New pizza oven in Franklin, KY

[GianniFocaccia]

Nice progress, John. It's nice to see yet another barrel to pompeii convert, only in your case it appears you won't be compromising oven size since your support slab is quite large.

BTW, what did you use for insulation under the hearth?

Another oven-building brewer, I see? Keep the pics coming!

John

[Hillbillylunatic]

Yeah I'm a convert. Figure I will use the extra space for a concrete counter top so everybody can hang around the oven and eat pizza. I plan to finish the oven to expose the shape. The hearth is insulated with six inches of Zonolite in a 5 to 1 ratio of portland. Now that the oven is usable this all may be put on hold for weekend parties. Why work when one can play. The chimney in the photos has not been attached as I plan to cut it to height when I figure out which is best.

[Hillbillylunatic]

I just couldn't wait for a little fire.

[Lburou]

Originally Posted by Les

Hi John,

I wonder how many of us have gone this route - I know I did.

Good luck!

Mee too!

Looking good John

[Hillbillylunatic]

I lie and cannot wait. It was great.

[Hillbillylunatic]

Got a few cracks here and there but no smoke and no harm no foul. If the thing cooks great who cares. I kept a very hot fire in this thing for over nine hours. I would recommend a more subtle curing if you had nothing better to do. But then again I have no leaks and the interior of the oven is now a sweet white grey. Absolutely no heat felt through any of the insulated layers. Cooked a large pizza in less than three minutes with a thick crust. I have no oven tools so I used a garden hoe and a big spatula to slide the pizza back on the pan after it was done. The arms are usually a bit more hairy. My twelve year old step daughter said the oven is cool. Enough said.

This Friday is the first pizza party. Derby Day should always be welcomed with a slight hangover and a mint julep.