41" low dome WFO build

[TXCraig1]

Some R-Values:

Vermiculite, loose fill   2.08
Perlite, loose fill   2.7

Perlite will pop like popcorn if you heat it up too fast which I think might happen where the fire is directly under the metal roof.

CL

[shuboyje]

Welding stainless is certainly more of a challenge than mild steel, but for the few tack welds you would need to hold the ring in place it would be no big deal.  I've got everything I need to throw together a mini mock up of what I'm thinking, I'll throw it together this weekend and see what happens.  Then I can throw it in my trunk for a few weeks and see how it weathers the bumps of the road. 

As for perlite, any used for insulation purposes should already be expanded, that is where it gets it's insulation value from.  Perlcrete is a great insulation for WFO, but if you are looking for thermal mass I think there are much better ways to get there.

[shuboyje]

As I said I would, I built a little mock up today to see how it holds up.  It's a 6 x 6 piece of stainless that I then put 3/4" of fireclay "mud" on top of.  I then pressed a 6 x 6 piece of 1 x 2 wire mesh into the surface and put a bit more clay over top of it.  I then slowly fired on my stove top until dry.  Fissures formed along the mesh, but upon cooling I was pretty impressed with how solid and dense it was, I was tossing it around with no effect.  Here's a picture of it before it went in my trunk.  We'll see what it looks like after a few weeks of my 100 miles a day of driving.

[Jet_deck]

Thanks everyone for the ideas.  I try to fire it up again this week and see how it goes.

[Jet_deck]

I refired the oven without using any lump charcoal.  With the floor at 850° and climbing, no part of the exterier of the oven was hot to the touch.  It seems to be insulated sufficiently for now.  I do blame the lump charcoal for the low temps last time.  At least in this particular oven anyway.  50 seconds of the burn.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3oDSGRWVas" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3oDSGRWVas</a>

  The results were good. I ate one, the neighbor ate one, and we fixed one for his wife.  My 00 flour is expired.  Must find more.

[Tscarborough]

Tack weld metal lath wadded to 1/2 the finished thickness and then put the clay on and around that.

[Jet_deck]

I am not sure that this roof needs any modifications.  But, Tom would this stuff make an acceptable clay?

[Tscarborough]

Sure, that is high temp pipe insulation.  It will not like direct flame, but heat is no problem.

[Jet_deck]

Thanks Tom.

[Jet_deck]

I got my GI Metals order in from JConk about a week ago.  I also talked him into sending me 10# of AM Pizzeria flour since my no name 00 flour had expired.   I took them both out for a test drive last night.  Without a live fire the oven was a bit out of balance and I plan to follow Toms suggestion above about coating the exterior of the oven roof with lathe and the high temp rated putty.  So here are wfo pizzas 2, 3 and 4.  Number 2 was anemic looking on the top, but 3 and 4 got some heat.  The IR heat gun showed that the floor was about 875.

[Jet_deck]

And three more pics.

[Jackie Tran]

Nice Gene!  I love the charring and leoparding.  Crumb looks good too.  How did they eat compared to your 10 stone pies?

[TXCraig1]

That's awesome Gene. How long was the cook time? Where are you positioning the fire and where are you cooking the pies? Are you turning them during the bake?


What did you think of the new peel?

CL

[norma427]

Jet_deck,

I agree, nice looking pies and crumb! 

Norma

[carbon]

Awesome looking pies!!  Glad to see your oven is functioning quite well.

[Jet_deck]

Nice Gene!  I love the charring and leoparding.  Crumb looks good too.  How did they eat compared to your 10 stone pies?

Chau I believe that I can say that the authentic wfo pizzas are much better.  The propane pizzas just cant stand against these.  I don't have a good explanation, but you will see soon enough for yourself.

That's awesome Gene. How long was the cook time? Where are you positioning the fire and where are you cooking the pies? Are you turning them during the bake?


What did you think of the new peel?

CL

The cook time on each of them was 100 seconds.  Yes they were all rotated.  The first was 100 seconds on the floor.  The second was 80 on the floor and domed for 20.  The last was 90 on the floor and domed for 10.  65% HR, 5 hours bulk room temp, 18 hour bulk refridgerated, scaled and balled for a 4 hour room temp warmup.  ADY for yeast (which I used to much of).

The coals were in a semi circle farthest from the opening.  The perforated GI metal peel was killer.  When the warden left the kitchen, I snatched up each of the pizzas straight off the Formica countertop, and then kinda restretched them a bit.  pizza #3 (the one in the middle)  looks like naan as I botched the launch into the oven.  I put the Cento sauce about 5 tablespoons at a time into a bowl and then elevated one side so that the water could seperate a bit and it was pretty good.

Thanks for the complements.

[buceriasdon]

Gene, Great job with both the oven, very inventive, and the pizza.
Don

[Jet_deck]

Thanks Don.  When and where are you coming to the States?

[JConk007]

Gene,
Great stuff !! Oven is working out quite nice! Glad the Caputo is working out for you. What was your recipe on these beauties? How much is too much I have had a few over yeasting lately myself but nowthat I have access  its cake yeast (tiny bit!)  for me from here on out.
Those GI perforated peel sure are sweet aren't they! I also used mine for the first time last sunday and was very impressed, just slipped it right under the skin, no need to even restretch! Light as a feather And they look cool too!  Enjoy!
John

[flyboy4ual]

Great looking pies! 

Scott D.