Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

[SteveP]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

That is a nice looking build you got going Dino. If the wires are for lights, that is a great idea. I did not run lights and I have to resort to a puny LED magnetic light that is not nearly bright enough. I'm trying to figure out how to run lights without having to do too electrical work.

Your roof with the flashing are going to look fantastic.

[smuth10]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Dino, the oven looks outstanding. I love the copper and slate look. It looks like you are going to put lights on the sides as well. I hope I don't regret not doing that, but I have my oven in a small area and didn't think I would need them.

Looking forward to seeing that slate and copper trim!

[bbell]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

The slate roof and copper are going to look great. Can't wait to see how the roof is installed.

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Thanks Bill, the ribs are done oven roasted style, not bbq or tomato based. The slab is in shallow glass dish with nothing but 1/4" of water and quartered onion and celery, salt & pepper, touch of olive oil on top and the high heat of the oven (600*) seemed to sear them on top, crisped the fat so it was all edible and the meat kept it's pure pork flavor with slight smokiness, crispy but still moist inside.

Christo, I know what you mean about the steel framing so I put in a door in the rear for the electircal transformer and I can see my stud work anytime!

Mike, Sorry about the dry ribs. It sounds like they stayed in too long. I've been scorching 75% of my pizza bottoms/middle but think I've got a solution last night: mop the floor if it's over 700 or keep my dough discs not so thin.
RE: oven enclosure vent, yes, I think I have to have one. My roof will be black slate and that gets hot. Also, I'm going to use roofing plywood under it and there is a remote chance of delamination on the plywood if it gets too warm. I'll put in an eve vent towards the rear on the side and a gable style vent in the back that nobody sees. What are planning for roof? Below is a pic of the 3 vents I bought. I'll think I'll use the little round one at the top. Also, see my other fun toys: the slate and my custom copper vent collar I had made.
Thanks Dino

[mfiore]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

I feel sooooo sloooooow as I see others on the forum introduce themselves, build and finish thier ovens and start their 1st fires in the time it takes me to post 2 of my longer FB Forum posts. What's up with that?

Dino,
I was just thinking how fast your build was going! You've now officially passed me! I'm also working on those overhangs. Could you please post some detailed photos? What is the "double ridge"?

Do you plan or think there is a need to have vent in the enclosed oven? If so, where do you plan to put one?

Also, give us details on the ribs. I just ruined a slab last night. My apologies to the pig, who died for nothing. I made pizza the night prior, threw in some ribs the next day, added a small piece of wood to rekindle some smoke, partially closed up, and turned it into a dried piece of char! I didn't measure the temps (to lazy to change the battery on my IR gun), and think I underestimated the amount of retained heat I had.

[bbell]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Dino, great framing and ribs. What's the recipe (ribs)? I too have noticed a surge in oven builds which is great. I gave up the race long ago. I'm worried I'm going to finish and have nothing else to do...

[christo]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Nice progress! Its a shame to cover up all that metal framing.

That slate/copper combination will look stunning. I still wonder if I made the right decision with the flat roof.

I feel sooo slow, too. But then again I've been at this 2 years longer than you. Quality takes time and it's no fun working on a hot oven!

Christo

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

I think I've finished ALL the steel stud framing I plan on using. Overhanging the front gable 12" in front and 6" in back really threw me. I thought it was obvious but took more time to make sure it transferred the load to the roof members behind them. I installed a "double-ridge" that tied it all together. Here are 2 picks, I'll take a few more when I clean up the area. i've got a peek-a-boo door in the rear that's really nice for the electrical I'll post soon.

I've been buying my cement board, roofing plywood, black slate, copper flashing and proper screws to drill through durock & plywood, and then drill into steel studs. I've also had fabricated a custom flashing for the dura-vent made of copper to use on my slate roof. It's all very exciting but I've also got 10 people over this Sat for a pizza fest and swim, so the enclosure is going slower but hey, firing up the oven is an exciting event.

PS: I feel sooooo sloooooow as I see others on the forum introduce themselves, build and finish thier ovens and start their 1st fires in the time it takes me to post 2 of my longer FB Forum posts. What's up with that?

(The 2nd pick are the BEST roasted pork ribs I've ever had. Had NO idea they would come out this much better than my regular oven...which were great to begin with, man, I love WFO cooking!!!) Cheers all, Dino

[larrya1049]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Thanks Dino
I just wanted to make sure that I was in the ballpark. I'm also putting the soldier course outside the oven floor and I'm building a 42" oven. I calculated approx. 5 1/4" rise. I've been sitting here for weeks with a pallet of firebricks wringing my hands not wanting to make a mistake. I've sketched out the oven on paper over and over. Thanks again this puts my mind somewhat at ease.

