Author Topic: Finally, My WFO is Underway (Read 12160 times)

Ev · « **on:** June 09, 2010, 07:11:35 AM »

I can't afford a new 'Vette, so I guess this will be my "mid-life crisis" project.

brayshaw · « **Reply #1 on:** June 09, 2010, 07:21:50 AM »

Looking good buddy! keep us posted with your progress

Paul

norma427 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 09, 2010, 07:36:59 AM »

Steve,

Your WFO project looks great.

I am anxious to see your first pizza baked in the WFO.

Thanks for showing your progress,

Norma

Ev · « **Reply #3 on:** June 22, 2010, 06:03:20 AM »

I've made good progress on my oven this past week. I poured the hearth insulation, layed the cooking floor, cut the soldier course and cut another fifty brick for next several course in the dome.

norma427 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 22, 2010, 06:09:16 AM »

Steve,

Sure looks like you were busy this past week. Looking good!

Norma

Jackie Tran · « **Reply #5 on:** June 22, 2010, 07:54:09 AM »

Impressive looking project. Where did you get the plans for this?

Tran

Ev · « **Reply #6 on:** June 22, 2010, 09:00:50 AM »

Free download from http://www.fornobravo.com/pompeii_oven/table_of_contents.html

carbon · « **Reply #7 on:** June 22, 2010, 12:37:47 PM »

Congratulations! Everything is looking good so far! Let me guess, a 40" oven?

After 2.5 months I'm in my final stages of completion....I covered the dome with blanket and started applying stucco this week.

Ev · « **Reply #8 on:** June 22, 2010, 07:59:27 PM »

Thanks. It's a 42" oven. I'm glad most of the heavy work is done. This is the fun part. I figure it'll take pretty much all summer to complete.

Ev · « **Reply #9 on:** July 05, 2010, 01:22:01 PM »

More progress! Little by little I'll "Get-R-Done", as it were. Last week we had absolutely beautiful weather. Of course, I was too busy to work on the WFO then. Now it's blazin' hot outside but I have the time so here I go!
Here, a nasty storm nearly disintegrated my shelter. I put it back best I could but it'll never go back in its bag. Oh well!!!!

Ev · « **Reply #10 on:** July 10, 2010, 12:43:46 PM »

And some more progress. This'll be about it for about a week. I'm away on vacation til next Sunday.

Barry · « **Reply #11 on:** July 12, 2010, 08:59:59 AM »

Hi Ev,

I have been following your progress, and the oven is looking great !

What is the height from the floor to the dome ceiling going to be, and are you going to have a "flattened dome" shape ?

Kind regards.

Barry in Cape Town

Ev · « **Reply #12 on:** July 12, 2010, 06:07:08 PM »

Thanks Barry. It's a 42" oven with a 21" dome height. Your basic hemisphere. The inner door opening is 18 X 12.5 I'm planning on an 8" flue. I'm not really sure how to build the vent transition yet. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

Barry · « **Reply #13 on:** July 13, 2010, 05:10:31 AM »

Hi Ev,

Have you considered a lower flatter ceiling for your oven, say, around 13" high (not 21" as planned) ?

I ask this, because I have found that getting the temperatures up to high (ie. 850 - 1,000 deg F), having a low, flat ceiling helps tremendously. This design also "approximates" the Neopolitan design, which facilitates a fast cooking cycle. The general formula is to divide the diameter (42") by 3.4 (= 12.4")

I am sure that constructing a low, flat ceiling is also more difficult!

Kind regards.

Barry in Cape Town

Ev · « **Reply #14 on:** July 13, 2010, 07:09:03 AM »

Barry,
I appreciate your suggestion, however, at this point that would totally screw up the opening to dome ratio. I'd really hate to tear out the opening arch at this point. In fact, the last coarse laid is already at about 13", meaning I'd have to tear out quite a bit more than just the arch to avoid an almost totally flat ceiling, which would be completely unstable.
At the point I am now, I'm willing to give up some efficiency on the chance that my(Forno Bravos')design will be "good enough". After all, dare I say, it's only pizza!

Barry · « **Reply #15 on:** July 14, 2010, 09:21:30 AM »

Hi Ev,

Points taken.

I think your brickwork is SUPERB. Really, you have put a huge effort into the project. Like all things in life, "what you put in, you get out". Expect to have fantastic pizza parties when you start cooking!

I am looking forward to further pics of how you complete the project - and then some pics of you pizza.

Kind regards.

Barry

Ev · « **Reply #16 on:** July 20, 2010, 12:08:53 AM »

Thanks Barry. I appreciate your kind words of support.
I'm home now, from vacation and plan to resume construction in a couple days. I'm hoping to complete the dome this week.

Ev · « **Reply #17 on:** July 26, 2010, 02:45:10 PM »

Well, I didn't get as far as I had hoped, but I still made some decent progress. Might get a bit more done this evening of for sure on Wednesday.

Ev · « **Reply #18 on:** July 30, 2010, 08:07:02 PM »

I finished the dome yesterday, by golly. Now for the vent/chimney!

Barry · « **Reply #19 on:** August 01, 2010, 04:40:27 AM »

Hi Ev,

Your oven looks awesome - well done !

I guess your vent will be in front. What are you going to use for insulation? My experience has shown that one can (almost) never have enough insulation - much like money !

I look forward to further pics, and then pics of your pies.

Kind regards.

Barry

Author Topic: Finally, My WFO is Underway (Read 12160 times)

brayshaw