modified Chininea weber Pizza oven

[Samdar]

For my first DIY pizza oven I put a weber gill modified with perlite/cement blocks and a dome cast from the lid, on a chiminea.  I got it up to 853F and cooked some very nice pies.  I feel with some minor modification I should be able to get up to 1000F.  2 questions are below:

1)I was using a cheap target 20 pizza stone and it cracked from the heat.  Any suggestions on high temp stones

2)I ordered refractory cement to make the blocks and dome cast but the site is no longer offering free shipping so anyone have a recipe for refractory cement from stuff I can get form home depot?

I can post more detailed photos of construction if people are interested.  I used a weber grill that a neighbor threw, I already had the chiminea so the total cost of the project was ~$100 for the perlite, cement

[Jackie Tran]

Welcome Samdar.  Looks like you did a nice job with the oven and pizza.  I would like to see pics of the build.

-how did you attach the weber to the chimnea ?
-and did you put refractory cement to to both the base and ceiling of the weber?

Chau

[tinroofrusted]

I have to say that Weber/chiminea contraption looks very precarious. I would not want to be standing next to it when it hits 1000 degrees.  Is there anything supporting it or preventing it from tipping over? 

[TXCraig1]

That's a really creative set-up. Looks like it would double as a great smoker too. Scott123 can probably steer you in the the right direction for the baking surface. If he doesn't see this post, you might PM him.

CL

[Samdar]

For version 1 the weber was just balanced on top.  I chopped the bottom off the weber with leveled it with a grinder.  I would like to secure the 2 tighter but have not come up with a great way to do that yet. 

The cement is only on the top of the weber.  I would like to add some to the base to help retain more heat but again i am looking for a recipe to make refractory cement out of portland cement.  I found some recipes around the net and am going to try and make some test bricks this week. 

txcraig1... I agree i could use it for smoking as well.  I lived in austin for a while and can make a mean brisket

[Tampa]

Samdar,

Love the creativity and the pie looks great.

It does look like oven balance is an important factor to successful pie-eating.  To secure the weber to the chiminea, you might consider baling wire around the neck of the chiminea (twist tight) and wire or strap up to the base of the weber, secured with a through-bolt.  Once that is in place, the base becomes more interesting as that isn't secure either.  My (unconventional) recomendation for the base is dig a bit of a hole, pour in a bag or two of concrete, wrap the chiminea with thin plastic wrap and drop it in until the concrete sets.  If done right, the chiminea should be removeable but offer a tight fit.

Dave

[Samdar]

updated pictures of the bricks.  They are a 4:1 perlite to RF cement (by volume)  


the first two pics look fine on my mac but are posting sideways.  I will fix when I get home to my pc

[Botch]

Regarding pizza stones:  I've recently acquired a Big Green Egg, which can reach 1000 F easily, and consensus seems to be that any stone will work, with the exception of those made by the Pampered Chef.  I don't know if that's what Target carries or not.
Do you have the stone inside the Weber as you fire up the chiminea, or are you adding it after it gets hot?  Let it heat up slowly from the beginning. 
Good luck! 

[Samdar]

the stone was in from the beginning so it would heat up slow.  I am picking up one that is for a komono Joe from splitjack tomorrow.  The owner of that store said it would have no problems hitting over 1000F and not cracking