Regards
Larry

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Hi Larry, I cut my soldier course 1-3/8" down on the inside. Now remember: that is with my soldier course ON THE OUTSIDE, NOT on top of the oven floor. I don't know which way you are planning to do it but with my full brick on the outside, the soldier brick has a 5-1/8" rise that faces the inside of the dome (equals a 9" brick when you add in the 2" FB board I used under it). And doing this on a 42" oven floor, it seems to me to work out great. If I had a slightly smaller oven, I might then cut the soldier course with a less steep angle (not that I think my angle is sharp or steep at all.)

Many on this forum use half bricks for the soldier course and it works fine. I thought with a 42" oven, that having some soldier course hieght was good for having larger roasting pans (Le Cruset style stuff) but now realize that you never put more than 1 or 2 tall pots in the middle for overnight slow cooking so it all works out.

Hope this helps out, looking forward to seeing your oven build! thanks, Dino

[larrya1049]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Hi Dino
I see that you cut the tops of your soldier course. What angle did you use and how did you come up with it? This is the next phase of my build and I want to make sure that I don’t make the angle too steep.
Regards
Larry

[SCChris]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Thanks for the link info on the bricks. I'll take a look at the choices again. My biggest concern would be mixing different brick types in the dome structure, but using the Pacific as the floor and the Muddox in the dome seems to make some sense.

Thanks

Chris

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Hi Chris, congratulations on starting your build!

Yes, I cut the sides into pie shapes and yes, I tapered the bottoms 3-6 deg's to get my inward tilt as I went up. I did not try to go mortar-less but wanted to avoid using expensive mortar thickening towards the back of the brick for tilting them. LOTS of others do that, it's a good way, works fine.
You could taper the sides (and do the compound side taper as well to reduce the inverted V's) and not do the bottoms but be sure to use some sort of "indispensable tool" or small brick wedges to keep your bricks level around each ring. When you tapper the bottoms, you rely less on mortar for tilting and the thin mortar you place on the brick bottoms will not throw you off level. I did 2 rows using the mortar to do less brick cutting on the bottoms but could have done a better job at keeping them level.

Mortar: I ordered FB's Refmix, 4 bags (they are 25 or 30 lbs each ? Can't remember) and would have used another 1 1/2 bags but FB temporarily ran out and I bought home brew mix (fine sand, fire clay, Portland cement, lime) a bag of each and have used 25% of it to finish up. I've heard HeatStop 50 comes in 50lb bags so a smaller oven might get by with 2 of those. I love the old Refmix but would build again with home brew anytime.

I used Muddox bricks, I really like the brick composition for some reason. I'n not thrilled about its slight "wavy" sides but it worked fine but gave me bigger floor gaps. Here is a link to what I said about it, about 3 posts down.

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f8/f...tion-6810.html

Gook on your build, it's going to be great. Dino

[SCChris]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Dino,
I have a question on a couple of things.
First, Did you cut the bricks for both the latitude and the longitude of the oven? Some seem to just accept the pie shaped mortar.
Second, How much Mortar did you finally use?
Third, those look like Pacific Clay fire bricks, are they, how did you find the consistency of these?

Thanks in advance!

SCChris

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Dino's 42" Pizza Oven Starts

Lars, I did not use any vermiculite/conc on my oven so I'm not familiar with it but like David-dmun said it wont get wet like you think. Great price on the insulation too!

Thanks Christo, we're still learning how best to feed the fire with wood, do yo wait until it's time to top off your glass of wine or wait until you refill it but use larger pieces of wood? Maybe it has nothing to do with drinking at all ....?

John: your lamb roast sounds fantastic! I feel I have not yet experienced the big "O" in WFO cooking until I roast a lamb, make a pizza with those REAL anchovies packed in salt from Spain and make oysters Rockefeller in the oven. I like how you roasted your meats 1st then cranked it up for pizza, I'll have to try it that way too.

Matt, about the wood for my 4-5 hour fire: I guess I used about 12-15 3" max pieces of lemon wood, some thinner, most 1-2' long. But I definetly could have been more consistent in feeding the fire (see my note to Christo above) Thanks everyone, Dino