New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

I purposely haven't put the insulation out for that reason as I didn't want it to get wet. Unless the stars align and I have time along with good weather the insulation will have to wait until next year. However I wanted to cure the oven this year and maybe get a cook in. I'm assuming it's OK to do that?

I have tons of charcoal and can start it in the chimney starter I have and use tongs to transfer it to a stainless steel bowl that I have. Thanks for that tip, will work great

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

Also should I wait until Sunday before I start curing or am I Ok to start now?

[cobblerdave]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

G'day
I'd start with the DRYING process now. That mortar been a few weeks now and should be starting to get a lighter colour. If you plan to cook in it you have really got to get the thing dry before going for flame and high temps. Your more likely to crack you oven if its not insulated . In saying that I cooked in mine long before it was insulated, not high temps more like 9 min pizza than 90 sec ones.
I'm more concerned that you'll get to the freezing wheather with a wet oven and I'm glad that you have not put that pearl/Crete layer on as yet , they do hold lots of moisture.
Regards dave

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

G'day
I'd start with the DRYING process now. That mortar been a few weeks now and should be starting to get a lighter colour. If you plan to cook in it you have really got to get the thing dry before going for flame and high temps. Your more likely to crack you oven if its not insulated . In saying that I cooked in mine long before it was insulated, not high temps more like 9 min pizza than 90 sec ones.
I'm more concerned that you'll get to the freezing wheather with a wet oven and I'm glad that you have not put that pearl/Crete layer on as yet , they do hold lots of moisture.
Regards dave

Thanks I will start tonight after my boys go to sleep.

I had planned on insulation then chicken wire then stucco. Do I need to also add a perlite/concrete layer before the stucco?

[cobblerdave]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

G'day
You have dry insulation .... Great the standard is. 2 in but the more the better .
The pearlite layer is generally used over CF insulation just to , even out the lumps and bumps, and give more insulation before the render layer, at a cheaper cost.
Disadvantage is water, I think its said that a 1/3 is water. And that on the other side of of a very efficient insulation that the drying heat could not get through.
I was facing a very wet summer and was under pressure to seal the dome and used 4 in of rockwool over the CF blanket then chicken wire and render. I found that quicker than trying to apply pearlcrete between showers of rain and wait for it to dry under a tarp.
Regards dave

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

Only render I put on so far was a coat of home brew mortar to the outside of the oven.

I have enough Cf insulation to do 2 inches on my dome. I'm not even sure where I could get perlite at this time of year. Definately won't get nice enough weather to apply a coat of perlite/concrete mix and have it dry.



Would it be bad just to do the 2" Cf insulation and then wire and stucco? I could also source Rockwool easily so it wouldn't be much work to add that and I'm sure more insulation would be a big benefit. Will just need to see if I have the room to put it on.

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

I lucked out and we didn't get freezing temperatures and haven't got rain in a few days. I have been using charcoal to start the drying process since Tuesday and have been keeping the fire going for hours overnight and getting up early to start up more so it runs during the day as well. I'd love to keep this going continuously but with work and kids that makes it near impossible.

I will be putting on my insulation this weekend and covering with a tarp in the mean time I have been using a insulated blanket that I used to cover my smoker in winter time and it's good up to 300 degrees as far as I have experienced so far. Thinking if this thing dries out I may be able to do a lower temp cook on the weekend. Can't wait

[cobblerdave]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

G'day bigt
I wouldn't be to worried about keeping that heat going continuous . Like all water it tends to find its own level so the moisture will wick to the dryer surface . A perfect place have it for you next lot of heat I recon .
Regards dave

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

Got up early this morning and beat the rain to get the insulation on. I bought two small tarps to cover the insulation and put that blanket between them and then used my larger tarp to cover everything. A little overkill I'm sure but we get high winds here and want that insulation to stay dry.

I put in another load of charcoal in the oven and I will check the tarp for condensation before turning up the heat a bit more

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

I used some charcoal then threw a few small logs on. Fire has been going for a while now and the oven seems to be working well. It's hot wrought to cook but I have too much ash from the charcoal to cook so I'll let the fire burn out and I'll clean it tonight. Tomorrow I'll start another fire and I'm going to cook some pizza tomorrow.

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

I had a fire going yesterday for about 5-6 hours. Started off slow then ramped up to between 500-600 degrees. We had a cold night with hard frost and it's more than 24 hours later and it's still over 100 degrees and I don't even have a door!

Going to start a fire shortly and going to do some pizza's. I made 3 batches of dough and made the balls different sizes to see what I like best. I have 12,10&6 oz balls made up. Well see how this goes

[NCMan]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

Sounds like you're going to be enjoying your oven!! Congrats on all your hard work.

[cobblerdave]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

I had a fire going yesterday for about 5-6 hours. Started off slow then ramped up to between 500-600 degrees. We had a cold night with hard frost and it's more than 24 hours later and it's still over 100 degrees and I don't even have a door!

Going to start a fire shortly and going to do some pizza's. I made 3 batches of dough and made the balls different sizes to see what I like best. I have 12,10&6 oz balls made up. Well see how this goes

G'day bigt
I use the " by weight" forno recipe. 550 gm flour 325 ml water salt and yeast gives you.
4x 220 gm balls (7oz) good for 10 in pizza ( easy to handle)
Or
3X 290 gm (10 oz. ) good for a 12 in pizza ( I deliver to the oven on trays then unship onto the hearth)
You just scale up to get the quantities that you want.
Regards dave

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

Sounds like you're going to be enjoying your oven!! Congrats on all your hard work.

Thanks...Im loving the oven so far. Still have work to do but that's a spring time project.

[thebigt]

Re: New 32" build in Saskatchewan, Canada

I made my first pizza's on Sunday. I didn't have the oven going full blast so the pizza's took a few minutes to cook. I usually make my dough a day ahead of time and put int the fridge overnight and take the dough out a couple of hours beforehand, but I made these in the morning so my crust rose quite a bit more than usual and wasn't as easy to work with, but still turned out pretty good.



First pizza