Attempted new build currently on hold and in need of divine intervention LOL

[hsa]

Re: Attempted new build currently on hold and in need of divine intervention LOL

Thanks Chip & Colin,

Taking notes👍👍👍

hubby used insulation/ heat board then the refractory tiles to create the oven floor. Firebricks and ht mortar make up the dome, also covered with a cement layer.

Lol for now Im not aiming for 4 days of cooking time.. That's asking for too much... Maybe half that

Well hopefully the weekend will bring progress. Thanks again

Ash

[oasiscdm]

Re: Attempted new build currently on hold and in need of divine intervention LOL

You say 2 days is enough. Trust me once you start using it, you WILL want to cook in it each day.

Pizza Friday night
Baked eggs 4 breakfast.
Roast night
Bread breakfast Sunday
Monday night casserole.

The thing is you have to Burn wood, to heat the oven so why not build it to maximize the cooking time for the same amount of wood burnt. Makes economic sense to me.

[hsa]

Re: Attempted new build currently on hold and in need of divine intervention LOL



Wat a feeling
Managed to light pretty easily

[cobblerdave]

Re: Attempted new build currently on hold and in need of divine intervention LOL

Thanks Chip & Colin,

Taking notes👍👍👍

hubby used insulation/ heat board then the refractory tiles to create the oven floor. Firebricks and ht mortar make up the dome, also covered with a cement layer.

Lol for now Im not aiming for 4 days of cooking time.. That's asking for too much... Maybe half that

Well hopefully the weekend will bring progress. Thanks again

Ash

G'day
The dome of the oven needs to be insulated as well and this needs to meet the underfloor insulation to truely encapsulate the oven from leaking the heat to the outside world. A close fitting insulated door is part of this as well. A simple one is the hebel one I've used for years.
Regards dave

[mrchipster]

Re: Attempted new build currently on hold and in need of divine intervention LOL

It looks like you have a basketball hoop in the background of the oven shot. You may want to consider a new location for that hoop if some of the players are not great shots as a basketball hitting your flue could cause some damage.

[hsa]

Re: Attempted new build currently on hold and in need of divine intervention LOL

hi dave,
Long time
Thanks for that, insulation to follow soon!... We were both just so impatient and excited and started the cure..
Hubby bought a door (i think the metal is steel) actually was the first thing.. An what determined the size of the dome outside of my estimations. But all worked out..
the door was rusting so he has given it a coat of some high temperature rust inhibitor.. forgot the details... and all good and ready EXCEPT today I noticed that it no longer fitted flush into the oven entrance. It seems that during the drying process the oven has shrunk (mortar) so now the door will need to have half an inch or so off the end....but it still is alright for now... Still happy

Hi Chip,
Well spotted! That darn thing is only there because it is cemented in and even with a ladder I can't reach the last bolt to get the hoop and board off!! Soon! Was from a previous owner!
Plenty of work in progress haha but atleast I got my priority stuff almost sorted

[hsa]

Re: Attempted new build currently on hold and in need of divine intervention LOL

Hmm an insulated door... Current one def isn't insulated.... ATM...

[mrchipster]

Re: Attempted new build currently on hold and in need of divine intervention LOL

Get an abrasive disk on a right angle grinder (metal cutting) I use 1/16 inch thick x 4.5 inch and they cut thru steel like butter. That will solve both your basket hoop problem at the ground level and the door size issue. Those cutters are real cheap and will cut a bunch of steel for a few pennies.

[hsa]

Re: Attempted new build currently on hold and in need of divine intervention LOL

Chip! I can't believe you beat me to that - kill two birds with one stone solution! Yeah yeah!
Thanks

[david s]

Re: Attempted new build currently on hold and in need of divine intervention LOL

hi dave,

Hubby bought a door (i think the metal is steel) actually was the first thing.. An what determined the size of the dome outside of my estimations. But all worked out..
the door was rusting so he has given it a coat of some high temperature rust inhibitor.. forgot the details... and all good and ready EXCEPT today I noticed that it no longer fitted flush into the oven entrance. It seems that during the drying process the oven has shrunk (mortar) so now the door will need to have half an inch or so off the end....but it still is alright for now... Still happy

Take off a little more than is required from the door. Steel expands when hot and it could end up jamming in the oven, or at worst cracking the surrounding refractory as the oven shrinks back against the steel door.

[mrchipster]

Re: Attempted new build currently on hold and in need of divine intervention LOL

Take off a little more than is required from the door. Steel expands when hot and it could end up jamming in the oven, or at worst cracking the surrounding refractory as the oven shrinks back against the steel door.

All the more reason for a nice wide reveal when sizing the outer arch to the inner arch.

[oasiscdm]

Re: Attempted new build currently on hold and in need of divine intervention LOL

hey hsa some recent photos mate would be great.

[hsa]

Re: Attempted new build currently on hold and in need of divine intervention LOL

Hi guys!! You know what!! Have I been busy... Spent a few days lighting those fires (even tho insulation layer is still tba....)

So no actual changes to the oven since last EXCEPT OMG! After abt 4-5 fires we were too impatient to try it out!
On Friday night I thought I would leave my fire lighting to later in the afternoon after school pick up and we would attempt some pizza in it when hubby got home! But I left it too late and it got too cold and dark outside! Oven wasn't hot enough by then and hubby lost interest so I jus made 2 small saucer sized plain pizza topped with caramelised onions and little cheese and put the rest of the dough in my Normal oven!

OMG!!! Even tho it took a while, the taste was lovely!
( like the smokiness enhances it to another level but I need to discuss that again later...)
So much so that the very next day hubby went out and bought a nice big piece of lamb to roast in it! He did a simple thyme rosemary and garlic marinade and it took a few hours maybe 4 or so and didn't even light it to heat up the oven for too long before that. It was one of the best roasts I have ever eaten!!!

Sigh!!! So happy! With our creation, flaws and all. But wary of the finishing touches still necessary and aware that at the moment we are not optimising the fuel and heat etc etc but we are jus in the honeymoon phase with the whole concept so give us time )))

[hsa]

Re: Attempted new build currently on hold and in need of divine intervention LOL

First bake

[hsa]

Re: Attempted new build currently on hold and in need of divine intervention LOL

Straight out of the oven...