My 40" Inch pizza oven in Florida

[kbartman]

Re: My 40" Inch pizza oven in Florida

KB, might be a good idea to use black silicone. I have done this before with white and it was really hard to see against the white melamine.

Yes black silicone for me...With over 40 eyeballs, I will struggle to see the black....hope it turns out ok.

I used ladder wire that is used with CMUs, the good part about ladder wire you have both compressive and tensile strength in the reinforcement. It is pretty cheap and any concrete block suppliers carry it.

Ladder wire good idea, I think I've seen some at home depot.....I wasn't considering compressive. I have some 6x6 steel mesh left over from the base, very rusty though, even what I could find locally. Didn't want any rust bleed through. Looks like the ladder wire is galvanized, much better idea.


Thank all for the help.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: My 40" Inch pizza oven in Florida

I used ladder wire that is used with CMUs, the good part about ladder wire you have both compressive and tensile strength in the reinforcement. It is pretty cheap and any concrete block suppliers carry it.

[hubert_s]

Re: My 40" Inch pizza oven in Florida

I will use silicone in all the corner for sealing and for a nice finished radius, at least I hope so.

KB, might be a good idea to use black silicone. I have done this before with white and it was really hard to see against the white melamine.

[kbartman]

Re: My 40" Inch pizza oven in Florida

Thanks Guys,
Sounds like the consensus in to protect the chip board from moisture. I think I will use frog top on that area and a little vegetable oil on the edge where I have some chipping of the melamine from a dull saw blade... The tape will also keep my screw heads clean for removal.

I will use silicone in all the corner for sealing and for a nice finished radius, at least I hope so.

I will be using 2x3 fencing material for reinforcement wire. Quikcrete showed it being used in their counter top brochure. I think It will be strong enough. I was also thinking of 3\8" rebar in addition to the wire. But I was reading it should only be used in pours greater than 2 inches, 3/8" rebar is the smallest I can find. So I was thinking of maybe some 5/16" all thread instead. What are your thoughts?

Seems like I do more thinking then work

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: My 40" Inch pizza oven in Florida

KB,

At least in one of his video, he ran a strip of duct tape along the top of the exposed melamine core. I followed this example when I did my concrete counters.

[ATK406]

Re: My 40" Inch pizza oven in Florida

. I noticed that when he poured the mixture into forms the particle board of the melamine was exposed. ????? Seem like the wood would swell and cause problems. Any once have any experience on this? Seems like it would need to be protected from moisture. Any suggestion?

That does seem strange. I thought the purpose of the melamine was to avoid water absorption by the form and to provide a smooth release surface for the concrete. I haven't used melamine for the forms myself (I'm too cheap for that). But I have used silicone on the joints and brushed vegetable oil on the surface of the plywood to keep the water in the concrete (where it belongs).

Glad to see you back on the job. You've done a fantastic job so far, look forward to seeing how you finish it off.

Good luck
AT

[stonecutter]

Re: My 40" Inch pizza oven in Florida

I used silicon on all the joints inside the forms. I taped the top of the form once, but I don't bother with that anymore...mainly because I don't use melamine for the mould itself, only the table. But since this is your first time using melamine, its probably a good idea to tape off the top or coat it with a light oil.

[cobblerdave]

Re: My 40" Inch pizza oven in Florida

G'day KB
Melamine is basically plastic coated chipboard. Tape the joints and no moisture gets through to chipboard ... No swelling . My slab on the stand was melamine with taped joints produced a beautiful smooth surface. Shame really , you only see it it if you crawl into the wood stowage and look up. No one sees it shame its possibly the smoothest piece of cement work I've even produced.
Regards dave

[kbartman]

Re: My 40" Inch pizza oven in Florida

Got started on the counter tops. I built my forms using 3/4" melamine board. I received a Fu Cheng instructional dvd with the wet polisher I purchased. The dvd is pretty informative. I noticed that when he poured the mixture into forms the particle board of the melamine was exposed. ????? Seem like the wood would swell and cause problems. Any once have any experience on this? Seems like it would need to be protected from moisture. Any suggestion?

[kbartman]

Re: My 40" Inch pizza oven in Florida

Hey KB. It's been quite awhile since I checked in on your build. I just wanted to be yet another one to congratulate you w/your build. You should be quite proud of all the hard work you have put in. I just wanted to say "nice job!!".

