# at long last



## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

Ok, kids. Here we go. The hole is almost done, the crushed rock is in the driveway, the cement and blocks are coming tomorrow, and I'm finally starting the brick oven. Wish me luck. I suffer severely from failure-to-finish syndrome. Here's what I'm modeling mine after... Nice size for my backyard. And it's apparently easy to use.


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

I hope you give us the blow-by-blow of this project. My husband would LOVE to build an oven in the back yard, and I'm sure he'd profit from your experience. GOOD LUCK!:bounce:


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Luckily for you, we are not neighbors...too tempting...too cool!

Let us know how it goes.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

thebighat,
What a project!!! I'm hoping you will be very sucessful. 
After you have finished I wish to contract you to build a project with me. I have been thinking about building a woodburning kiln. I have all the plans but can't build it in the city limits ( told the Mrs. that I could just throw a chix on it if the town came). I'm thinking we could combine the two. When you are finished you should have a handle on the stove side,no? combined with my kiln design, oh ****, might as well make a meat smoking chamber since I'm in the South. 
Please keep a diary with pictures to keep us posted. Let me know when your finish date is and I'll send you a care package of local things to cook with.
Very Cool,
jeff


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

Jeff, that's what my husband wants too- A kiln/oven.

I'm sure the city would have a problem with the kiln, but like you said...


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

I brought The Bread Builders over to the fire station, and they said, go right ahead. just call us when you light it so we know it isn't a burning house. I called the building inspector and he said, go right ahead. as long as it's not tied to the house, no permit. I baked bread and took it around to the neighbors and they said wow, let us know when we can get more. My wife would love a kiln, but don't they need to get to 1200-1500 degrees? 
I got two tons of rock in the hole today. Looked like a lot, but I know somewhere at the bottom of that pile is the last shovelful. Took me 2 hours of intermittent work. It's like baking cookies. Yesterday I made 2100 cookies. I know at some point I'll pinch the last cookie. That also took 2 hours. They were for a big tournament today, if I got them done yesterday I got today off and wouldn't you know, the sun shone for the first time in several days. It was a very nice day finally.


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

Last year, we built a 500sf patio in the back yard. Between the 2 of us, we shoveled and lifted tons upon tons of gravel, stone dust and brick. I vowed never to attempt that sort of project again! We have The Bread Builders, and there are some great ideas in there as I recall, but I'm still sore from last year's project!


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

Momoreg,

I'll help you guy's if I get to use the contraption 

TBH...good luck, what a great thing to have in your back yard. Can I send you some of my pottery to fire?


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

ok, now off the topic but how many of us work in clay?
tbh,
yea, the kilns have to get up in temp. I'm basically interested in Raku firing. So we would only have to get up to temp for 15 min or so.1000c. So let's see, chix 350 for 20 min. We should be able to get one cooked in 3or 4 min. Hey! what about raku chix? Glaze it, nuke it, and throw it in a bucket of lemon grass for a while.


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

WOW! That's a wonderful oven TBH. When do you think it will be finish? 


Can I come to the inauguration party? :lips:


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

You'll notice most of the work gets done on this thing on Mondays.
I just poured 21 bags of concrete mix. I'm a baker, I told people. how hard can it be to mix stuff? Well, stuff as dense as concrete was no picnic. It took three hours from cutting the first bag to rinsing out the wheelbarrow. We leveled it with a 2x4 and I'm just gonna let it sit in the sun. Most of it is going to be covered anyway so what do I care if it doesn't get troweled glass smooth?There's more concrete yet to mix, but that was the biggest job out of the way.


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

And of course the temperature today is as hot as an oven! I feel for you, TBH! :blush: (there's no smiley for sunburn).


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

I don't notice the heat if I take my glasses off. the sweat pouring off my furrowed brow doesn't get all over them. I really fell out of it after doing that today. I lay down and couldn't move for 2 hours and then was generally useless most of the rest of the afternoon. Now I'm looking a cod loin, mesclun salad with tomato and avocado, peach shortcake and some neat looking couscous.


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## kylew (Aug 14, 2000)

>>stuff as dense as concrete<<

Sounds like my first breads 

Hat, I'm just curious. Do you ever sit still? This is a very cool project. Much more productive the the web stuff. Speaking of the web stuff, how about some pics of your new work in progress.


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

Almost a month into this project and the base is done. Two tons of rock, 21 bags of concrete, 45 cement blocks, 4 bags of mortar, all of which was carried by me to the back yard. Tomorrow I will make forms, cut reinforcing bar, mix concrete and vermiculite and pour the insulated slab, then the hearth slab on top of that. Should be a good day's work. At this point I'll take some pictures, up to now it just looked like a big hole, then a jumble of concrete block.


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

I look forward to seeing it.:bounce:


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## chiffonade (Nov 29, 2001)

Best of luck!! What an ambitious project! Hubby and I were drooling over the website link you posted.


