Pizza History in the Hammer Continues

[Baza]

Side note ... got a Speducci grill - this wood-fired, charcoal madness is taking me over!!
mmmmmm!

[UtahBeehiver]

Congrats on the first fire, these ovens are a labor of love. You are quite brave to have a pizza party on the first full firing. There are a lot of nuances of a WFO from dough timing, oven temp timing, how to load, turn, dome pizzas ( I made several accidental calazones).during the learning process. But have at it. One things is "less is best" on pizza toppings, overloaded pizzas just don't cook well. Have a happy B-day.

[Baza]

Ok - got the concrete board up! Heavy stuff - wow!
Bit of a piece of work cutting (not too bad), holding and drilling into 18 gauge studs - I perspired. Yep.
Mostly fit well - slight variances.
Thin set over screw heads and joints (pics above show waterproofing - green stuff) after done.

Sourced loose vermiculite at a builder's supply an hour away at 1/2 price what I was finding everywhere else!! Woo!
Baffled the inside around the oven so that I have about 5-6" of loose vermiculite around the oven but no wasted material in the corners (I'm Scottish ... I think I save nearly $80 by doing this and just filling up where needed!

I worried that this stuff may settle over time - yet scouring the internet - few use this as we do so it was hard to find an answer ... The prevailing wisdom seems to be ... no, it doesn't settle to the point that it would pose a problem (I really don't want to put a door in the enclosure, so going with this answer! and praying it is correct!).

Barry

[Baza]

Ok - next step in the progress is that the roof is ON!
Well, kinda.

It is screwed in and on top - but the finishing is a long way from done - going to get at that today while the rain holds off!
MAN - those self-tapping screws do NOT like to get any other material on them ... had to predrill the screw holes as the screws picked up wood on the way through and just spun on the studs because they were clogged up with wood shaving by the time it got to the stud taking away the bite of the tip!! SO frustrating!! But - once I figured it out - it went pretty quick (and was a lesson learned for the fascia application!).

Just going to shingle at this point ... may do something nicer down the road - but I just want the damn tent OFF so moving quickly with the roofing (not my preference - maybe slate in the future?)

Poured up the hearth to provide foundation for 1 1/4" black granite shelf that will go in front - pour went well and just waiting on granite guy to come and cut/polish it in place.
Going to put granite table to the side of the oven and make a couple of movable granite-top tables for multi-purpose use in back yard (gnocchi made outdoors is fun - and with an oven to bake it ... COME ON! and as a work station for folks to build their own pizzas!).

Ok - fascia boards on - need to be stained (going black) and then roofing today and burn tonight to 500!
Wish me luck - I will be out back with a glass of wine, podcast and flame tonight - soon ... PIZZA!

Take care everyone!
Barry

[Baza]

UtahBeehiver HAHAHAHA!!! I'm dying .. "accidental calzones" - I can SO see myself making new baked creations in the process of learning! I think the right attitude to it all (as you certainly have) is going to be key!! Yes - I am anxious about the first foray into cooking being a large group - but plied with libations - they may like their accidental calzones!

Thanks for the "less is best" advice - yes - I tend to the more is good part of the spectrum! Good to have your insight (as always - no way I could have built this without learning from you, Utah!).

Ok - havin' at 'er
Take care
Barry

[JRPizza]

Hey Baza, you can make a serviceable temp door using concrete board (that is what I used for my first door), and if you poke around on the forum you can find several examples of no-weld designs.

[Dino_Pizza]

Your oven looks AMAZING Barry, congratulations on a job well done. I just got on the forum to look at oven door steel gauge recommendations and thought I check up on you and you who.
Great job , Dino

[Ope-dog]

Hey Barry, GREAT progress! I totally understand the pride/tears on the 1st firing. I think we all went though that a time or two (or 4 or 5 LOL!!) at various milestones of the build. Having done a few pizza firings with relatively great success, I can tell you that you're in for a fun (and addictive!) learning period. While the tough building may be over, I'm finding the learning is only getting more intense with all the different foods to bake and how the oven behaves. Can't wait to see more pics!

[MarkJerling]

Ok - next step in the progress is that the roof is ON!
Well, kinda.

It is screwed in and on top - but the finishing is a long way from done - going to get at that today while the rain holds off!
MAN - those self-tapping screws do NOT like to get any other material on them ... had to predrill the screw holes as the screws picked up wood on the way through and just spun on the studs because they were clogged up with wood shaving by the time it got to the stud taking away the bite of the tip!! SO frustrating!! But - once I figured it out - it went pretty quick (and was a lesson learned for the fascia application!).

Just going to shingle at this point ... may do something nicer down the road - but I just want the damn tent OFF so moving quickly with the roofing (not my preference - maybe slate in the future?)

