Pizza Bob's 42" Build

[pizza_bob]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Thanks Cecelia. This is about my 7th or 8th time firing it up for pizza.
I have to try the flour - the corn meal works so well to get the pizza off the peel I'm hesitant to change to something else.
Thanks Dave. The mop kinda' gets any ash that might have settled into the cooking space too. I will try that flour though.
Thanks Db. We usually do carmelized onions and prosciutto which is really, really good too! Th potato slices sounds great!

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Beautiful pictures of your oven in the snow. You're a real trooper Bob. Was it tough to get the fire going with the cold and dampness? Or is snow dry ...don't really know but kadoos and props to you who do.

When you do get around to making an oven door(s) bbell-Bill made one thats for 'before the vent' with a 3" opening on the bottom to facilitate a furnace affect for starting fires faster in the cold or wet weather. He just posted pics:
http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/8/bi...n-5927-15.html

Your oven is a real looker, even more dramatic in the snow. It must have been fun. Warmer weather will be here in no time.

-Take care, Dino

[pizza_bob]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Thanks for the compliment and the door info Dino!

Snow does get "wet" when temperatures start to exceed 32 degrees but we're not there yet. I have had a tarp over the oven during all this snow so it was really dry inside and out. I didn't notice any difference bringing the oven up to temperature. The fire started really easily - using the "top down burn method" - and I brought it up to temperature just as quickly. I don't believe cold weather is a problem and the ovens don't need to be brought to temperature slowly. As you know, the ovens get up to 950 degrees. If your starting temperature is 70 degrees the oven needs to heat up 880 degrees to get to 950. If the starting temperature is 10 degrees then the oven needs to heat up 940 degrees to get to 950. So the 60 degree difference between a cold start-up and a warmer start-up isn't much of a difference when dealing with a temperatue differential of 900+ degrees.
Let that fire rip!

[pizza_bob]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

The snow has finally melted here in CT and the mason came out to finish the retaining walls and steps. Here is the progress as of today. We decided to put a 25' x 18' natural stone patio in front of the pizza oven - it will be started this week! The material will be a flagstone called Norwegian Buff - it has a lot of rust colored, grayish, blue tones which will go perfectly with the New England fieldstone oven and walls. After the patio I finally get to start the grass growing process - my wife will be so relieved to have her lawn back!

Hope all you New Englanders are enjoying this beautiful weather!

Happy Cooking/Building,
Bob

[WoodchuckDad]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

That's a hell of an oven. Work is top notch and the setting is amazing. Do you have any trouble with smoke rolling out the front arch? the chimney looks a bit short and bends in a chimney pipe tend to require it to be lengthened.

[pizza_bob]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

That's a hell of an oven. Work is top notch and the setting is amazing. Do you have any trouble with smoke rolling out the front arch? the chimney looks a bit short and bends in a chimney pipe tend to require it to be lengthened.

Woodchuckdad,

Thanks for your kind words.

I have fired the oven about twelve times and you can see there is no soot on the front arch. I don't even get any smoke on start-up. I really think the "upside-down burn" helps too - start the fire with big logs on the bottom and smaller kindling on top.
The flue has two 30 degree bends which is code for most states. I thought I might have some trouble so I tested the length/height prior to securing everything. It works really well! The oven is 42" diameter and the stainless steel chimney pipe is 8" inside diameter. It's a little deceiving from the pictures but the top of that flue is approximately 60" (five feet) above the top of the dome. I built the oven taller than I initially planned because of this chimney style but I really liked the center flue enclosure style. I also created a tapered entrance to the flue within the vent transition area. The vent transition area is also 1 1/2 bricks deep which is deeper than some I have seen.

[Aegis]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Hi Bob, I see you have the work light inside your dome to show off that GREAT brick work of the dome! That is just BEAUTIFUL! WOW! No matter how many times I look at your oven (which has been many!) I am always amazed at the fine detail and exqusite craftsmanship that went into your oven.
I hope I do half as good of a job on mine!
Enjoy the pies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pizza_bob]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Hi Bob, I see you have the work light inside your dome to show off that GREAT brick work of the dome! That is just BEAUTIFUL! WOW! No matter how many times I look at your oven (which has been many!) I am always amazed at the fine detail and exqusite craftsmanship that went into your oven.
I hope I do half as good of a job on mine!
Enjoy the pies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for your compliments John!
As soon as it warms up I'd like to get you and the Mrs. over for some pizza tasting.
We decided to do the patio sooner rather than later this year. Here is progress as of yesterday...

~Bob

[Aegis]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Hi Bob,
Thanks for the invite, we are looking forward to it! I am jealous of the manpower pouring the patio! I had my sites set on finishing the oven completely by July 4th but that I see is becoming a bit of a stretch! Looks like you sneaked the pour before the snow! LOL Great timing!
John

[N3kids]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Not sure if this is the right place to ask a question. We have had our brick oven for a few years, but we are ready to add on a work surface near the oven. What is a good material that is not too expensive for the actual work surface?
I thank you for any input.

[BriggsARNP]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

I haven't built an oven yet but I have been looking at many of the polished concrete countertops that DIYers have done. They look really cool. Check out the photo gallery to get some ideas.

[N3kids]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Thanks so much. Great idea.

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

Wow, Bob. Your patio is coming together nicely. It'll prove to be a great hangout for many wonderful summer evenings. What's really nice is your oven is already completed and ready to go. Nice job!

[pizza_bob]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

It's been awhile since I've updated this...
The patio was completed a couple months ago and is waiting for some furniture. Not exactly sure what type of patio furniture will look best with all this stone. We have been looking at teak and also cast aluminum. Leaning towards the teak but the cost is pushing us back towards cast aluminum. Any suggestions?? The patio stone is called Norwegian Buff and is 1 3/4" thick.
We've used the oven quite a few times for pizza and have also done tenderloin roasts, chickens and lasagna. I still can't get over how different and great everything tastes coming out of this oven. We haven't tried bread but are planning on firing it up for pizza and bread over the Memorial Day weekend. Also below are pictures of the retaining walls we had done and my 'scepter"! The pizza peel is a Paderno stainles steel 59" long with 9" diameter head and a sliding handle - it works so well! So we load the pizzas with a wooden peel and spin/unload with the stainless steel. To give you a frame of reference as to how tall this oven ended up being...I am 6'6" tall and the oven dwarfs me!

Hope everyone is doing well! I miss posting and reading posts in here!

Regards,
Bob

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Pizza Bob's 42" Build

That is one nice patio, Bob!