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First firing of my new bread oven

13 years ago

I am so excited - midway through the process of building a woodfired oven. We built the actual oven last weekend. It still needs an insulating layer and some kind of weather protection BUT I had the first fire Sunday. I will try some pita, chapatis or pizza with the next firing when the storm is done. I will have a steep learning curve to get the hang of when to put what in. These things are hot!

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Comments (15)

dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
13 years ago
Wonderful!

Looks like there will be no shortage of firewood where it is located. LOL!

Thanks for sharing.

dcarch
mabeldingeldine_gw
13 years ago
LOVE IT!! I have been dreaming of a brick oven for years. Did you document the construction anywhere, like on a blog? I'd love to learn from your experiences. I have a cement mixer, but we haven't made it to the pizza oven yet on the projects list.

Please keep sharing your progress!

Mabel
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mabeldingeldine_gw
13 years ago
I just read on the Sandy thread you are in Maine! Me too! I will volunteer my assistance in return for the chance to learn. E-mail me if you are interested. I'm in mid-coast.

Mabel
lpinkmountain
13 years ago
All I can say is OMG that is SO COOL! (As in groovy, because it looks pretty hot, lol!)
dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
13 years ago
"----I have a cement mixer---"

WOW!

That's good for making tossed salad for a big party! LOL!

dcarch
agmss15
Original Author
13 years ago
Hi Mabel - I am in central Maine near Skowhegan. I don't have enough knowledge about how to use them yet to teach anyone but you are more welcome to come and burn experimental pizzas with me.

I am very lucky that an old family friend and neighbor is an expert on these ovens. He has written books and has a blog. This is actually a mud oven rather than a brick oven - so I will have to put up some kind of roof. We built the oven out of 4' of clay/sand over a sand mold. Here is a picture of the arch and the sand mold.

Here is a link that might be useful: breadhunter's blog
agmss15
Original Author
13 years ago
Whoever mixes the concrete and mortar will deeply deeply appreciate a mixer! My salad is gritty enough without tossing it with concrete!
User
13 years ago
Wow, I'm impressed. I would love an oven like that.
agmss15
Original Author
13 years ago
It is cool! And not very complicated to assemble technically but the materials are very heavy. I got very sore just playing with blocks trying to figure out the height and shape of the base. I have no shortage of rocks for the base. But decided that concrete block would be faster. We built a memorial last summer for my dad out of local rock - and fitting the stone together in the desired shape was hard.
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
13 years ago
Looking forward to what you cook! That's wonderful! I would LOVE something like that but, alas, have technically given up bread.
User
13 years ago
I don't know if it's safe for me to show this post to my husband. He was intrigued by a feature on a nightly TV program called "Chronicle" here in nearby NH that showcased someone who built an oven similar to yours for bread baking. In that person's case, he started out as a hobbyist and ended up with a small business.

Congratulations on your new oven, and please keep us posted.
westsider40
13 years ago
Gorgeous! Enjoy.
annie1992
13 years ago
Oh my, I'm envious. I want one and we plan to build a wood fired outdoor oven when we finally get to move to the farm.

So yours is a mud oven. I'm definitely showing Elery that blog. If we didn't plan on putting this place on the market, we'd build one here.

Beautiful.....

Annie
agmss15
Original Author
13 years ago
Next step - we insulated with perlite/vermiculite and cement. And we are doing second firing today. I am going to try flat bread tonight.
jolj
13 years ago
Wonderful, sounds like a good family project, thanks for the link.

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