Randy's dreams do come true oven build

[RandyJ]

Well I finally got around to starting the grouting of my stone veneer. It went better than I thought it might. I spent an hour or so and got half of the biggest side done. So I think about 4 or 5 more nights like last night and I will be done. I am planning to get it done by the time the snow flies.

I am now up to 36 pizza out of the oven. It still amazes me how it can cook so fast and still not burn.

Randy

[Greenman]

Congratulations Randy. Your oven looks great. You must be happy with the results of your good work.
Enjoy.

[sharptailhunter]

Looks really good Randy! Well done!!

[gastagg]

Beautiful Randy!

[Gulf]

Congratulations Randy,
That is a great looking oven. There will be a lot more good times and great food to come .

[RandyJ]

It has been almost a month now since I last posted. I have finally finished my stone work on the enclosure. It wound up being almost as much work if not more than building the dome. I am very happy with how it turned out. So now I just need to grout it witch that looks like it will be a job in and of itself. But it feels very good to have that done and I am at least one step closer to being done.

I have also finally decided on how I am going to do my vent floor. I after much thought and discussionwith other fourm members am going with fire bricks not stainless steel. For my heat break I am leaving a 3/8" gap witch will be stuffed with ceramic rope and the top will be left to fill with ash. I also am leaving a pice of cardboard as a expansion joint on the sides. I think I am going to stager the joints as nothing else has joints that line up with anything else.

I also have pretty much finished grinding and polishing my concrete counters. I was afraid that the one I pored in place would be the hard one to grind and the cast would be easier, but I was wrong. I started with a diamond cup wheel to take off the rough edges then I ordered some polishing pads off Amazon for my RO sander. They worked great and I have pretty much finished up to 800 grit witch is where I am going to stop. It gives it a nice honed finish with just a little shine. But the pice I cast for the oven lip did not turn out as well. Through sand and portland kinda wore away between the aggregate. I think I am just going to leave it though with the rough surface. Things won't be as likely to slide off that way. Or maybe I am getting lazy. But now I need to seal them after one more round with the 800 grit.

So now all I have left to do is grout the stone seal the ceader and stone and counter tops, make a door for the prep station and make a door for the oven.

I have used the oven a few times now and made 24 pizzas so far. It has performed as expected or better. I can't thank you all enough for the help you have given me. I know it would not have turned out as well with out everyone here. So thanks again.

Randy

[RandyJ]

I have been progressing with my build. I have slowed a little bit now that every thing is,at,least use able. I am all done with my deader young and grove soffit. I am trying to,decide if I should just put a clear sealer on it to try to keep the natural color or if it will still fade and in that case maby I should stain it a color close to the natural deader color. Any suggestions? I also have finished my lighting. I don't remember if I said what I was going to do so,sorry if I am repeating myself. For the lighting I took some 3" can lights and took them apart, and then mixed the with some landscape flood lights. Both lights used MR16 lamps. So all I had to do was swap the lamp holders as the lamps clamped to the trim ring of the can light trim. They are all 20 watt lamps and I am ver happy with the light output. It is plenty bright to see what you are doing but not obnoxious, and gives a nice bit of drama to the stone.

As for the over performance I brought the oven up to temp on Saturday and I am not sure just how hot it got as my Ir gun only goes,to 1022 F and it read hi. So I let it fall down a little bit and then it was easy to hold the dome temp,at around 850 on the dome and 650-675 on the floor. I was not timing the cooking but I would say that it was very close to the 2 min standard. The whole dome cleared and was,at the high temp.for 8 hours or so. With no door at all I was at 375 F 18 hours later and 40 hours after the fire went out with no door it was still 170 degrees. So,I am very happy with that. I can only imagine what it will be like with a door.

Now,to finish I need to do a little more stone work and then start grouting every thing. I also need to start polishing my countertops. I have the polish pads now just need to find the time. And I need to cut my IFB and regular brick for the vent and get some stainless for the floor there. And last but not least make a door for the prep counter. I don't think I forgot to much. So I am getting close.

Randy

[RandyJ]

Well I am almost done with the oven. I have my lighting in and have had my first pizza party. Everything is going well. I hope to have the stone work done soon. We will see if this goes through. I will try to post more later.

Randy

[gastagg]

Looking beautiful Randy! Great design!

[RandyJ]

Well I have been working on the oven here and there when I get a chance. I have started my ceader tung and grove soffit . I am very happy with how it turned out so far. I am also getting ready to do my lighting. I will try to post a little more later.

Randy

[DavidApp]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

Hello RandyJ

You are Welcome. You have a great oven and enclosure.

The smell of the food as you pull the insulating door out is amazing. A lot of steam is retained in the oven during cooking with the door in place. Probable why it does such good bread.

Fast and Hot low and slow these ovens do it all and it is fun cooking as well.
David

[RandyJ]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

Hey David thanks for the complements. I am very happy with how it is comming togather. I can't wait to start cooking in it soon. I have most of my curing fires done. So I can start pretty soon. I also want to try out a bunch of different types of cooking in the oven. I really would like to try doing a brisket. That sounds like a lot of fun.

Randy

[DavidApp]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

Hello RandyJ

Making great progress.

Your build got a WOW from my wife

She has become a WFO convert since I started cooking more than Pizza.

David

[RandyJ]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

Well I got some more work done on Friday. I got the rest of my vermiculite put in to the enclosure. I have 36 cf vermiculite covering my 3"of ceramic blanket. I think that should do it for the insulating. I also got a bunch more stone up. It is slow going but I am happy with how it is turning out. I did not have a fire yesterday but did on Thursday and burned for 9 hrs. And for the last 5 or so held about 500 to 575 on the dome and 400 plus on the floor. Then 12 hours after the fire went out with no door I was still 250 in the dome. So I think the insulation is working.

Randy

[RandyJ]

Re: Randy's dreams do come true oven build

Well today was a productive day. I got my counter top for the lip in front of the vent formed and poored. I also got my decorative arch done, and I started filling in between the corners with the veneer stone. It is some very putzie work. Good thing I am a putz worker.

I also had my second long curing fire. I am at 12 hours on this burn right now. Last I checked I was at 450 on the dome and almost 300 on the floor. I took it very slow getting to this point and so far I see no evidence of a crack anywhere. So I am very happy about that. I am going to do another fire again tomorrow. So I think I will be ready on Saturday for a light mock pizza party for my birthday. In doing so I will have met my goal deadline. I don't think I will be done. Let's rephrase that. I know I will not be totally done. But it will be usable.

I also ordered some Dimond pads for my sander last night off Amazon to polish my concrete counters. So we will see how this goes, but from the reviews I think it will be just fine and for 38 dollars pretty cheep.

Randy