# Pizza oven in process (how to overdo it)



## Adios Pantalones (May 11, 2015)

Here is the base (all stone/mortar) with bottom insulation and the floor of the oven. I have been busting my scrawny keester making this- well, the next one should be easier   Lots of hobbit jokes floating around on this one.

I should have the oven smacked out by next weekend.


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## Adios Pantalones (May 11, 2015)

Determining the catenary arch with the hanging chain method 






Form in place






Built up


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## Swedishchef (May 12, 2015)

OMG I am jealous! That's Awesome AP! Very nice. wanna build me one as well?

Andrew


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## Adios Pantalones (May 12, 2015)

I'll be right there. umm- you aren't a Canadiens fan or anything, right?


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## Jags (May 12, 2015)

Pretty dang cool.  Using a form is something I might not have thought about.  Learn't something today.  Now I can go home.


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## Lake Girl (May 12, 2015)

Nice job - reminds me of the old fireplaces and the "Castle" itself on a property my friends owned on Lake Erie.  All rough quarried stone from near Port Colborne, Ontario that was built by a purported steel man - Moebius.





Are we invited for the inaugural pizza??  Guess it's just photos for us


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## Swedishchef (May 12, 2015)

Adios Pantalones said:


> I'll be right there. umm- you aren't a Canadiens fan or anything, right?


lol. nO! Not at all...one of the few that isn't!


Andrew


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## Swedishchef (May 12, 2015)

See..they are gonna lose. As a friend of mine said " I would cheer for Russia if they were playing the Habs..."


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## Adios Pantalones (May 13, 2015)

Swedishchef said:


> See..they are gonna lose. As a friend of mine said " I would cheer for Russia if they were playing the Habs..."


I'm a life-long Bruins fan, so I can sympathize with that one


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## Adios Pantalones (May 15, 2015)

Rented a brick saw. I call it D'Brickasaw Ferguson. So cool


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## Swedishchef (May 15, 2015)

I am anxious to see what temp that thing will reach!


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## Lake Girl (May 16, 2015)

Looking good...

The kiln in the background been fired up lately?


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## Adios Pantalones (May 16, 2015)

Haven't fired the kiln in a couple of months- I normally fire about 4 times a year, but this project has had me distracted.

It should get pretty hot, but not to kiln temps. I was going to make a mini Japanese kiln, but it wouldn't have the same top/bottom heat distribution, so I went with this classic design. Chimney will be built today.


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## Adios Pantalones (May 16, 2015)

Still needs insulation on the chamber


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## Dix (May 16, 2015)

I want one.


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## begreen (May 17, 2015)

Looks great. Are you going to add some gargoyles or other ceramic creations?


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## Adios Pantalones (May 18, 2015)

BG- yes, I have specific spots waiting for something hand made. I'm also thinking about making a sculptural chimbly pot


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## begreen (May 18, 2015)

Sounds wicked cool.


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## jeffesonm (May 27, 2015)

Awesome!  I'm a sucker for stone work and dream of building a pizza oven in my backyard one day.  More pics of the brick work please!


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## sportbikerider78 (May 28, 2015)

Man, you must eat a lot of pizza!  

Very cool project.


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## joes169 (May 29, 2015)

Looks good, I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

I take it you already have a "recipe" for the insulating castable over the dome?


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## Adios Pantalones (May 29, 2015)

joes169 said:


> Looks good, I'm sure you'll enjoy it!
> 
> I take it you already have a "recipe" for the insulating castable over the dome?


I have a LOT of insulating firebricks- mostly broken- I pieced them together with an refactory mortar loaded with crushed insulating bricks. Covered the whole thing with hydraulic cement for some weather resistance until I can make tiles.


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## Adios Pantalones (Jul 6, 2015)

First one- this was a test on Friday. Saturday I made 6-8 (lost track). 

Not the worst pizza I ever had... the home made sauce really adds something


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## Jags (Jul 6, 2015)

Looks pretty dang good.  What kind of dome temps are you running?


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## Adios Pantalones (Jul 6, 2015)

Jags- it's a good question. In very untypical style- I didn't measure. I thought about putting in a pyrometer port, but then just said screw it. The door height would restrict me from getting an IR gun in there without losing my little t-Rex arm. Luckily I have some experience making bricks hot.

I fired until I thought it was hot. Cooking time is in the 2 minute range I think, with great browning on top. Learned a lot in the first firing that made the second day a breeze.

The smoker box ports in the back could allow access for some sort of thermocouple, or I could drill, but I already have the feel for it. I will use a standard oven thermo for judging temps for bread baking etc. during cool down.


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## Jags (Jul 6, 2015)

2 minutes??  You are rockin' it.


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## Adios Pantalones (Jul 6, 2015)

Estimating 2 mins, 3 tops. With the coals spread to the sides, and a couple of pieces of kindling on top- it's really something to see.

It's funny- 1 1/2 - 2 hours to heat it up, 2 minutes to cook.


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## johneh (Jul 6, 2015)

Way Cool
I am so jealous right now


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## ironpony (Jul 6, 2015)

when I fire mine for reference, the floor is 800 or so and the dome gets over 1000. one minute pizza

ps really nice job


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## Adios Pantalones (Jul 6, 2015)

ironpony said:


> when I fire mine for reference, the floor is 800 or so and the dome gets over 1000. one minute pizza
> 
> ps really nice job


How are you measuring it? Pyrometers?


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## ironpony (Jul 6, 2015)

IR gun


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## begreen (Jul 7, 2015)

Adios Pantalones said:


> Estimating 2 mins, 3 tops. With the coals spread to the sides, and a couple of pieces of kindling on top- it's really something to see.
> 
> It's funny- 1 1/2 - 2 hours to heat it up, 2 minutes to cook.


Sounds like the oven is at about 750-800F with that short time. Well done.


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## HisTreeNut (Jul 22, 2015)

begreen said:


> Sounds like the oven is at about 750-800F with that short time. Well done.



We have a gas-fired pizza stone pizza oven where I work.
The sweet spot for the temperature is about 425 for the stone & about 575 for the dome.
It takes us about 4 minutes to cook a 16" pizza (well, 4 or 5 16" pizzas).
I would agree with begreen on his temperature assessment.
Very nice & very jealous.

Grew up in Buffalo and still have an affinity for the hometown teams.  First Hockey game I went to was a Sabres/Bruins game.  Tied 4-4.  Used to always joke as a kid that we were going to the fights tonight in the hopes a Sabres/Bruins game will break out.


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