Modular Build Gloucester

[thetrev]

Hi,

After a couple of months looking at designs, and deciding between building or buying I took the plunge and purchased an oven from Pizza Oven Supplies in Stoke

here are a few photos of the build.



Bye Bye flower border.




Some dodgy brickwork, flower border knocked about, added bricks and concrete lintels 









used 900x600 50mm Concrete Council type slabs, these were heavy but saved laying a concrete slab.





Frame created for vermiculite insulation layer and first coat of render






6:1 mix of vermiculite and portland, this took just under 2 full bags to fill




trying to workout the maximum dome I could get away with. 



After a 4 hour round trip to Stoke and with the help of a strong friend the Dome was located into position and a small fire started. 




25mm 96KG Blanket going on

[thetrev]

Wrapping with chicken wire





Start of arch



on goes the render




Arch complete and first coat of render applied, would have been rude not to have a little fire

[lovepizza]

Looking Good.

I have just responded to another thread with you on it (Barry's)

I am looking seriously at these ovens and interested to know how long it takes to your get your oven to temperature?
By "temperature", I mean the soot has fallen off of the dome of The oven and the Heath is 400 c minimum. This may take a couple of firings from new.
I have a clay/pompeii hybrid oven at home and it is very efficient at cooking pizza and retains heat for cooking roast and bread for a good 18 hours afterwards. I am not looking for that performance with this oven but heating up times are important. Also, recovery times. How many pizzas can you cook in a row before you have to rest it, if at all (you won't be able to answer that one until your first pizza party) :-).

You went for the 60 cm I believe. What was in the kit and how much was it (f you don't mind me asking). PM me if you prefer.

[thetrev]

First full fire

after 30 mins the tempature at the back of the oven


after 1hr 30mins the soot had cleared and I could wait no longer so I pushed the coles backs and went for the first Pizza.
I cooked 5 Pizzas over 30 mins the first two took less that two minutes, I did not add more wood to keep it going as this was
my first test.




c4.staticflickr.com/8/7744/27567378075_2466b0d382_b.jpg

[thetrev]

Jun 9, 2016 4:50:50 GMT lovepizza said:

Hi,lovepizza

I spent a lot of time looking at different options the pre build one would not fit through the house so it was modular or build my own, as I could not wait for weeks to built it and at over half the cost of other ovens and how helpful Nick and Sam were I went for it.

This is the 600 model and the base price was £300, this model does not have firebricks on the floor but a cast floor of the same material used on kiln shelves. the next size up uses 25mm firebricks on the base this was my only worry about the oven but as I could not fit the bigger oven in I have taken a gamble but I did purchase some 25mm firebricks which would fit in the but loose height once fitted incse the floor causes issues.

I also purchased theit metal door, the seal is not great and as it is just a 3mm metal wish a small bit of insulation of the back only at the bottom (I will get some pics) the heat retention was not good, the oven  dropped off down to 180c within an hour I hope with some added insulation and fire rope it will retain more heat, the door just seamed to absorb the heat.

I am hoping to learn more about cooking with this oven and get more use but as I've had the oven in for a week and only time for one use I hope over the next few weeks to get a better understanding of wood fired cooking.

Trev

[lovepizza]

Hi Trev

By the look of that pizza it's certainly getting hot enough :-)

I can't see your door but I suspect what it comes with is a fire door to help with the draw when getting the oven to temp and roasting. You won't need it for heat retention when cooking pizza.
If you want to use one for slow roast etc, it is easy to make one like I did. Aerolite bloc, ply and a cheap clas Olson thermometer. Cost about £15 to make (see pick).
With an insulated door (like mine) the idea is that you cook with no flames. Once you kill them off, remove the ember (or not, up to you) and whack the door on. Ambient temperature will be circa 300c I would imagine. Then let it cool down a bit before you put the pork shoulder in for slow roasting, but you can be cooking chicken, roast veg all sort before you get down to 150c slow roast temps, you will in fact have to stay up all night! Aerelite won't like direct flame and high temp for too long. Mine works great (pinched the idea off someone else on this forum). Retains heat overnight great. You will have to isolate you chimney of course to retain heat in the oven for slow cooking

I have emailed the guys in Stoke on Wednesday but no reply as yet. I will have to mail then again.

Your build is looking cool. Keep us all updated with your cooking progress.

Stuart