Minimum oven size - advice please

[vendixa]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

Thanks for your reply David. Yes it was directed at you :-) I was planning at building a wood oven with a diamter of about 50cm. However I was not sure whether when putting a pizza in it, there's enough space remaining for the wood. How do you manage? :-)

[david s]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

Vendixia,
I presume you question was directed at me. My oven is a hemisphere and it's diameter at the base on the inside is 540mm. The vent extends out another 150mm.

[vendixa]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

can I ask for you for the exact measurements of the oven from the inside please?

[david s]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

Hi David,
Thanks for your message. presumably with yours you would move the coals to one side before cooking, or would you drag them out?
I am thinking of an oven made over a pile of sand. I am thinking of mixing vermiculite with clay soil to see if that gives a better insulation.
Any thoughts welcomed.

It depends what I'm cooking and how long the fire has been going, whether I move coals. If doing a roast I usually fire for exactly one hour, then push the coals aside, place the roast and fit the door. With no oxygen to the fire the coals die. If cooking pizzas I usually remove half the coals to make more room and maintain a fire on the side.

The usual mix for insulation is 5:1 vermiculite, sand for under the floor and 10:1 over the dome (for an igloo) or loose vermiculite for an enclosure. I can't see any advantage in using soil instead of cement. It would still reduce the insulating capacity like cement, but give you zero strength.

[trenchn]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

Hi David,
Thanks for your message. presumably with yours you would move the coals to one side before cooking, or would you drag them out?
I am thinking of an oven made over a pile of sand. I am thinking of mixing vermiculite with clay soil to see if that gives a better insulation.
Any thoughts welcomed.

[david s]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

If you are thinking of casting your oven, then the easiest way for a one off, is to trowel castable refractory over a sand mould covered in wet newspaper. Creating moulds for multi piece castings is not worth all the work for one casting. Regarding size, my 21" oven is quite adequate to cook the family Sunday roast and or a few loaves of bread. Small ovens are easier and cheaper to build and use way less fuel so you tend to use them more often.

[irelande5]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

I know space might be tight, but if you can go bigger, say 42" you wont regret it. You may start off just thinking pizza, but end up making entire meals and really enjoying the space and ability to pull it off, good luck
!

[stonecutter]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

My current build is a 32" inside diameter. I have used and built ovens up to 46" and I feel that a smaller oven is very capable of doing the job. Unless you plan on cooking 3 or more pizzas at a time...it all comes down to how you plan on using the oven

[david s]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

Internal diam 21" supporting slab 900 x900 mm weight 250 Kgs.
dome thickness 60 mm floor thickness 50 mm

[trenchn]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

Brilliant, thanks. Do you have any photo's, details, etc?
Cheers
Nick

[david s]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

My oven is 21" internal diam. I find it adequate and for cooking pizzas for up to 30 people it's a breeze to do 90 sec pizzas. A small oven is easier and cheaper to build. You tend to use it more often and fuel consumption is really low.

[jpmort]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

since ther start of the thread, a long time ago, I have gained a little more experience myself. What I have found is that people are managing with all sorts of sizes, from the minimum sizes quoted in this list.

What I have found is that it all depends on what you want to do. If you are happy to struggle with the wood burning, giving off lots of heat, and maybe burning the edge of pizzas easily. If you are happy to make small pizzas. If you are happy to keep careful eye on whats going on. Then a smaller size will be OK.

As for me, I upsized, and I like the 'freedom' it has given me to be more flexible with what I want to do. I can focus on doing other things right.
John

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

Go to the Newbie Section under Forno Bravo Treasures by Lburou. There is a link on this thread called Gene's small oven (28"), that's pretty small.

[trenchn]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

Hi, It's a long time ago I know. but did you have any luck finding the smallest practical size for an oven? I am about to start building a small oven.
Cheers
Nick

[SteveP]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

My inside diameter is 40" and it is a good size. I don't clean out the coals after every use so it affords me a little extra room for coals. I also like being able to cook entire meals in the oven. My WFO is insulated well enough to cook in it for a couple of days after the pizza firing, and I like taking advantage of the heat.