Poured up the hearth to provide foundation for 1 1/4" black granite shelf that will go in front - pour went well and just waiting on granite guy to come and cut/polish it in place.
Going to put granite table to the side of the oven and make a couple of movable granite-top tables for multi-purpose use in back yard (gnocchi made outdoors is fun - and with an oven to bake it ... COME ON! and as a work station for folks to build their own pizzas!).

Ok - fascia boards on - need to be stained (going black) and then roofing today and burn tonight to 500!
Wish me luck - I will be out back with a glass of wine, podcast and flame tonight - soon ... PIZZA!

Take care everyone!
Barry

How's your build progressing Barry? Long time no see!
Kind regards,
Mark

[Baza]

Hello Forno Friends!

Many thanks to the kind words from all of you supporting the build. I have been thrown a total surprise from my genes ... I had double-bypass surgery 2 weeks ago. One of those "we better do this" operations. Strangely, I felt fit, strong and good, but my genetic predisposition to high cholesterol all but blocked the left side of my heart. The discovery was on a Monday - and the surgery the Friday. I've been recuperating since. It has been tough, but I have so much gratitude.

The oven is done structurally and only awaiting its cosmetic finish that I cannot do (stained-cedar sides/back and stone skirt/front). I will update some pics of the process where I'm at

BUT - in spite of all these events - we finally made PIZZA!!!!
it was EXQUISITE!!!! Light, airy crust, delicious homemade, garden sauce and Valerio's touch!!
My partner, Michelle and her brother worked the Pizza joint and their expertise at shaping and forming the pizzas was wonderful - the whole Visca crew was there for the first cook - and it was emotional.

Thank you for your support - I'm not sure how I'm going to finish the oven in these circumstances before the winter - I'm asking locals if they "know a person" ... sigh - really wanted to do it all myself.

In any event - I have life and a strong prognosis for successful health ... and Pizza!

Take care Friends
Barry

[Baza]

FINISHED THE ROOF!

Never shingled before!!
So - guessed my best and this was the result.

I cut vents into the soffits (vertical slats) then covered them with bug mesh, stapled and siliconed in place - seems fine!
Chose a ridge vent for the ventilation of the structure - just followed instructions and seems to have come out ok!

I didn't want the galvanized flashing (peak and storm collar) so I TSP'd, primed and sprayed it black - as per internet instructions (ugh - hope this isn't compromised - but I don't think so).
When I'm well - I'll replace the light grey caulking with black.
I like the look better.

[UtahBeehiver]

I am glad all went well with the bypass surgery, so chill and enjoy the oven and the pizzas. The rest of the finish on the oven can be done slowly now that the roof is done. It took me 8 years once the main dome was done to finish all the little details on the oven.

[mongota]

Barry, my goodness!

I missed your previous post, I'm so glad for you and your family that your surgery was successful. That had to be a shock to have to go through that.

The roof looks terrific. Enough so that when your house eventually needs reroofing? lol

Breaks in construction happen. My oven had an almost 2-year sit while we dealt with the health issues of my in-laws out in the mid-west.

Be well!

Best, Mongo

[Baza]

UtahBeehivermongota - thank you both for your kind words and perspective. Wow - from 2 to 8 years! Life is just like that, isn't it!?
Both of your results are brilliant and so instructive - grateful for this reminder!!

FINISHING CURING!
Wonderful experience learning to cure the oven - once the roof was on and all in place - I could remove the damn tent! (I was SO done with this thing!).

The first flame in the oven - no matter how small ... do you remember? - WOW - I was emotional - all that work had come to this: there is a FLAME! Will the chimney draw (it does! wow - SO well).
Took about 7 days of slow (thank you Utah) measured, long burns.
Was exciting to get it higher past 500 to over 800! Felt like, hey! This really works!!

I have to say - I see NO crack in the interior anywhere!! I'm shocked (maybe on the outer dome - but I can't see that!
I'm so pleased with the outcome of these cures - it felt like I really had an oven now!.

[Baza]

FIRST PIZZA!!!
Before going in for my surgery and after reaching the 800+ mark - we decided it was time to make our first pizzas!!
The house was buzzing - Valerio made his dough and I got the Forno to temp ... all homemade sauce, ingredients ... even the prosciutto! I watched as the family made pizza TOGETHER for the first time in decades (they hadn't lost a thing: shaping, flouring, tossing ... wow).

I have NEVER tasted such delicious, light, airy, full-flavour in my life!!
IT WORKS!!!! We banged out about 9 pies and were stuffed. Last one was a small dough ball we worked less with our hands and made a rosemary, sea salt, olive oil focaccia ... melted in the mouth!

LEARNING:
- How one's oven works - where to put the pies, how temp changes with each one, wood management, etc. going to be fun!
- exploring different flours - consistencies (and mmmmmmm - ingredients)
- learning to NOT overwork the dough - can work the air out of it and it goes flat and thin - happy mediums!
- saturating the brick: need to keep the oven hot longer before the cook so the bricks don't lose their heat too fast with each pizza placed on them ...

So much to learn - but wow - so much delicious fun!!!
Visca's is BACK!