Thanks NC,
Just finished up a three week outage at work, 12 hours days has worked its toll on me. Going to get rested up a bit then get started on those countertops. I just need to find my motivation .....Daughter graduates end of May don't have much time.

[NCMan]

Re: My 40" Inch pizza oven in Florida

Hey KB. It's been quite awhile since I checked in on your build. I just wanted to be yet another one to congratulate you w/your build. You should be quite proud of all the hard work you have put in. I just wanted to say "nice job!!".

[kbartman]

Re: My 40" Inch pizza oven in Florida

Wow kb.. talk about elaborate.very thorough.

That underneath picture needs much more explanation.

I have gone for 10 positions.But have not made mine permanent. I am using a stainless steel probe.

I will make hearth tc permanent.

I will try to explain. The larger 3/4"conduit on the far right of the picture brings power in for lighting and receptacles. The receptacle and power is GFIC protected. The light in the corner is switched by the switch next to the power receptacle. The other two switches are dimmer type to light the oven outside.

The larger 1/2" flex leaving the gray enclosure and tying to the five smaller J-boxes along the ceiling (one not seen in picture) carries the thermocouple wire to there locations. The thermocouple wires leave the back of j-boxes and enters the tubing leading to the end where the temperature is sensed.

The last picture was before the j-boxes were mounted. Noticed each chase has the insertion depth noted to facilitate full insertion during installation and future replacements.

Hope this helps, any further details needed just let me know

[oasiscdm]

Re: My 40" Inch pizza oven in Florida

Wow kb.. talk about elaborate.very thorough.

That underneath picture needs much more explanation.

I have gone for 10 positions.But have not made mine permanent. I am using a stainless steel probe.

I will make hearth tc permanent.

[deejayoh]

Re: My 40" Inch pizza oven in Florida

Oh, yeah. That was a while ago! I still haven't gotten anywhere on the fan/door idea. Been playing around with a another project that called for thermocouples and SSR's and pots and such so very much top of mind. Maybe I will fab something up for the door idea this summer. I have a welder and the parts are cheap. shouldn't be too much trouble!

[kbartman]

Re: My 40" Inch pizza oven in Florida

I know it's been awhile Dee, don't know if you ever seen the below posts but it was your suggestion that got me such a great deal on the controller. Cant' say thanks enough. A read out only was much more expensive. Controlling temps with it, will be a experiment in the works. I just find it hard to not use the controller to its full potential.......... Much more work to do before I can play with that though. ............Concrete countertops, then oven and cabinet doors then maybe I can play

Cool idea Dee I hope to purchase a PID controller to display my temperature read outs.

KB - One last comment on the fan controller thingy.

PID controllers and Thermocouples can be had pretty cheaply at AMZN. $47 for this combo with the SS Relay. Amazon.com: IMAGE? 25A SSR-25DA Solid State Relay with Heat Sink+ Manual/ Auto-tuning PID Temperature Controller SNR: Home Improvement


I think if you combine that with a a couple of PC processor cooling fans (which should be able to take the heat at the door given what they are designed for) + a piece of steel for the door, and I think you're close to the parts you'd need.

But I don't mean to muck up your thread. I'll start a new one if I ever get going on the idea.

Oh - and Russell - I did exactly the same thing to my Rancilio! but now we've upgraded to an Izzo Alex Duetto which is fantastic. But that's another topic for a whole 'nother thread.

Hey Guys,

No worry about mucking up the thread, this discussion is all good here.

Dee,

Thanks for the great info. I just purchased that controller less the relay, heat sink and added a thermocouple that is better suited to install in my oven door for a grand total !!!!!!!!!!!! wait for it.....................$5.83 Let me say that again.......... $5.83.............................. I got free shipping and a $30 instant savings ..........

I didn't know amazon had such great deals. I can't thank you enough Dee.

Colin,
I have access to scrap thermocouple extension wire, so my cost is just my time to twist the two extension wires together and tape. The only reason I used the fiberglass tape, was the extension wire I used was only good to about 480F. I figured taping them would keep the two PFA insulated wires from shorting together before the formed twisted measuring junction which makes the thermocouple. With the tubing I used as thermo wells , I can easily pull out and replace if they go bad. A 100ft spool of fiberglass insulated wire rated at about 890F would be better suited not have to be taped, allow for multiple configurations and locations for about 60 cent a foot. TC Direct for Temperature Sensing, Measurement and Control

Don't get me wrong the premade's are a great deal and would probably hold up better, But having a spool on hand allows one to customize and repair on a whim.