Texman Build

[texman]

Re: Texman Build

Made some progress, even in December!

I have stained my stainless. I have small spots that seem to have etched the stainless. not bad, but crap! I think it is mortar from the color of the stain. Would the cement etch the metal? I used some acid mix and that helped some, but can't get it completely shiny. Any advice?

Pic 1 is the start of my Pergola. I am using Cedar 2x8 that span 18'. Planning on 12" on center spacing for those and 2x2 on top at 3" spacing. That should slow the Texas sun a little. I am staining the 2x8 on the ground before placement (much easier)

Pic 2 is the final trim, stain and varnish of the cedar above the counters to match the lower cabinets. Top looks a little darker, but please with the outcome. I need one final varnish coat on that to slick it up some.

Pic 3 current wfo status. I canceled my stainless order for the door and landing and gave myself a $845.00 savings for Christmas. i have been looking at all the doors out there, and gonna take a stab myself. (DJ's is my target) The landing has my temp floor tiles. I might keep them. They already have a few stains from cooking. They are not set, just setting there. I may go back and pour concrete and polish. Also, My brick on my base seem dingy. I have cleaned several times with diluted muriatic and still look like this. MAybe use stronger mix? I may seal with the gloss i have left from the bar. Any thoughts ?

[Gulf]

Re: Texman Build

A little wipe down with a wet sponge will give some idea of what it will look like sealed. There will be a variance between gloss, simigloss, and satin though.

[texman]

Re: Texman Build

Working on doors for the oven. The one in the pic is the 50 cent plywood and foil model that works good. I am really curios to "spec" my ovens heat retainage qualities once i have a real door. Even using the plywood door, it holds heat for a long time.I am thinking two doors: One for bread and another for smoking. The smoker door will be uninsulated and have variable vents at the bottom for air control and a smaller vent at top for smoke release to chimney. I have seen others make a door for the outer arch for smoking. I was thinking to make one that fits the inner arch for better heat management. Any thoughts on that?

I sealed the brick on the base of the oven and used the floor tiles for a landing. May change the entry later, but works well and didn't cost anything!

Still working on the pergola, but ladders and roofs with ice will stop all progress.

I think that staining the concrete in the kitchen for my floor is the way to go. I have a slope to my floor slab and no room for any floor thickness at the door into the house.

I had to post something to break the winter blah.

Tracy

[mrchipster]

Re: Texman Build

I do not have a smoker door but I do have two doors. one that has 4 inches of insulation for heat retention and the other lightly insulated with a window. I find that having a window for baking bread very useful. More heat loss but not that much and it is easy to see the food in the later stages of cooking without removing the door, thus saving heat.

I typically bake bread with the heavy door on for the first 6-8 minutes, then let out the steam and put on the window door, The window door does steam up for a few minutes until the temperature equalizes then after that it is clear.

Chip

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Texman Build

Hey Tex,

Long time, at least you can do some work. I am basically shutdown with snow and cold. Like you idea using an inner door with lower and upper vents for smoking. Would be interesting to hear if this will work. Mr. Chip, I saw you window in the door before but can't exactly remember what the glass is. Is it a glass over from a skillet?

[mrchipster]

Re: Texman Build

Hey Tex,

Long time, at least you can do some work. I am basically shutdown with snow and cold. Like you idea using an inner door with lower and upper vents for smoking. Would be interesting to hear if this will work. Mr. Chip, I saw you window in the door before but can't exactly remember what the glass is. Is it a glass over from a skillet?

Just a 99 cent thrift store pyrex pan lid with a metal rim on the outer edge and a hole in the center for the handle. I tried a thermometer in the hole initially but the door tipped over once and bent it so I went to an in the door thermometer.

I do not use the thermometer much as it is highly affected by the cold air outside and seems to read about 100F or more low.

Because baking temps are reasonable I just seated the glass door in 600 degree Silicone, and it is working out great.

Cooked Pizza on new years eve and it was 5 F. (-15C for the rest of the world)

Chip

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Texman Build

thx for the info, I will keep on the lookout for an old pyrex pan cover now. BTW, have not even been up on the slopes yet although my coworkers say the snow is getting better each day.

[texman]

Re: Texman Build

great info guys!
Chip, I like that door with the pyrex. I was thinking of using the neoceram like jcg, but pyrex is a great idea. I remember reading about your door during my build. Glad to be working on little things now. I was all set for the stainless door and just decided it was stupid to spend $450 bux on a door. I like the idea of the wood veneer on the insulated door too. Should help somewhat with heat retention and will look good too. Thanks for the tip. Man that is cold. I cooked on christmas day in a blizzard at about 20 deg. Wasnt too bad in the kitchen and stayed sheltered and out of the wind. For some reason, nobody stayed out there with me very long. That was fine too, just watching the snow go by with a nice grolsch and listening to the fire.

Russell

You must be stuck at the base slopes then? good to hear from you and hope you get a chance to do some winter cooking. Nice to be around the fire outside in all the snow. I will keep you posted.

Tracy

[Laurentius]

Re: Texman Build

Why on earth would you have to spend $450 on an oven door?? You can pick up two sheets or steel for about $25, scrape insulation from your build, pay a welder $10 to $50 for 15-30 minutes of work. Make me a pizza, with glass of wine, and you can keep the rest to buy some oven tools.

[deejayoh]

Re: Texman Build

I agree with your thinking Laurentius - but in my experience, there is no way you can get a welder to build you a door that cheaply. I built my own. The metal was about $40 (from onlinemetals dot com, no shipping since they're right down the street). Then I put an ad in Craigslist "gigs" offering $100 for welding - got no takers. Funny thing is that I then found a used HF flux welder and mask for $80 on CL and used it to weld myself.

[Laurentius]

Re: Texman Build

Hi DJ,

Thanks for sharing that information, now there's something else I can add to my short list of cheap things available in Japan. The total cost of my welded steel insulated door, a was about $50 plus a loaf of WFO baked sour dough bread, and in return for the bread I received a large($35) bottle of Sake and a new friend.

[texman]

Re: Texman Build

Laurentius
You got a great deal! I just thought I would share my short stainless story in case others were considering that material for a door. My area is covered anyway, so rust won't be a problem.
Tracy

[texman]

Re: Texman Build

I built a wood storage dolly this weekend. Actually had all the stuff laying around except the handle. Made the storage out of 3/4" plywood and added four casters. Made the front out of cedar and stained and varnished to match cabinets.

I had a template cut that i have been trying to use to get my oven door built. But, the Dog ate my homework. Template gone. Some day i will have an oven door.

Wood for the pergola is stained and ready to set. Letting it get dry. Weather is finally giving a break, should be 60-70s all week.

Tracy

[deejayoh]

Re: Texman Build

Very nice. Looking forward to seeing that door!

[Gulf]

Re: Texman Build

New addition to Lburou's

Thank you Lburou,
I really had hoped for this addition ! Very few diserve this more than Tracy. A great build, from a guy who will not settle for just anything. If it was not to his satisfaction, he was willing to start over until it was right.
Aidan, Tu, and Russell, will you join me in congratulating another standout in the Class of 2012 .
We learned so much from the pioneers of this forum. There is no telling what the class of 2013+ will do.