Tunnel brick ovens

[deevex]

Hello, I have been looking at building a tunnel wood oven. There is a company selling kits using Australian pressed cream bricks, then lined with pressed reds. I have seen one in operation and it looked like it worked well,
(but the chef needs pactice making pizza) anyhow I read in a post that the Aussie pressed cream bricks contain a fair amount of Iron. Would anyone have anymore information on this type of wood oven? Thanks

[brickie in oz]

Re: Tunnel brick ovens

There is a company selling kits using Australian pressed cream bricks, then lined with pressed reds. I have seen one in operation and it looked like it worked well,

A kit?
Plans dont you mean?

Why would you buy a "kit" that then sends you bricks?

[david s]

Re: Tunnel brick ovens

The colour of Australian bricks is a fair indication of their iron content. If they're cream they're probably ok because they shouldn't contain lots of iron. I bought a pallet load of Cooroy cream house bricks years ago, they were cheap and were good for stoneware firings ( 1200 C+) lots of potters got them. Ask the brick vendor.

[deevex]

Re: Tunnel brick ovens

Bricky in oz, Outdoor Brick Oven, Great for Pizza, Breads and Meats - From Glenthompson Bricks

[brickie in oz]

Re: Tunnel brick ovens

Bricky in oz, Outdoor Brick Oven, Great for Pizza, Breads and Meats - From Glenthompson Bricks

that is so funny.
That is the most crap oven Ive seen so far.
Glenthompson lost the plot back in the 70's, I still remember laying their rubbish bricks.....shudder.....

Why the hell would you build that oven that is obviously lacking in insulation and has no way of burning efficiently?

The whole thing is wrong.
Download the plans from Forno Bravo.

[RTflorida]

Re: Tunnel brick ovens

Oh man, that oven sets WFOs back several hundred years. Talk about inefficient. Looks like zero insulation under the hearth, zero insulation around the dome, and a door height/width that is equal to the interior.
Nothing more than a glorified raised fireplace.
Go to the Forno Bravo store and purchase (FREE!!!) the Pompeii oven plans.

RT

[cobblerdave]

Re: Tunnel brick ovens

Dear deevex
The comments have been pretty blunt! right? SORRY ABOUT THAT! Please doneload a 'Free copy" of the forno plans....have a read ... these are a a set of the best options from oven builders... not brick merchants.
They are positive plans for oven builders and even except " tunnel ovens" like brickie has built..... so have a look


regards
cobbler dave

[brickie in oz]

Re: Tunnel brick ovens

There is no problem with solid reds.

There is a misconceived myth that they will explode with too much heat even though the bricks were fired at a much higher temp than you can possibly achieve with a wood fired oven.

[dmun]

Re: Tunnel brick ovens

So if I simply do not worry about iron content

I bought "red" firebricks that had added iron oxide to color them. Iron is not toxic. A lot of people cook in iron skillets, or in red pottery casseroles. Your indoor oven is completely iron, with a little enamel on top. Don't worry about iron. Worry about insulation.

[david s]

Re: Tunnel brick ovens

Iron in clay tends to work as a flux. I once made a small kiln from mud bricks as an experiment. It worked ok, but the inside melted in sheets from the high temp. This won't happen atbthe temps. we fire to, but pressed reds are more prone to spalling, that is why fire bricks Are recommended. The alumina proportion in the brick is another factor which gives the brick it's refractory ability. There may not be a way of finding out what the content of your bricks will be. Nissanneill built his with pressed reds from SA and has reported good success, but who knows how they will stand the test of time. I've seen lots of old fireplaces in Vic. With spalled red bricks. Maybe the clay used there is of a different composition.

[deevex]

Re: Tunnel brick ovens

Well I can see the comments but the sales have been very high and no complants from customers, I spoke to the owners of the company and they laughed at your comments. I'm going to build a tunnel oven and a dome oven, I will let you know my results when done. Have a nice Day

[brickie in oz]

Re: Tunnel brick ovens

They wouldnt get complaints if the owners didnt know there was a better way to build an oven would they.

On the other hand if the customers found out their oven was thermally inefficient, didnt stay hot for days so you could cook for days without relighting the fire and used a ton more wood per firing I think then there would be complaints.

Keep us informed with your build with lots of pics.

Edit:
There were better designed ovens over 2000 years ago than that one in your link.

[OzOvenBuilder]

Re: Tunnel brick ovens

There is no problem with solid reds.

There is a misconceived myth that they will explode with too much heat even though the bricks were fired at a much higher temp than you can possibly achieve with a wood fired oven.

I'm not sure about them exploding if they get too hot either? As opposed to firebricks with a high alumina content, with regular use over a long period, I believe the firebricks would not deteriorate near as quick as a standard 'reds', plus I have seen data (..no I don't have access to the data anymore..) that backs up the higher heat absorbsion and retention qualities of the firebrick, where the 'standard reds' housebrick is designed as a 'reflective' AND 'retentive' material.

[david s]

Re: Tunnel brick ovens

solid reds will not have as good thermal shock capacity as firebrick. The composition of the red bricks, which are designed to build houses, will vary enormously depending where the clay has come from. They may be ok, but they also may not. The most susceptible area is the floor. I've seen plenty of spalled red brick fireplace floors, at least use firebrick there.

[Johnny the oven man]

Re: Tunnel brick ovens

A quality pressed red will be OK, a firebrick will be that much better again.
Red bricks are fired at approx. 1200c, you will never get that temp in your WFO. The biggest failure is usually in the mortar, use a quality refractory cement.