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

Last day of summer vaca for the bambinas, we were going to go for a day trip to a little town, artist kind of colony on the Mohawk Trail, called Shelburne Falls, but I had no psychic energy for it. Instead I laid the hearth bricks. Took me a couple of weeks to track down some fireclay, and it's been too hot to work like that, so I kicked back a little. Next step is to actually mortar the firebricks that make up the oven box into position, then the arches. So, it's getting there. If I can figure out the homemade fireclay mortar I should move right along. Not at all out of the question to roast a turkey in there for T-Day. Got a couple of Reinhart's modified ciabatta rising on the counter for dinner and chocolate chips cookies which I'm starting to smell.


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

Are we gonna see pictures of your oven? I would love to see it. How many hours do you think you've spent on it?


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

Com'mon allready I can't wait to see this. Maybe I can shoot in for a weekend and give you a hand. I am very big on finishing projects.


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

Yeah, me too!!


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

So here's what I got, as of a couple of weeks ago. Since this was taken the hearth has been relaid, the side and rear walls mortared in place, and the first arch is mortared in. The outer hearth is all mortared down too. (didn't realize this would be so big. the photo. first time I've used the c-41 process black and white)
On another note, I was told today that as of next april 1, the position of pastry chef at the cc will no longer be a protected position. They will lay me off in the winter instead. (the gm actually said, "No promises." But I'm not stupid.) I kinda sorta had a feeling this conversation was going to happen. At least it gives me some breathing room to decide what I might want to do. If I stayed my big concern would be the health insurance. I haven't had any trouble the last 4 years finding pt work in the winter.


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## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

Wow am I jealous! I just discovered this thread, how cool BigHat!!
How are you going to fight off all your neighboors when the good smells drift their way? 


I love doing those kinds of projects.......I'm in the process of painting the trim on my house (a far call from my experience painting a canvas), by myself. There's a sense of accomplishment that feels really good about doing hard physical work yourself. 

Too bad you don't live closer to me, my hubby is a ex-brick layer and does wonderful work. He'll build anything in exchange for cookies.


The job thing really sucks! But at least you know ahead of time.


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

Hey, TBH, that looks very nice so far! I don't know how to post pictures, but if I did, I'd show you our patio, which my husband and I laid last summer. It ain't easy lugging all that stone!!

I hope it's easy for you to find another job. It seems to be the trend lately to lay off the lower/middle management people. I really hope it doesn't last for long.


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## kylew (Aug 14, 2000)

Very nice, Your Big Hattedness! I get a Tim Taylor/Allen chest puff out thing going if I successfully change a light bulb! Your oven is awesome.


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!APPLAUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Now I need one too... about your husband W....

Kuan


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## angrychef (Jan 15, 2001)

Very very cool, big hat. I'm impressed. I'm sorry about the job situation(yeah, we're going thru the medical insurance scare, too), but looks like you have so much experience you'll land something in no time.

Good luck.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

scary? medical insurance? oh it's a great thing to have until you need it. We have our group plan, it's great! Since my spouce and I are healthy but cancer survivors we pay 161% of the highest rates quoted. Oh yea, lets not forget that they raise those premiums 161% each year. oh yea, lets not forget that all the persons on that plan like children are at 161% above the norm. oh yea, lets not forget that all eligible employes must also be put on this plan at 161% above the norm no matter how healthy they are. Gosh, I just love ins. companies!!! Let me tell you that all rates are going up for they have lost more then anyone in the stock market. See all those reported losses they are claiming are not from claims payouts, it's from them deversifying and losing their shirts( don't get me wrong, I could care less what they do with their profits, but I just hate to be forces to recoup their blunders) Sorry for the rant!!!!!!! Time to send in my monthly premium. It's kind of like a menstrual cycle, my hormones go crazy, I'm tempermental, I retain water, I'm no fun to be around, I take some medication and all is well after a couple pf days, only to have it recurr when I see the envelope arrive the next month.
BTW I'm so jealous of your project. It looks great.


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## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

Oh man Jeff...I freak out over my insurance costs too, then I talk to other people and feel blessed I have it so good. My Mom got dropped from her insurance co. after her transplant, what a supprise, not!

P.S. Did you ever empty your mailbox Bighat???? I have a message waiting, if it holds....?


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

Yeah, I think I got it emptied. But it says there are still some messages in a folder and I can't find the folder.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

did you look in the oven?
sorry


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## kylew (Aug 14, 2000)

When this happened to me, Nicko suggested I empty my Sent Items and Message Tracking folders. You can find the by using the folder drop down on you PM page.


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## athenaeus (Jul 24, 2001)

:bounce: 
I love those ovens. I can't wait till the weather chills a bit so I can use mine again ! ( no way to use it in Greece during summer...)
TBH you will bake the best bread ever and you will make Kyle die of jealousy.


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

I think I'd rather have him squirm with envy, then die of jealousy. 
I got all the arches in the oven built, and today I laid the bricks that make up the base of the front arch and also part of the facade. It came out real nice. Now all I have to do to finish the oven proper is lay 2 courses of firebricks, one of which has to be cut to fit, to slant from the top of the last arch down to the level of the door lintel. Probably have to rent a machine to cut them. From there on out its more grunt work of mixing concrete to cover it and building a metal 2x4 and wonderboard housing. It's really too cool looking right now. I can't wait to bake in it.


