This project has been stewing around in my head for several years. One stumbling block was where to get clay to build it. A few weeks ago a discussion came up here about something and I had the opportunity to acquire a few hundred pounds of clay from the king pyronut himself, Adios Pantalones. Thanks to him for the contribution.
I decided on a mud oven because of three reasons in no particular order: short on time, space and money for a large oven. I did look at the ones built here from other members, and nice jobs too all. I just needed a decent size oven that could hold a few pizzas, or cook meat pies and lasagna type casseroles. This list will go on for what will be cooked in it. I borrowed a book from the library called "Build your own earth oven" by Kiko Denzer. That is the basis of the design and used his ratios for the dome and door.
I'll get right into the pics.
The stone base was built on a rebar-reinforced pad that sits on crushed stone. I dug down to the packed sand/shale rock layer as the starting point. I used a half pallet of Pa. fieldstone to build the cylinder base. I made a wood swing jig that sat on a piece of rebar, that allowed me to set the stone and spin the jig to get it to the edge for a proper shape.
The blocks were built up and the stone after that. The stones are set in mortar, and cured, then backfilled with concrete. The stone went up to about 30" the concrete about 26". The blocks were filled in also and topped with a thin layer of concrete to make it flat for the insulation layer. I mixed perlite and clay and made a 3-4" layer of insulation to slow/prevent the movement of heat into the base. I topped that with wet mason's sand just to the top of the stone layer. I used perlite/clay mix to form a ring to prevent the sand from spilling out of the circle.
The firebricks were set dry laid next, took two tries to get them flat.
I built up a sand dome of wetted mason's sand. I have a piece of 3" pvc pipe going to the center of the oven chamber covered with bricks to promote air circulation. I stuck a 12 volt dc fan to a solar panel to move air through the dome to try to even the drying out. I made a wooden arch for cut on a 5 degree angle so the final wood door will tip back and rest against the arch on its' own. The sand dome when completed was covered in newspaper to keep the sand/clay mix from sticking to it. All the sand in this pics was removed when the dome set. I cheated and used small stones I had laying around to fill in so I didn't have to buy more sand. It still used 150 lbs of sand.
Sand and clay layer went on next, then the cob layer of sand/clay/straw for insulation. I finished it off with sand/clay mix. Around the arch I set beach stones that the kids found. I put so much thought into the design and construction of this, that I did not think of the outside layer and what
designs should go into it. The inner dome is 24" with a 12" wide door. I know it is narrow, but too much heat can be lost, and there are ratios to go by on dome heights and diameters.
Here is the finished picture. I am building a roof over it now with probably a limestone shelf to set the baked goods on when they come out. I did a small initial firing to help dry it out, but the firebricks were saturated and the fire smouldered. The walkway is re-purposed concrete from a walkway that I replaced. I have enough flat stone left over to replace it if it crumbles this winter.
I'll have more pics up in a few weeks when I really fire this thing up. I'll be happy to answer anyone questions too.
I decided on a mud oven because of three reasons in no particular order: short on time, space and money for a large oven. I did look at the ones built here from other members, and nice jobs too all. I just needed a decent size oven that could hold a few pizzas, or cook meat pies and lasagna type casseroles. This list will go on for what will be cooked in it. I borrowed a book from the library called "Build your own earth oven" by Kiko Denzer. That is the basis of the design and used his ratios for the dome and door.
I'll get right into the pics.
The stone base was built on a rebar-reinforced pad that sits on crushed stone. I dug down to the packed sand/shale rock layer as the starting point. I used a half pallet of Pa. fieldstone to build the cylinder base. I made a wood swing jig that sat on a piece of rebar, that allowed me to set the stone and spin the jig to get it to the edge for a proper shape.
The blocks were built up and the stone after that. The stones are set in mortar, and cured, then backfilled with concrete. The stone went up to about 30" the concrete about 26". The blocks were filled in also and topped with a thin layer of concrete to make it flat for the insulation layer. I mixed perlite and clay and made a 3-4" layer of insulation to slow/prevent the movement of heat into the base. I topped that with wet mason's sand just to the top of the stone layer. I used perlite/clay mix to form a ring to prevent the sand from spilling out of the circle.
The firebricks were set dry laid next, took two tries to get them flat.
I built up a sand dome of wetted mason's sand. I have a piece of 3" pvc pipe going to the center of the oven chamber covered with bricks to promote air circulation. I stuck a 12 volt dc fan to a solar panel to move air through the dome to try to even the drying out. I made a wooden arch for cut on a 5 degree angle so the final wood door will tip back and rest against the arch on its' own. The sand dome when completed was covered in newspaper to keep the sand/clay mix from sticking to it. All the sand in this pics was removed when the dome set. I cheated and used small stones I had laying around to fill in so I didn't have to buy more sand. It still used 150 lbs of sand.
Sand and clay layer went on next, then the cob layer of sand/clay/straw for insulation. I finished it off with sand/clay mix. Around the arch I set beach stones that the kids found. I put so much thought into the design and construction of this, that I did not think of the outside layer and what
designs should go into it. The inner dome is 24" with a 12" wide door. I know it is narrow, but too much heat can be lost, and there are ratios to go by on dome heights and diameters.
Here is the finished picture. I am building a roof over it now with probably a limestone shelf to set the baked goods on when they come out. I did a small initial firing to help dry it out, but the firebricks were saturated and the fire smouldered. The walkway is re-purposed concrete from a walkway that I replaced. I have enough flat stone left over to replace it if it crumbles this winter.
I'll have more pics up in a few weeks when I really fire this thing up. I'll be happy to answer anyone questions too.