2stone vs. WFO

[PizzaioloCow]

@weemis

I'm fully aware it's a several-hour ordeal; it'll be well worth it, though!  We have plenty of family members lined up waiting to try a slice from it.

@mitchjg

Unfortunately, we can't afford to buy both, even over an extended period of time. That, of course, would be ideal.

Great looking pie!  Good luck with your WFO!

@Everlast

I believe the oven we're building has 26" of floor space on the inside of the dome.  It's not super-small, but it's not massive, either.

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Update:
About a week ago we started on the dome but ran out of the refractory mortar and had to have another bag ordered.  It arrived yesterday, and tomorrow we'll continue on (hopefully finish) the dome.  We have a dilemma, though; we don't know whether a vent is necessary.  We're basing the design of ours on a book we looked at (the name of which escapes me now), which claims the airflow is created naturally because of the way the opening and the dome are shaped together.  Can anyone confirm whether or not this is possible and, if so, the vent is still a required element?

Thanks again for all the replies!  I'll post pictures once the oven's done.
-Jake

[shuboyje]

A vent is not required, but it will keep the smoke out of your face.

As for heat up time I have some first hand experience.  My first oven was a 30" low dome pompeii with 3" of thermal mass.  I could get that oven to 1000F in about an hour very easily.  A small oven is very easy to completely fill with wood.  Once all that wood get's going you can get up to temperature very fast.

[PizzaioloCow]

Thanks, shuboyje!

Hmm...I always thought the vent was there to provide the proper flow of heat to reach the desired temperature, but, of course, that makes sense about the smoke.

My dad would like to know how do you light your ovens.  Will simple paper-and-matches work to get it going?

When you say 1000 degrees, do you mean in the dome or on the floor?

Thanks!
-Jake

[shuboyje]

In many type of ovens and furnaces the vent stack is critical to the function of the oven.  A masonry black oven which your Pompeii oven is is a different animal.  Air will follow the path of least resistance, so although the vent will catch the hot rising exhaust gases coming from your oven it will not suck air into the oven.  It will simply suck ambient air right in the flue if it is drawing more air the the oven is producing.

Many people light the oven with paper and a match, I personally either use fire starters I came up with years ago made from waste cooking oil soaked into paper towel then rolled up(I like these because I always have both on hand) or with my propane weed burner.  With dry wood and a dry oven lighting the fire is easy and you will come up with a go to method quickly.  When the oven is wet initially or if you get a bad batch of wet wood it can be tough to get going.

I meant 1000F on the floor.  In my opinion the dome temperature is not as critical in live fire cooking as the amount of flame, and even if it was it generally is out of the range of most IR thermometers.

Sounds like you've got one heck of a dad there!!  I hope you guys are enjoying the project.

[TXCraig1]

Thanks, shuboyje!

Hmm...I always thought the vent was there to provide the proper flow of heat to reach the desired temperature, but, of course, that makes sense about the smoke.

My dad would like to know how do you light your ovens.  Will simple paper-and-matches work to get it going?

When you say 1000 degrees, do you mean in the dome or on the floor?

Thanks!
-Jake

I use a 500,000 BTU cactus burner:

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

1000F on the floor is too hot for me. I like a hair under 900F. The temperature I focus most on on in my oven is the bricks farthest from the fire. They must be over 900F.

CL

[PizzaioloCow]

@shuboyje

Thanks for the all the info and advice on masonry ovens!  We bought a clay flue which is now in the oven.  Both my parents are, indeed, great!

@TXCraig1

Although I think we're going to use paper-and-matches (), that looks like a great way to kick-start the heating process.  With that monster, do you have to use any form of kindling?  I'll keep the temperatures you recommended in mind.  Thanks!

The oven itself was finished yesterday; now for the curing process!  Below are the photos.

-Jake

[Woodfiredovenpizzero]

Beautiful Oven PC. Theres this web site I found some time ago with some goods pictures as well. It is in Spanish but we all can understand the pictures  http://www.hornosartesanos.com/

Edgar

[ThatsAmore]

Sweet looking oven  PizzaioloCow

Can't wait to see some pies out of it.  Have you named it yet ?

[PizzaioloCow]

Thanks for the compliments on the oven!  The first curing fire took place tonight; it consisted of purely newspaper.  The floor reached 300 degrees.

@Woodfiredovenpizzero

Those are very nice ovens!  I'd love to, *ahem*, "test" them.

@ThatsAmore

One possible name for it is Woody, although it isn't decided yet.  I can't wait to see the pies out of it, as well!

I didn't take any pictures of the curing; I do, however, have a video of it, which I'll eventually post here.

Thanks!
-Jake

[AimlessRyan]

One possible name for it is Woody, although it isn't decided yet.

Just don't call it Sweater Vest or The Senator.

[RobynB]

Oooooh!  Pretty oven!!  Congratulations!