I salvaged a few large sandstone blocks when I was in Sydney a while back, threw them on the tray of my old ute and drove them back home to Bega. The blocks came from my wifes parents house, an old Victorian terrace in Glebe, so they are about 140 years old. My wife (Meg) was keen to incorporate them into our new house or site, so after much discussion it was decided to build them into the front of a wood fired oven, a place we thought they would attain the admiration they deserved. These big sandstone blocks dictated the dimensions of the stove, probably not the wisest of decisions but I figured it would end up looking proportionate that way. I started the oven with no design, just make it up as I go, a bit like the rest of my life really, but that's the way I like it. I did read of a few books and articles and develop a 'feel' for it before taking a sculpting approach.
The steep nature of our house site meant that it was more practical and less impact to build our oven into the hillside rather than creating a flat spot to build on. Perhaps the truth is I am basically a lazy individual and it seemed less work to do it this way...... regardless, there was some serious shovel work, the erection of some questionable formwork, insertion of reo mesh and numerous barrows of concrete and a step footing was in place. Onto these footings I was to build the four walls of the base. For the front face I used 'the' sandstone blocks and some recycled old bricks to build a 'dress' face and recess for the ash tray.
The sides and back used salvaged besser blocks and bricks as they were to be rendered to match the oven dome and appearence did not matter. This job I made more difficult for myself by paying no attention to the dimensions of the block work at the footing stage.....note to self 'think ahead'.
We decided to fit a door to this oven to make it a bit more versitile, hence the inclusion of the ash pit (to accomedate a tray) in the base. Next step was to build in the ashtray recess and slot. Once again salvaged bricks were used to match the look of the front. I found a large flat granite rock on our house site that I utilised as a 'lintel' over the ashtray recess, quite a heavy lump of a thing. I back filled the stove base with leftover rubble from the house footings and a load of river sand to a height that would allow a 100mm reinforced slab to be added
On the top edge of the base I mortared a flat border of pavers to act as the form for the slab and to set the top level. Utilising some old pool fence as reo I then poured the slab, which I mixed by hand. Handmixing is always a mistake as it hurts, but I only needed half a meter so...... The pavers where left overs from a friends paving job in Canberra and like many scavanged materials they found their way to the farm and then spent a year or two living in a paddock whilst awaiting a use. During this time i donated some to a worthy cause (a friend in need) and so found myself short for this job. Fortunatly I managed to buy the meter of pavers I needed locally and finished the top. Apart from cement this was the first 'new' purchase for the oven. With the pavers (oven floor) laid, the dome could be commenced. Using a plywood form the dome went up fairly quickly.
The door and frame came off the front of an old 'Canberra' stove. I cut it to size and had a few stainless plates welded to the back so I could bolt it into the brickwork.
With the door in place, an internal form had to be fitted to lay the final few courses of dome bricks. I utilised timber and a light mortar for this. Finally the keystone was fitted and the dome rendered with a layer of mortar to tie it all together . The internal form could then be removed and the inside of the dome pointed from withing the stove. During this process I managed to wack myself in the head with a shovel and then break my nose on the oven door......there goes the glowing embers of my boyish good looks
The oven still requires a perlite inslation render then a final sealing render to increase the heat retention but it is essential working. I need to get an ash tray for removal of hot coals before I can do much slow baking with the door closed. We have fired it several times now and have done numerous pizzas (which take about 2 minutes to cook) bread and butter pudding, rice custard, roasted vegies and meat etc.
It takes about 2 hours and a small barrow load of wood to get to maximum temperature, there is enough retained heat to cook for up to 12 hours. It is a wonderful thing that creates much joy in the binding of people and great food.
Total cost was under $300, mainly cement, but inluded the stainles plate and welding for the door.
Steve
Steve - that is super impressive!
I love it looks awesome.
I bet the pizzas that come out of it taste great as well.
Thanks for the positive feedback
The pizza is certainly the best (as are most things we cook in it)
Good work Steve, I reckon a roast leg of lamp, beef and a few vegies would do well in there too
and from the pics it looks like you've already sussed out if you had to become a a cannibal - even humans would fit in there too
Well done and great to see recycled goods being put to good use.
What a great job, it is great to see someone recycling old building material. How about a baked fish?
Cheers
PP
I reckon we should all suggest the best meal that Steve can cook in this new born pizza oven that requires 2 ton of firewood to get going so he can plan a all weekend party around it.
My suggestions
Baked marinated whole fillets if kanagroo (marinade is wosteshire sauce, soy, chilli and garlic)
Baked leg of lamb - spiked with garlic and rosmary)
Beef roast - wholegrain mustard rubbed on the outside
Fish - as suggested above - I reckon rainbow trout with lemon and butter in foil would be nice)
sweet potato
Pumpkin - drizzle honey over near the latter 3/4 of the way through it baking
Corn on the cob
swedes - no not those northern people
potatoes au gratin
Whole onions
and some nice salads to round it all up.
yum
Time to start chopping that firewood ;D
I forgot to mention that we grow our own Beef, Goat and chickens and I am a very keen fisherman....Mmmmm I can cook whilst the guests do my house building work for me , 3 months cooking and the house should be finished I would guess
.
Steve
Loving the photos Steve. Doing a great job of making me home sick! Was born in good old Pambula and grew up in Eden. Family still all around, including an Aunt whom works at Bega Cheese.
Should drop in when I am down that way in a few weeks for dinner
(Dont worry - I think the only thing we will want after 18hrs driving is a bed!!)
Fantastic effort Steve! Great write up too.
I particularly like the oven door. Nice touch mate. Enjoy the fruits of your labour. You deserve it.
That's very impressive Steve! It's amazing that you managed to do it all with recycled materials. The oven door sure is a nice touch!
That's an outstanding effort. I'm about to embark on my own oven. I hope mine turns out half as good.
Thank you all for such positive feed back, I hope it encourages the building of a few more ovens. I think wood ovens are the new BBQ (without the smoke), it is a really social way to cook and eat, I just love it and am very pleased that I built this one. They are really quite easy to build and as I have shown, using salvaged materials it can be relatively inexspensive. Thanks again
Steve
Looks fantastic!! Can I ask, did you just use any sort of bricks? I thought I read somewhere that you needed to use some special kind of brick for the floor of the oven.
I hope it encourages the building of a few more ovens.
We've got one planned too!! Can't wait, but it will be well down the track, after the house is finished!
Thanks for the inspiration
I'd be buggered if I'd come to yours for a feed. That bloke would taste awful
Did you know there is a magazine called woodfired ovens monthly! I saw it at the news agents