Russ's 42" WFO Project

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Russ's 42" WFO Project

Looks great Russ. I was going to warn you when I saw the spacers in your side archs that if you don't mix the mortar on the thick side, they will compress and it will ooze out and your opening at the sides will be lower than planned. But you did right anyway. Nice arch and soldier course. Can't wait to see the rings go up.

[cabsauv]

Re: Russ's 42" WFO Project

Where does the time go? I took a week off and made good progress, the last couple of weekends have been busy; not working on the WFO unfortunatly.

However for the first time in awhile I'm thankful for daylight saving here in South Australia. This has enabled me to do a couple hours after getting home from the paid job.

I'm certainly glad I've passed the arch transition stage. Wow was that a chanllenge! But so far so good everything appears to have held tight, thanks to some good old twine tensioned up with off cuts. I made some modifications to my arch form to include a ledge on the inside for support.

So it's now onwards and upwards.

[cabsauv]

Re: Russ's 42" WFO Project

Over the past couple of weeks I've managed to make some great progress.

The dome is now closed, wrapped and rendered. The closing of the dome was a great moment, after some rather frustrating times, but I'm now out the other side and looking forward to getting things fired up.

I've covered the dome with a 25mm (1") layer of Thermal Ceramic - Superwool 607 Blanket and applied a 15mm (1/2"+) layer of Moral CoolCast. This is a lightweight insulation with selected lightweight aggregates and calcium aluminate cement.
The front entry arch is complete and all things going well I will be able to install my flue over the coming weekend.

I do have a question.

How thick to make the insulation over the dome and insulation blanket? I plan of finishing with an igloo shape with a final layer of a waterproofed tinted traditional render. I would appreciate any input as to whether another layer is required and how think.

Thank you to all who have posted their trials and tribulations while constructing their WFO?s it?s been most helpful. Please enjoy a look at some of my work thus far.

Russ

[eprante]

Re: Russ's 42" WFO Project

Russ,
I built a 42" igloo style. I used 3 rolls of the FB blanket. I did a stucco finish: scratch, brown and color coats. I used the first two coat to smooth out the irregularities. With 3 inches of FB blanket the top of my dome is barely above ambient temp when I have a roaring pizza fire in the oven, the oven is 500 degrees in the morning. I haven't had an insulated door made yet, so that is with the opening just covered with stacked bricks.
Enjoy,
Eric

[cabsauv]

Re: Russ's 42" WFO Project

Hi folks,

Thanks for the input from all. Well there is finally light at the end of the tunnel. The past couple of weeks have been a little up and down, but I've managed to make some excellent progress.

Over the weekend I applied the final layer of render to the dome and installed the flue plate to the top of the front arch.

All things going well I will start to cure the oven during the week and into next weekend.

[cabsauv]

Re: Russ's 42" WFO Project

Hi Folks,
Last weekend I completed the final layer of acrylic render, I noticed a few hair line cracks on the outside, I will have to keep an eye on them during the curing to see how they hold up.

I opted not to tint with oxide as the advice I received was that the colouring can be a little hit and miss. Given the cost difference between an external acrylic paint and the oxide tint I figured that I?d get a greater colour selection.

There was much excitement in the house yesterday; I lit the first of my curing fires.

As prescribed I started small, just a couple of sheets of newspaper and a few slivers of kindling. It burnt for about 5 ? 10 mins, however I wasn?t about to ascertain how hot it got inside the chamber. If I was to take a guess based on holding my hand up on the inside I?d say perhaps 100˚C or so.

I might have to invest in an infrared temperature gun, they look the goods; has anyone had any experiences using them?

All going well I will do the same again tonight, and start to slow build up the heat. More ot following coming days.

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Russ's 42" WFO Project

Russ, the oven looks terrific! It's just beautiful. You should be proud.

I use an infrared thermometer gun all the time with the oven. There are 2 kinds, a less expensive one that only goes up to a few hundred degrees, the slightly pricier one that goes up to something like 1200 degrees. You need that one. It's going to be really handy when you 'shoot' the floor in case it's too hot or cooled off for proper pizza crust. You'll also need it for general baking. I would stick with very light paper, twig and cardboard fires for a few days until you buy one of those thermometer guns. You don't want the dome getting 500 degrees on the 3rd day by accident (like mine did )

Ideally, you want to keep the temp up for a few hours a day as you are curing. It is easiest with a small electric heater/fan set on low. Also, for your 1st couple of days with newspaper and twigs, spread the small around different areas of the floor. The 100 degrees per day increase works good, but I'd stretch it out a couple more days early on.

I'll be sure to drink a toast tonight to your success: Cheers, Dino

[cabsauv]

Re: Russ's 42" WFO Project

Much has happened over past number of weeks, but best of all my WFO is cured with only some hairline cracks on the external render. But based on other posts these are nothing to be worried about. Since painting the external dome with a couple coats of a good acrylic paint they are barely visible.

I put it to the test last night with a couple of friends, pizza's were a huge success

In the coming week I hope to complete the bench, tiling and install the BBQ.

Happy New Year to all.

[Neil2]

Re: Russ's 42" WFO Project

Nice build Russ. Great pictures.

[dusty]

Re: Russ's 42" WFO Project

Congradulations Russ - it looks fantastic!

Looks really big in there too. Is it? Or are those just small pizzas?

dusty

[Mike D]

Re: Russ's 42" WFO Project

Looks great. Very clean. Some of the ovens look really big and take over the space, yours seems to fit nicely.

Mike

[NathanC]

Re: Russ's 42" WFO Project

I'm at a stage where I'm just about ready to start covering over my insulating blanket with the render, can you advise what materials you used in yours and where you got them from in Adelaide?

Cheers