try and reduce heat loss. The only contact points are where the rivet straps contact both surfaces. I may also add a wood layer on the outside to also reduce some of the heat loss.

First trial run will need to be next week sometime because the oven is to hot right now to do the final fitting

I will be putting something in the handle hole in the center maybe something nautical to appease Al.

Chip

[mrchipster]

Re: Chip's 42 in Minnesota

Yarh me matey, tis a port hole........yarh....

Arghh.. Guessin me haven the need to find me a nice Parrot bird, or monkey for me shoulder.

All riveted together with my land lubber stainless rivets still needs handles and a little adjustment before mounting the port hole glass.

Some left over FB board as the insulator only .75 thick.

Chip

[ggoose]

Re: Chip's 42 in Minnesota

Interesting idea Chip...I am curious to see how well it holds the heat. Perhaps an additional lid directly opposite the one you have would increase the insulating value if you conclude one is insufficient. Please let us know...