Wood Fired Beehive in Utah

[Amac]

Re: Wood Fired Beehive in Utah

That looks cosy Russell - something to ward off the autumnal chill that suddenly descended here. Talking of cracks last light I went to see my favourite Canadiian - Leonard Cohen at Kilmainham - and at 77 he is still skipping off (and back on for encores) the stage like a schoolkid. I was reminded of ovens (of all things!) by his lines in Anthem:

Ring the bells that still can ring
forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in ..

which I take to mean nothing is perfect (least of all ovens - that's why we love them)
I think I will change the name to "Anthem - to the WFO"
Good luck with curing:

PS - if you zoom in you might just be able to make out the words of those last two lines used as a slogan for the concert on the poster just above the above the screen showing one of his musicians.

[Amac]

Re: Wood Fired Beehive in Utah

It's all relative isn't it - you call the 80s "cool" - that would be almost unbearably hot - we went from 60s to 40s(F) about 20 to below 10 (C) last hight was cold. I haven't finished yet but I will post pics later of what I didi so far. I love it - but it is hard - and messy - but satisfying - work

[bluecrow]

Re: Wood Fired Beehive in Utah

Your build looks great. -Way to be patient with the curing. I'm planning a poured, polished countertop too. I think I'll pour around the base of my decorative, stone arch though so I won't be on it for awhile.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Wood Fired Beehive in Utah

Bluecrow,

Thanks for the compliment. Seems polished concrete is the one of the WFO rages. I am getting ready to form this weekend. Kind of hard to keep working on the exterior of the oven when the oven is functional, well almost. Maybe a couple more curing fires.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Wood Fired Beehive in Utah

Another curing fire, getting to pizza temps 600-650F floor 700s plus dome but dome not clearing yet. Seeing some minor cracking in the outside cladding but need to look inside the dome after it cools or clears to see what is happening inside. Think I am getting close to cooking something, maybe a HungryMan TV dinner LOL.............no pizza tools yet, using a hoe as an ash rake, square nose shovel as a ash pan, and no peel yet. Got to get busy with the plasma cutter. I have a 3'X6' feet of 316 SS which will be my door and tool material. Urethane coated all the exposed edges of the melamine (for the polished concrete forms)tonight while curing.

[deejayoh]

Re: Wood Fired Beehive in Utah

Russell -
Did you buy a sheet or shelving for your forms? I bought the melamine coated shelves for my forms. I think I have enough where the edges are coated that I won't have to expose any of the pressboard where I need to coat it.

I hear what you are saying about the tools. I did buy a banjo peel and a broom, but I still move my fire with a 2x4 saved from my forms, and use a shovel to clean out the oven.

looking forward to seeing that SS door. My welder will only do mild steel, so that's what I'm using.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Wood Fired Beehive in Utah

Formed up for polished concrete counter. Have to say not near as much fun as building the dome but done none the less. Bought my ladder wire yesterday and will cut and wire up tomorrow. Having a big in-law party tonight, was suppose to be what I was gearing for getting the oven done but it was not in the stars. Off by a week or so. So we are having delivery instead

My brother -in -law scored me a hospital blanket heater for my dough proofer. Cool, all stainless steel and the size of a small refrigerator. Going to do something like Karangi Dude did. Will post pics when I get it.

[Gulf]

Re: Wood Fired Beehive in Utah

Formed up for polished concrete counter......My brother -in -law scored me a hospital blanket heater for my dough proofer. Cool, all stainless steel and the size of a small refrigerator. Going to do something like Karangi Dude did. Will post pics when I get it.

Looks great Russell,
You will be able to set up an assembley line on either side >

I may have to get back into the military surplus (DRMO) like my dad did after he retired. He came up with all sorts of unheard of stuff which was usefull for something else, other than it was origionaly intended.
About 20 years ago he bidded on and won a potato pealer. He used it until he passed as a fish scaler. He loaned it out many times, and to this day is used for it's "origional purpose" to peal potatoes for fund raising benifts.

I also remember a fire hose dryer that he bought that was eventually turned into a smoker . It may would have worked for proofing. I will stay tuned to see how the "blanket warmer" works out.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Wood Fired Beehive in Utah

Finished ladder wire in concrete counter pour and finished and routed thermocouples Here's a picture of the hospital blanket heater I am going to use as a dough proofer. Serious/party size proofer. SWMBO just gives me one of those looks...........

[Bookemdanno]

Re: Wood Fired Beehive in Utah

Russ, with evey looky-see i make on your build i love it more and more!
Inspired thought about the outer arch, which i'm presuming you insulation now butts up behind?

[thak4]

Re: Wood Fired Beehive in Utah

I love your dough proofer! Can't wait to see how counter top turns out.

[clofgreen]

Re: Wood Fired Beehive in Utah

Its been awhile since I've visited your thread. What amazing progress and exceptional craftsmanship. Can't wait to see the final build.

Craig

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Wood Fired Beehive in Utah

thak4,

We will see on the counter top, first time doing a polished counter, been following AMAC on his. Spent some time cleaning the labels off wine and beer bottles yesterday that I am crushing to place in the surface during the pour. I guess stay tune good or bad....

Yeah the proofer is huge, but take a look at Karangi Dude's proofer and it is cool. I get alot good ideas from him as well as others on this forum.

[texman]

Re: Wood Fired Beehive in Utah

Hey Russell
I like that proofer. Great idea. Karangi is always up to something. Keep pluggin, you are almost there. Your concrete is gonna look cool with that glass. I bet you are tired from drinking all that wine and beer and then having to break and clean the bottles. Hard work, but somebody has to do it.
Tracy

[clofgreen]

Re: Wood Fired Beehive in Utah

Thx Craig,

How the pizza oven working? I think we will be the last few builders to use the old Geneva Steel brick. BTW, they played @#$ with the diamond blades on a dome build.

Oven is working fabulously. I've found that those Geneva bricks take a bit longer to heat up than what I've read is average on the forum, but it also seems like they hold their heat a lot better. I cooked 24 pies for 36 guests and it cooked 'em as fast as I could make 'em. After cooking my first batches at 900 degrees, I've backed off on the temps. I'm now cooking them at about 850 dome, 780 floor. That has been a perfect balance. They take between 90 seconds and two minutes per pie.