New build in Sydney

[BrendanLovesPizza]

Re: New build in Sydney

Little update everyone. Been a bit lazy on the computer side of things.

Finished the chimney dome, then broke it down, then built it again to then break it down again and rebuild. Biggest advice I can give is to cut notches and scoop out 1-2cm of the cemented face of the brick, as fire bricks are so smooth, then mortar does not stick. Def a process I overlooked!

Anyways after the third time building the chimney arch, at the same time I widened the recess I had notched out inside the arch to accommodate the draw of the flue. It now works perfect.

I did the decorative arch in a PGH brick called Pewter. It has a metallic type silvery/grey look to it on three sides. It wont show much of the soot with the black oxide mortar inbetween.

PGH Bricks & Pavers | Bricks | Pewter

Have made a thermal break out of 50mm 316 grade S/S. It breaks up the fire bricks to bluestone in the entrance way nicely I think. I picked up the 50mm thick bluestone free at a marble type place in Wetherill Park, they had a multitude of freebie bins, with caeser stone off cuts to marble and bluestone, major score there. I picked up pizza oven tools and insulation from Field Furnace at the same time.

I'm going to put 140mm spotted gum boards to cover the suspended slab sides. The spotted gum will then go up to the edge of the bluestone, bit hard to picture for some but give me a few weeks and I'll upload a few photos.

I've done quite a few pizzas, best ones are with prawns chilli flakes and garlic. Simple classic flavours, but we've done aussie with egg style to trio formaggi. yummo.

The best flour by far is the one in the photo, the Antimo Caputo from Harris farm is the ducks guts. It doesnt tear like other doughs Ive made, tastes great. I use the 62% hydration technique rested in the fridge overnight. I've tried fresh yeast and dried both give similar results. I've tries rock salt and flake salt, rock salt combined with dried yeast seemed to give better results go figure. Yet to try san marzano tomatoes, but pomodoros seem to be pretty tasty.

The oven isnt insulated yet and there are few cracks in her that I will address before I cover her up. She takes three hours approx to clear and the floor temps are staggering at 400+ and the roof temps are out of reach for my Fluke laser temp meter. It is amazing watching a pizza cook in 90 secs or less!

I've got some limestone tiles to glue down first then I will be insulating and rendering. Then comes the mosaic tile pattern, havnt quite worked out the pattern yet but time is on my side.

[BrendanLovesPizza]

Re: New build in Sydney

Hey Wozza, I used 50mm Hebel then 75mm fire insulation bricks, then 50mm fire bricks, so 3 layers.
There was no cement in between the layers, just dried sand to make completely flat and strong. You could probably use 2 layers of 75 mm thick hebel no problems. I got mine from bunnings cheap as I mainly asked for the broken ones at half price, just slot them together and it works just the same.

As for the height of the oven floor, stand up, arms at your side bend your arm at the elbow to the sky measure from the ground to the bottom of the elbow, minus 50mm and thats your perfect oven floor for you, maybe not everybody but YOU. So I cant say what height to have your floor at, if anything a little higher is always better for adding fuel to the fire, getting food in and out. I guess its each to there own with floor height.

[Wozza]

Re: New build in Sydney

And here's me smelting some steel. Which should be in the last post...Jeez, I'll get this right eventually. And the wrong way around again.

Anyway, it was cool enuff last night to fire up the chimenchera and I sat out the back with the Kindle and a glass of something Scottish with ice and baked a couple of potatoes. It threw out a bit of heat, although the iPhone camera makes it look like it was going nuclear. Holy Toledo!

[Wozza]

Re: New build in Sydney

Bren, just going back to post 18...nice piccie of the arch sitting on the insulation. I think from an earlier post you have used 50mm Hebel and then 75mm Fire brick.

I was thinking of trying to get some 50mm Calsil board and just use that, as per the FB instructions. But there's a guy in work who built an oven last year (cutting a few corners as he went but it seems to be working fine) and he used just fire bricks. He has a few left so wanted to know if I wanted them cheap. So, couple of questions...