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## kylew (Aug 14, 2000)

It's nice to know I have such caring friends


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

Borrowed an angle grinder today, bought a diamond masonry blade and cut all the bricks to tie the dome together, and mortared it all in place. It fit so well I didn't need support underneath it. so for all intents, the dome is done. I need to let it cure for two weeks, then I can pour mass quantities of concrete over it, then wait two weeks, then I can start with small fires. This to me seemed like the trickiest part, but once I started fitting the cut bricks in place, I swear, it took 15 minutes to finish. then I spent some time fooling around with the chimney throat and the outer arch. Went to take some pix and my beloved 25 yr old Olympus OM-1 with the f1.4 lens crapped out. I'm bumming. I've won prizes with that camera. I took it to the camera store and they're gonna send it out, but no guarantees it can be fixed, it's so old. We have no shortage of 35mm cameras, but I love that one.


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

Hooray! It won't be long now.

I have an Olympus OM-10 I bought in 1980 before a big trip to Greece. Great camera! Even survived a fall down Mystra, although it's dented. I _think_ it works... Free for the mailing. Interested?


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

Yes, I am. I'll pm you when I can back at the puter, as I'm being dragged out of the chair right now.


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

Got the thirteen bags of concrete poured over the oven today, after boxing it in and putting aluminum foil and wire mesh over it. Then I played around with the front. Got more playing around to do there, and then figure out how the chimney goes on. But that's minor. So, it's two weeks away from use. Can't believe I made it this far.
The camera came today. Thank you. You thought wrong, by the way. The mirror is stuck up and the film advance lever is jammed. I'll take it in for an estimate. There was a roll of film in with about 6 pictures left on it. Should I post them when I have them developed? Are they anything the rest of us shouldn't see? I once bought an old European range finder camera at a yard sale, it was so 50's looking I couldn't resist, and I popped it open without thinking, and exposed the film that had been in there for who knows how long? So I always check.


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

Just in time for Thansgiving!! 

Was it what you expected in terms of work and the outcome so far?


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

I basically have had only Mondays to work on it and it's hard to say how much time I've put in, working alone. If someone really wanted to, and had lots of help, I think this could be done in a month of weekends, but starting from scratch with masonry skills was a drawback. I just went out and wiggled the front arch and I don't know if it's going to be the right thing. But since I can't even light a fire in it for at least two weeks, I have time to fix it. Toughest thing is going to be cleaning up the yard around it and moving the pergola which is now smothered in wisteria that never blooms, but spends all it's time and energy climbing into the Yoshino cherry.


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## kylew (Aug 14, 2000)

_"the pergola which is now smothered in wisteria that never blooms, but spends all it's time and energy climbing into the Yoshino cherry."_

Don't you hate it when that happens?


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

I bought this Yoshino cherry at Home Depot about 12 years ago as a sapling. It's huge. It has a spread at the bottom of the first branches of about 40 feet. In the spring the pink blossoms are blinding. There is a stone paver patio under it, in the corner of the fence, but it's unusable because it's so dark and damp under all the time. I want to move that over next to the oven. More digging, more lugging,but if I can get it done before the ground freezes then the view out the kitchen window will be so much nicer when the snow thaws in the spring and I won't be looking at construction debris and muck.


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## athenaeus (Jul 24, 2001)

Judging from my experience with constructing my oven some years ago, it seems to me that you are practically ready.
I hope that you have saved a good quantity of wood because the first time you need to fire the oven for hours in order to remove humidity.
Good luck 

Send some pics when it's done!


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

:lol: (Kyle)!


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

Just lit the first fire, a couple of sheets of newspaper, even tho the chimney isn't really finished. But the smoke went up and out like it was supposed to. I also double checked with the fire department and they said it was perfectly ok, as long as they know when I fire it up. What a long strange trip it's been. As soon as I mix a little more mortar and lay 24 bricks which I already know right where they're going, I'm done with the oven enough to use it, and to worry about dressing up the outside of it later.


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

Pictures!!!


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

Will have some pics of the oven later this week, but in breaking news, the earthy crunchy grocery store made me an offer today to be the full time pastry chef, so I accepted, and gave my notice at the country club. There's actual growth potential there, paid vacation in the summer, if I want, cheaper health insurance, a whole lot of stuff I don't get now besides the opportunity to make what I make. Plus I've already worked there for over a year so it's not like I'm walking into the situation cold without knowing anything about the place. But geez, I hope this works out.


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

Wow, so do we TBH!! :bounce: 

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

Great news!:bounce: I'm very happy for you.


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## svadhisthana (May 6, 2001)

Any pictures yet?


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

You know, they're still in the stupid camera. I'll get to them eventually. I haven't used it since thanksgiving, been really busy at my new job with the terrible health insurance (almost-major bummer there) but I have thursday off and I'm going to light it to try and dry the insulation around it.


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

I think I need a refresher course in black and white photography. Or maybe it was the weak battery. This is before I insulated it. The tarp comes off tomorrow. Don't know what I'll be baking or cooking, but something.

a fire last fall


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