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Post by baileyhsi on Feb 15, 2013 0:16:09 GMT
Ok absolute newbie here just in the planning stages of my first ever WFO build. Got a really tight space in a yard and looking for a decent capacity oven. I'll be getting out in the yard this week to measure up available space and making a plan on what I need to do to prep the area for foundations etc.
At the same time as that I'm going to be drawing lots of pictures, reading lots and lots of information and creating a pretty tight plan on what I want to build. I'm nervous enough about this project and wouldn't like to go in to it without knowing exactly what I am doing. I've seen some builds where effectively people just wing it which just sounds scary to me.
When I've got my plans and ideas sorted Ill come back and run them past you guys but in the meantime I think I only have one non standard requirement (besides the tight area I will be working in) and that is I want to be able to cook pizzas that are 30' across. Obviously I understand the optimum size for the opening is going to be much smaller than this even for a huge oven but I was hoping that somebody knew a clever way of varying he opening size? I was initially thinking to build the opening to the larger size and then use a door or half door to control the opening size. Would this work? I've seen builds where people had used loose bricks on either side of the opening but I think my requirements might vary from the standard size too much for this to be practical.
Any ideas?
Ta in advance
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Post by baileyhsi on Feb 15, 2013 0:18:08 GMT
Ooooops bit of a spinal tap error already. I of course meant 30" pizzas.
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Post by h12rpo on Feb 15, 2013 12:51:48 GMT
I was thinking super large there for a minute  |
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Post by turkey on Feb 15, 2013 20:11:02 GMT
30"? That will take a monster sized peel regardless of the difficulties turning a pizza that size.
can I ask why a pizza Fred Flintstone would be proud of?
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Post by cannyfradock on Feb 16, 2013 10:17:13 GMT
Bailey I've just been scribbling away trying to find out if that's possible...or feasible. I've used this old sketch to work a few things out.  You would still have to have some sort of internal rebate on the opening to stop it being open ended, so the dome would function properly regarding heat retention. To do this the dome would have to be at least 40"" in diameter to allow you to have a 30" opening, but it would cut the depth down to 30". You may also have to reduce the height of the dome to perhaps 40% of the diameter....as apposed to the normal 50%. These figures are just guesstimates for feedback........you may be better off with a Vault oven....even then, a pizza will take 90 seconds to bake so a door may be too difficult for pizza baking... Interesting.... Terry |
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Post by baileyhsi on Feb 23, 2013 21:58:58 GMT
Thanks Terry, you've given me a good starting point for thinking about dimensions there. I've done some of the donkey work in clearing the site and getting measurements of available space and I'm currently on the scrounge for any recycled materials so I'm still taking my first steps. Hoping next weekend to at lease get my base down though so I can crack on throughout March (weather permitting). "Why such big pizzas?" is a very good question! I have a food business in mind that requires over sized pizza so they can be sliced in to over sized pizza slices  It really isn't the end of the world if I can't get the opening that I'm after as I can still practice my dough and get my recipes down but it would be nice and there is something about the challenge of this problem that makes it that little bit more fun! I'll hopefully have some pictures and plans up here for feedback soon. Cheers Bailey |
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Post by baileyhsi on Mar 6, 2013 21:57:25 GMT
The phrase 'breaking ground' doesn't sound very much hard work at first does it? I thought it would take me one day to break a couple of small walls and dig down ready for my foundations to be laid. It actually took me 3 days due to the fact that the previous owners of my garden had seen fit to lay a good couple of layers of bricks underneath part of my site as well as finding some really nasty roots in the bits that weren't bricked up. Never mind.
Right then, some progress has been made and with a bit of tidying up to do I am ready this weekend to lay my foundations.
So I've got an available space of 140cm by 185cm left over. I've seen some builds just use foundation blocks sitting underneath the next level of bricks. Is this a viable option for a Pompei? Which is going to be the cheaper route?
I've got lots of other questions but as they are all dependent on each other I'll ask them as and when I get to the relevant bit. For now I'm starting right at the bottom!
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Post by cannyfradock on Mar 7, 2013 7:44:56 GMT
Bailyhsi
Great start....shall post reply later today.
Terry
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Post by baileyhsi on Mar 7, 2013 13:39:46 GMT
Right then, it was a late night last night and I've decided (unless someone tells me I'm a damn fool) that I'm going to follow a very similar structure to minesamojito's build so foundation blocks, normal blocks, a couple of concrete joists, 6" ceylon blocks, bricks, hearth stone, oven on top. Obviously my oven on top is going to be different as I'm not going down the barrel route.
Its just seems a much simpler build than others that I have seen and avoids messing about pouring the concrete to make the slabs, something I know I would make a right mess of.
I've planned out what I need for the base and so I'll be making a start on Saturday where I'm hoping (with some assistance) to get it up to the joists bit. I'm a little unclear on how to assemble the next couple of layers after that but minesamojito is a kind and generous gent who answers all my questions on Twitter like some kind of WFO customer support rep. He also is the main inspiration for starting this in the first place so I will owe him a tipple.
I am going to be quite nerdy with my planning and will be recording everything so hopefully I'll end up with almost a manual for other people to attempt a similar build.
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Post by baileyhsi on Mar 7, 2013 13:40:41 GMT
Expect lots of photos of things going wrong this weekend!
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Post by turkey on Mar 7, 2013 22:47:49 GMT
the base sounds good to me, I was thinking on the over sized pizza slices and perhaps a barrel vault is good. If you ignore the curved edge of the pizza and just assume a triangle, if you cooked a large rectangle you could cut this across the thin width to make some sufficiently large slices from a pizza that comes out a regular sized door? the barrel vault would allow long and thin which would work well for this. or just make triangular dough and cook individual "slices" cant wait to see what you have planned |
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Post by cannyfradock on Mar 8, 2013 7:27:39 GMT
Bailey
Also sounds good to me. As long as you have a sturdy piece of ground to build on....you're away. I've also used RCL's (re-enforced concrete lintols) in place of the concrete slab, with Celcon blocks laid on them.
The size of your opening is a bit in uncharted territory but .....where there's a will.......
Terry
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Post by baileyhsi on Mar 13, 2013 14:15:04 GMT
Right then I'm off, first proper day building and I got as much as wanted to get done. First base slabs down and built two blocks up ready for the lintols to go on this weekend... What I started with...  Base blocks down....  A couple of blocks built up...  So as you can see I'm working in quite a tight space as I said before, it is only a small yard and its in a slightly awkward spot for accessing the door but I'm sure it will be fine. Happy that I've got this far without losing a finger or anything falling down but this was the really simple bit I suppose. I've got a few more Qs about the next stages but I'll save those for when I get in tonight and I've got my measurements in front of me. |
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Post by baileyhsi on Mar 13, 2013 14:17:47 GMT
Oh I know it does look a bit rough around the edges (I tidied some of the mortar work up after I took this photo) but I don't think I've got any problems structurally and everything is currently level so I've already surpassed my own expectations.
I still have absolutely no clue about the wider opening but I'm not there yet so will shelve that problem for now and hope for some inspiration.
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Post by cannyfradock on Mar 13, 2013 18:35:18 GMT
Bailey
Great to see that you've made a start..... Your extra large opening has got my mind working overtime ......it's possible if you bend the principle rules a little.....keep posting and keep asking.
Terry
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