Looking for inspiration

[Colinh]

I'm looking to build my own steel barrel type oven. There are lots of online stockists of these types of ovens but I would like to a showroom to get a proper look before trying to build my own. Problem is I cant find anyone with a showroom. Any one no of uk based stockists with a showroom?

[UtahBeehiver]

Before you head too far down the steel barrel oven path, I suggest you search this forum on steel ovens, it is not you best choice of material for a myriad of reasons.

[Colinh]

Thanks for that. I'm actually going to mount the oven on the back of my van so am weight limited. Also I need something that will withstand the forces during driving

[Chach]

I totally agree not the best choice in construction. I also was going to build a barrel oven out of brick but then after research I found this forum and after downloading the plans and researching differences between igloo shaped and barrel shaped I became sold on the igloo dome oven. I am 100% glad I did as it works very well with convection and it is more traditional. Download the plans they are pretty much free and there is a section in the plans that talk about the differences as well if i'm not mistaken. Construction is a little bit more complex but not bad at all.

Ricky

[UtahBeehiver]

Then look at a homebrew dense cast oven or commercial dense cast material. It is commonly used for mobile ovens. Look at posts by David S, he is our casting expert..

[david s]

For a mobile oven on a vehicle or trailer a brick oven is unsuitable due to the many separate units. Builders have reported the thing vibrating to bits during travel. Cast ovens are less susceptible because of the reduced number of sections. Some manufacturers offer single dome castings in an effort to reduce the vibration problem further although large monolithic castings are more prone to cracking due to uneven expansion and contraction. A well insulated stainless oven is a viable alternative and has the advantage of having a far lower mass to drag around. It’s disadvantage is its inability to store heat because of its low thermal mass and high conductivity. So retained heat cooking is out, although if it’s only going to cook pizza this may not be a problem. With a low thermal mass a decent fire must be maintained constantly or temperature drop off is really fast.
The other consideration is the difficulty of constructing a dome with sheet material. Most stainless ovens are constructed as a half barrel consequently and this does have an issue with poorer circulation than a hemisphere although it still works pretty well. Some builders have used the hemispherical end of a large gas cylinder to create a steel dome which provides a good solution. For my small mobile oven I opted for a cast dome oven in three sections. It weighs 250 kg and has the ability to roll on and off my trailer, but at only 21” internal is really limited to cooking one pizza at a time, ok for parties where everyone shares but not suitable for single boxed sales.