New WFO

UnConundrum · Jul 16, 2009

Been gone for a bit, but was bitten by a new bug. My loving wife asked why, if I love baking bread so much, I don't have a wood fired oven (wfo). Imagine my surprise

So..... I called a friend and asked if he wanted to join in on a summer project. You can check out the series of pictures HERE

Anyone else bitten by the bug?

Fisher's Mom · Jul 16, 2009

Wow!!! I am completely blown away by your wfo!!! This is to die for! I'm definitely bitten - just don't know if I can scratch like you do, my friend. You are a master craftsman!

joec · Jul 16, 2009

I can't wait to the next ECG to get some pizza and bread from that thing. Love it Warren and as I've said a few times you are the king of foodies. :applause:

UnConundrum · Jul 16, 2009

I think there's going to be a pretty big learning curve... but I'm up for it

JoeV · Jul 16, 2009

Wow! Now that is one bad Jones you got there. Thank God I'm not bitten that bad. I had stone hearth bread all the time when I was stationed in Turkey, and just fell in love with the flavor and aroma.

lifesaver91958 · Jul 16, 2009

Wow! that's nice!

PieSusan · Jul 16, 2009

That is awesome! I can't wait to see the bread that comes out of it!

Keltin · Jul 17, 2009

That is incredible! Can’t wait to see it in action. But what is that Amp-Champ type connector at the top left of the pic. Looks like a 64 pine connector that we use for cabling…..but not sure what you’d do with it here?

lilbopeep · Jul 17, 2009

brick oven bread and pizza!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO

joec · Jul 17, 2009

Keltin said:
That is incredible! Can’t wait to see it in action. But what is that Amp-Champ type connector at the top left of the pic. Looks like a 64 pine connector that we use for cabling…..but not sure what you’d do with it here?

Think computer temperature controlled Keltin, would be my guess. Warren is like Mr. Wizard with computer controlled cooking.

UnConundrum · Jul 17, 2009

Keltin, I think you're looking at an electrical box to be inserted in the final brick, but that said, Joe's right too. I have three copper tubes installed through which I can fish thermocouples to track the internal temp. I drilled some of the bricks and fed the tubing right into the brick

High Cheese · Jul 17, 2009

You lucky Bastid!

Coming along nicely!

I plan on building some sort of wood fired oven/smoker/fireplace off my patio. Coupla questions: The fire will be in the lower chamber or in the cooking chamber? Are those special bricks and mortar mix? I was going to use standard red brick (hopefully find some used beat-up ones) and a standard portland/sand mix.

PieSusan · Jul 17, 2009

Wow, it really is gorgeous!!!!

UnConundrum · Jul 17, 2009

Actually, it's done, but I forgot to take pictures. I'm currently running low level fires to cure it/drive the moisture out of it.

The bag of charcoal in the bottom is for my BGE, not the WFO. Rain is expected and I just wanted to keep it dry.

As to building one, the inside is made of firebrick. There are different kinds of firebrick so you have to be careful. Aluminum is added to firebrick to enable them to conduct heat. These are about 30% if I remember right. Supposedly, they're good to about 1200 degrees. Some are rated at 2800 or something like that. They're for furnaces and not ovens. Red brick will "work" but won't conduct the heat properly, and are more porous. With the expansion of moisture I believe the break down much faster limiting the life of the oven. If you're putting the work into it, go with firebrick. My red brick is only to finish the front and not exposed to the heat directly.

As to mortar, there are special refractory mortars that can take the heat. I believe they're made with fireclay. Normal mortar will supposedly break down.

All the pictures are HERE

joec · Jul 17, 2009

How does it vent or does it need to?

Fisher's Mom · Jul 17, 2009

The shell is an old out building, am I right, Warren? That makes it so amazing looking. Reminds me of some really old colonial houses with the huge walk-in fireplaces in the kitchens.

UnConundrum · Jul 17, 2009

Joe, there's a metal chimney going through the roof in front. There is no chimney in the cooking chamber. The theory is that fresh air enters the bottom 1/3 of the door way to feed the fire, and smoke exits the upper 1/3. Between the edge of the cooking area and the front facade, there is a "chamber" that catches the smoke and feeds to the chimney.

Yes, that is a smoke house, made of stone, but it's age is another long story for another day. Suffice it to say it's not "real" old, but the house is.

joec · Jul 17, 2009

Thanks Warren was just curious. I don't remember seeing one in your pictures but then don't remember looking at the roof either.

UnConundrum · Jul 17, 2009

Here ya go Joe....

joec · Jul 17, 2009

Thanks Warren now that makes me happy but did a union sheet metal worker install it. :yum:

buckytom · Jul 17, 2009

very nice!!!

beautiful stonework, too. :a1:

FooD · Sep 10, 2009

Very nice WFO!!! I just saw your threads on the wfo as I rarely visit this sub-forum. Your baked goods look fantastic!

I've been bitten by the wfo bug too and have been lurking at a couple wfo sites since a couple of months ago.
I'm in the middle of our back yard demolition/landscaping project and plan on building a low dome pompeii oven. I can't wait to lay my foundation!

UnConundrum · Sep 10, 2009

Thanks

I've been having a lot of fun with it. It's amazing how long it holds heat after being fired. I can get two to three days of cooking out of it, if I save a low and slow for the third day. Made some dynamite short ribs just leaving them sit in there for about 16 hours

Here's a pic of the "Flintstone" worktable we built :

Fisher's Mom · Sep 10, 2009

You know, I was showing one of my older sons these amazing pics, Un, and my youngest son crowded in and studied the pics for a long time. Then he ran out of the room to his dad and said "I know what I want from Santa - my own kid house with a chimney!" I still can't get him to believe there's not a very lucky kid playing in that little "stone house"!

Blues Man · Sep 10, 2009

That is one nice oven. Great job on the build. Post some food pics (pizza hint! hint!) when you are ready.

Keltin · Sep 10, 2009

Dang! That is incredible....and you have TWO Green Eggs! CARP! I've got to start working some over-time or ask for a pay rise!

FooD · Sep 10, 2009

All that stone work is incredible with plenty of work area! Very nice. It's amazing how much heat these ovens retain. Of course, insulation, being one of the most important components, is the key. Never skimp on that.
I know you're mostly into breads, but are you able to reach very high temps with your barrel/vault style oven for doing pizzas?
I'm still trying to decide what size pompeii I want to build. I think I'll be happy with a 39", and no smaller.

UnConundrum · Sep 11, 2009

I've had it up to about 850F. Did you say pizza?

FooD · Sep 11, 2009

Nice leoparding on that crust!

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