Coal fired brick pizza oven

The plans are free. all the answers about heat stop II mortar, type of brick, getting 900* and keeping it all day with one burn is here. its the insulation on top of the dome that is the trick as well as the insulated layer under the oven.......
http://www.fornobravo.com/store/Pompeii ... 16249.html

coalpits wrote:Hi Berlin,

Thanks for the pic, yep that is a lot of coal.... it looks like the size is pea coal, I am trying nut coal, much larger, maybe I should reduce the size? ... >8

I don't know a thing about ovens but is normally drafted stoves, deep (H) coal fires burn best. Temperature is controlled by regulating the amount of combustion air allowed to go through the fire from below the grates. I burned a lot of pea sized coal in my stove and I think coal size in Berlin's picture link shows burning nut.

Good luck with it, I'll be watching your posts and I'll plan on visiting when you're up and running.

Have a happy 4th everyone. I for one am glad the founders took the risk to flip off King George and am thankful to all those who sacrificed all to keep Jeferson's tree of liberty grrowing.

Coalpits:

Do you have any under the grate forced air for the draft? Is the front door sealing real

well?

These seem like whats wrong with the fire going out and not heating up to a high enough

temperature,the draft is not strong enough to pull through the coal bed,for a hot fire.

Every time you open the door the fire cools down more and the draft is reduced even more,

lowering the ovens temperature. Maybe a small draft blower to keep the fire at higher heat

on startup to get the brick arch to temperature along with the oven walls.A switch to turn

it off when opening the door would be needed.


BigBarney

BB mentioned something important, as one of the first steps to correct the unknown root of the problem for outfires would be to simply install a forced draft blower under the fuelbed.

Would a forced draft in the chimney pipe be more appropriate in a pizza oven? Increasing draft this way won't increase the possibility of blowing ash around the oven chamber that might happen with under fire forced air. I'm not familiar with under fire forced draft in ovens but in stokers it's usually a good idea to back it off before opening the door. Just thoughts ...

coalpits wrote:I am located in Lehighton, Pa. 18235, about 25 miles from Allentown Pa, and 80 miles from Philadelphia.

CoalPits, I think we drove by you on the way to Lansford. Is that possible? We should have stopped in.

I would try a small blower first maybe 50cfm with a foot control to shut off as the

door is opened.This blower does not have to run all the time only when starting up

or when a low front comes through and the fire needs a little boost because the natural

draft is weak.I don't believe that a low flow blower used sparingly would cause too much

ash because the increased draft would pull it up the flue.Once this type of oven is heated

to cooking temperature only a much smaller amount of added heat is needed,except if opened

a lot or a lot of food is being cooked,in slower times get the temperature to the peak the heat

in the stonework.


BigBarney

One thing I forgot to mention is that a fire in these ovens are usually raked to

the back side of the oven and are kept small by pushing fresh coal from the front

center to keep the ash to the back.A small fire does not help flue draft so this has

to taken into account too.

BigBarney

Hello everyone,

Once again truly appreciate the advice..

Where can I buy one of these "Insulated Blankets" ? I looked online but coming up with everything but..

Sometime this week I will be installing a new double walled chimney..along with a draft inducer...

As far as a fan is concered, I did buy a $10 dollar battery powered fan at Walmart, seems to help a bit, I just place it in front of the ash pan door.

I also am looking for a 1000 degree thermonoter, I did buy one but the proble was not long enough, I would need one with a 24" proble, if any of you know where I can buy one...

Well back to the oven..

Nick

coalpits wrote:I also am looking for a 1000 degree thermonoter, I did buy one but the proble was not long enough, I would need one with a 24" proble, if any of you know where I can buy one...

Nick, How about an infrared thermometer like this one from Mcmaster-Carr...
http://www.mcmaster.com/#3612k12/=2n2qzx

3612K12
Palm-Grip Infrared Thermometer -25 to 999 Deg F, 2 Deg F Accuracy
In stock at $105.13 Each

Morning everyone,

I am now going to purchase the insulated stove pipe but have one question, when I installed the stove pipe I used 8" and I was thinking, my total height which includes four feet above the roof line is approx. 12' ft. from the top of my dome, maybe 8" inch is to much, perhaps I am losing heat up the chimney, anyway before I go out and buy this expensive insulated pipe, can someone suggest the proper diamater of the pipe?

Tx

Nick

I'm thinking for only a 12' run, a smaller chimney diameter may prove better because the gases will not cool as fast, thus keeping your draft higher. Say, 6" or 7" diameter. I think 8" is getting too large. I found that a chimney that draws well and needs to be throttled back is a pleasure to use. One that doesn't becomes work and is frustrating. Don't let the larger diameter trick you into thinking it is better. Bigger is not always better with chimneys, but taller can be good. That's my thought.

Pipe diameter is dictated by BTU output. Or, more accurately, BTU output is dictated by pipe size. I'll venture a guess that 6" would be large enough for your oven, but do you have any idea of how much coal you will burn each day?

I am wondering why you are concerned with insulated pipe. The only reason that I know of for insulated pipe is for fire protection. I don't think the coal cares much if the chimney is insulated or not.

Freddy wrote: I am wondering why you are concerned with insulated pipe. The only reason that I know of for insulated pipe is for fire protection. I don't think the coal cares much if the chimney is insulated or not.

Less heat loss in stack = higher draft.

Hello gentlemen,

Well all finished, new 6" insulated stainless stell pipe, actually 7' above roof level. New draft inducer all wired directly into the pizza joint next to the oven. New brick, 12" deep bed for maximum coal... blah, blah.. so yesterday fired up the beast, turned on the "draft Inducer" and the wood burned ferociacially, placed a small bed of coals, NOT stove coal Chestnut size, got the coal to burn a bit, small fire, tended it every fifteeen minutes or so adding a bit of coal each time, then got a phone call and ignored it for a half an hour and zap it went out.. tempormental this coal stuff.. oh well will start another fire as soon as it get's light out...

I kept the draft inducer on all the time, maybe I should just turn it on until coal ignites?

Nick