Everyone says I'm crazy for trying to move my oven

[SteveP]

I have just moved to a new home and plan on taking my WFO before the old house sells. I'm taking a bath on the old home, so I decided to take the WFO with me. It was never intended to be portable, but after assessing the oven, I think I can transport it. The concrete base sits on the ground and is 9" thick with two rings of #5 rebar around the perimeter just under the block base for wood storage. The block base has concrete poured into the corners and the center cavities in the walls. The block base is tied to the hearth floor with #5 rebar and the hearth was poured with #5 rebar grid 12" on center. I'm expecting some cracking on the base and the entire structure but not complete failure. I estimate the weight of the entire unit to be about 8,000 pounds and will require the use of an all terrain forklift to lift and place onto railroad tie dunnage on a trailer. I plan on documenting the WFO relocation and hope to report back with good news.

Everyone tells me to just build another one, but I spent too much time and money on this one and just cannot let it go with the house.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Everyone says I'm crazy for trying to move my oven

It shouldn't be a problem. I would drill into the base slab and epoxy in 4 1" pins to use as lifting eyes instead of trying to fork it though. You will need a 12,000# forklift or crane, and that is no small or cheap thing.

[Bacterium]

Re: Everyone says I'm crazy for trying to move my oven

Stevep if you are pretty happy with your oven why not.......assuming you get your moving plan right.
I moved house but decided not to take my first oven as I want to improve on it. It's funny how many people asked me if I was going to take my oven along knowing how passionate I am about WFOs.

I guess something you are considering is how to get the new oven spot to the right.level to accept its new spot?


With oven number 2 (in progress) , before I poured the base slab I made the ground level very smooth/flat in case I want to take it with me. My intent then was so that a forklift can get under it like you suggest with yours....will watch your progress with interest and hope you pull it off.

[Neil2]

Re: Everyone says I'm crazy for trying to move my oven

If I ever had to move my oven, I would probably just diamante it and re-assemble it at the new site. A new pad is cheap. The cost is in the bricks.

First, I would try to sell it to the new owners.

[Gulf]

Re: Everyone says I'm crazy for trying to move my oven

I ain't movin', they can just seal me up in the wood storage .

[SteveP]

Re: Everyone says I'm crazy for trying to move my oven

Well, I got it moved. I coldn't take the entire structure due to weight limitations. I used a cut and break saw and cut the upper slab from the lower support. This was pretty difficult due to the rebar I imbeded into slab. Once I got it cut, I used a Lull to pick up the upper portion and used a trailer to move it about 200 miles. I tried to salvage the lower wood storage portion but had to demolish it. The bottom slab suffered no damage and it will stay at the house. I business portion of the oven suffered zero damage during the move and now it sits at my new house ready to be put on supports. I thought about how to level it on the new support because the under side of the oven still has about 1" of concrete left from the cut; couldnt cut it flush with the upper slab. I belive I can put 4 bottle jacks under the oven and level it out that way and where there is a gap between the oven slab and and lower support, I can use high strength grout and that should support it. That's the plan anyway.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Everyone says I'm crazy for trying to move my oven

Jack it, shim it, and use non-shrink grout, no biggie.