Do you think the Hebel is worth getting for the extra insulation or did you use it more for a level work surface? And did you use any fixing for both the Hebel and the bricks or just lay them loose?

If I use both, then my oven is going to be 50mm higher, but I don't see that as a problem. Actually, I just checked and using the same as you will give me an oven floor at 1175 height which is just about right I think. What's your's come in at?

[BrendanLovesPizza]

Re: New build in Sydney

And with a strike of a match there was fire. Just a little fire to cure for a week or so. I havnt much water in the base seeing its on hebel and insulation bricks. So hopefully in a weeks time I'll be at full temps.

[cobblerdave]

Re: New build in Sydney

G'day





Commonly known as a breach birth

Regards Dave

[Wozza]

Re: New build in Sydney

Looking real good...

[Grant JONES]

Re: New build in Sydney

Brendan, I had a flat plate cut out of 6mm stainless with an 8" collar welded on to sit the flue in.
I actually sat in on some wet mortar initially as I had to fire it and cure it for our wedding reception.
I revisited it again afterwards and it was surprisingly solid.
Hi temp silicone now forms a seal and the weight of the 6mm plate is enough for it not to have separated or moved.

[BrendanLovesPizza]

Re: New build in Sydney

Ok will leave the alfoil out, I thought I read somewhere it was a goo idea. Thanks.

[Greenman]

Re: New build in Sydney

Congratulations on completing your dome. Looks good. It is tough learning the hard way and the front arch lesson is valuable to all.

When it comes to the Alfoil layer - like Dave said - think about it again. It is good for lots of things but serves no useful purpose in oven building.

Looking forward to following your progress, it just gets better (and tastier) from where you are at.

[cobblerdave]

Re: New build in Sydney

G'day
Think a bit more before you include the alfloil layer.
Aluminium in open air forms a protective crust of aluminum oxides.
Trap it with mortar. Out of the air with moisture and it will corode big time.
Try this a layer of foil on some damp ground and put a brick on it. Leave it for a week. Lift the brick a week later you pristine foil is turning black. Hold it to the light and you'll probably have holes already. Pick a bit of ground that has lime or cement from the build the results will be worse.
Regards dave

[BrendanLovesPizza]

Re: New build in Sydney

Finally finished the dome. What a feeling to have finally finished the hard slog of the dome. Its not as pretty as I hoped for near the top of the dome inside but hey its solid, and wont be going anywhere for a long time and wont make the pizzas taste any less special. Give it a week for drying then I start the curing process. Sydney weather isn't going to help much with the drying times anymore so guess I start playing with my second love in life after pizza, FIRE!

Managed to put a thin layer of home brew fire mortar on as well for shits and giggles. Will then completely dry it out/cure. The Alfoil, ceramic blanket, render etc.

The front chimney arch had to go as it wasnt strong enough and I needed it to go to get inside the oven. Big tip for other builders dont build the chimney arch till you have everything done inside the oven first

[BrendanLovesPizza]

Re: New build in Sydney

When your mate says "I want my brick saw bacK"

Well thats motivation to finish the dome. So stuck at it in the rain etc and got the frame done, got most of the dome bricked up but ran out of brickies sand, so off to Bunnings tomorrow and the dome will be complete.

[Greenman]

Re: New build in Sydney

With the flue being one metre high it should sit ok. The 8" pipe is stable if you have a flat base.

I am happy that I put the roof over mine, just makes it easy to use whatever the weather.

Look forward to seeing your end result.

[BrendanLovesPizza]

Re: New build in Sydney

I wont have a roof Steve. Its sadly going to out in the open, although push come to shove I could make a covered area, it would be ideal in hotter weather.

Will prob just cut a few floor bricks, stack them on top each other and jam in some fibreglass rope. The chimney will only be 1m high and 8 inch diameter so should be fine.

Cheers all for your help.