Hi All

[moo76]

Hi all, a quick introduction - After a looong time planning to build my own oven from scratch, I've finally conceded that, with two jobs and a family to contend with, that probably isn't going to happen too soon. So I allowed myself to get struck down by eBayitus.
I spotted a small beehive oven locally that looked like it was going to go fairly cheap, so I stuck a fairly low bid in. Then I thought, I would be gutted if it went for the same money as I'd priced up on building one (whilst smaller than I originally intended, it would be a lot less work AND actually get done). And then I speculated a few quid on top, just to make sure
Anyways, some time very soon I shall be picking up my new purchase, and I can't wait.
It's got a few cracks I'd like to repair - hopefully I'll pick up some great advice on here - and then I'll be cracking on (no pun intended, honest) with my new found obsession.

:-)

[rivergirl]

Don't forget photos! Us lot are dead nosy and love a good photograph!

[moo76]

Will get some more pics up together once it's been retrieved - until then, here's a pic from the ebay ad....


It needs a little cosmetic love, for sure, but I'm hoping it will still be usable in the meantime. And then, when I've proved to myself that I NEED to build my own, at least we'll have something to play with in the interim ;-)

[buster2001]

Hiya, I was your opposing bidder well done on winning, for me too it's given me a kick up the ass I was in the same boat as you been talking about building for years
I saw that one and though the same not really big enough for my needs but will save me a job !!!

Now however after losing that auction I'm really planning my own build so it's good all round.

Looking forward to seeing pictures of some good pizza!!!

Buster

[moo76]

Hey Buster, not sure if I should be saying this but.... you very nearly won - your bid took me right to my limit (and, like I said, that was only because I decided, at the last minute, to speculate another few quid on top)  Have you got any thoughts and plans for your build yet?

I picked the oven up earlier, although its still on the back of the truck for the minute; there were only three of us at this end and we struggled loading it on with four - not even going to contemplate risking that one  

Anyways, just need this rain to bugger off so I can start cooking outdoors again - and let the pizza pics come flooding out :-)

[buster2001]

Lol I did same last minute mate I,own a bakery and we were all watching auction I said max £150 but,pumped in £195 right last second, I'm glad though because I'm now determined to get on and do it.

I'm no builder so,will be hit and miss lol
Have you fired it up yet?

Buster

[rivergirl]

Buster have you thought about a Cobb build? Cheap as chips and no skill neccessary !

[buster2001]

I was going to but think I'm going to brave a brick or my own cast one, simply for the weather, it's raining constantly in Tavistock lol and I want something to,last a bit longer I reckon for £250 I can build something that will do it won't be pretty but,,,,

I can decorate a cake lol but brickie hmmmm

[moo76]

Well, she's been fired up and fed us tonight (I also fired her up the other night after a lot of "will it rain? Won't it rain?" and gave in at 6pm, lit a fire.... and it rained. Heavy. And then the kids got fed at gone 8 on a school night  ).

This morning I made the dough and left it to rest, knocked it back, and let it prove throughout the day. I've got to say, I was well happy with the pizzas (no complaints from the kids about the burnt bits either  ) BUT I really struggled to keep the temperature up. I started the fire just before 3 and began cooking just after 5 - when the first pizza went in, the floor temp was showing around 400C, but by the time the second went in the temp had dropped to 250... and it kept dropping, pretty quickly.

I kept bringing the embers back to the middle of the oven, adding more wood, waiting, and starting again but by the sixth pizza it was taking ages to cook, not the fabled 90 secs that were promised - could that be down to the wood I used? Having a wealth of pines and conifers at my disposal it seems ludicrous to pay for wood. I know they're not idea burn quicker than harder woods, but should it make that much of a difference? Also, the moisture content of the logs was between 16-19%... too high??

Anyways, I've plenty to learn and I can't wait to learn it. I'd like to lose a bit of festive weight, but that can wait! I've got lots more questions about cracks and rerendering, etc, but I imagine they're probably best in a thread in another section???

[moo76]

And I'm not sure why my pics have come out on the wonk?

[chas]

Hi Buster, if you have a trawl through my build experience, you'll see I started out collecting supposedly dry and dead wood and have been astonished at the better performance from wood dried by storing it in a crate sitting on top of the boiler. In my case it's oak and ash, sometimes apple, but the same principle rules: really dry wood will lift the temperature quicker... you're not 'burning off' the water first. I see you've got the little moisture meter I got for xmas and was used in my 'experiments' - try keeping wood somewhere dry for a while, get it down to as close to zero as you can and watch it go!

Chas

[moo76]

Thanks Chas, the wood has been stored in a shed since being cut up back in the summer - I did put a small stack in the oven when I finished cooking and put the door back on to prepare some for next time and thats mostly coming up zero, or pretty low at least :-)

[Bandit]

It looks like the Portuguese Beehive oven I bought about 15 years ago.

Mine is an inner and an outer layer of terracotta with an air gap between.

I found mine would not hold the heat like my current WFO.