rebuilding mobile oven

[orionjib]

My son and I bought the original solo pizza oven prototype last year and while being delivered to Oregon was involved in an accident and the cast oven was destroyed. We had thought some of it was salvageable, but we have decided to start from the trailer base up. We have cut out a new base of 1900 degree insulating board and have purchased a few bags of Harbison-Walker 45L refractory cement. Now, what is the best way to form and cast an oven that won't be shaken apart while driving down the road. It needs to be relatively light weight (less than 500#) and approx. 36" in diameter. We are trying to figure out how to best reinforce our pour, and if in fact we are using the best suited material. Any ideas?
orionjib

[dmun]

GREENLITE 45 L AL is a lightweight castable, ideal for cruces, troughs and insulated back-up linings

You really need to talk to Harbison Walker on this one. There are hundred of refractory products for special applications. Usually the "light" ones are for insulating, and you need something on the inside of your dome that will absorb and reflect the heat.

Disclaimer: I don't know anything about castable refractories.

[orionjib]

Actually I did talk with Harbison-Walker, but folks I talked with were not very knowledgeable about pizza ovens. They recommended the Greenlite 45L because of weight and strength, but as you say, there does need to be something on the inside with reflective properties. The original oven was a cast unit made from a heavier, more dense, smooth castable with the lightweight material packed in around it with a ceramic blanket over the top of everything.

[dmun]

If it were me, I'd get my weight savings by using a pre-cast refractory oven like the ones Forno Bravo sells. They are thinner than anything you can make from brick, they are strong enough to stand up to some vibration, and cost is a secondary consideration, since a mobile oven is usually for catering, and you can factor the costs into your product. Also, they're tested and proven. You aren't playing with unknown weird refractory products when you could be making money selling pizza.

I agree about the general helpfulness of the H-W staff. My local branch here in NJ was less then helpful. You may want to contact their headquarters and ask to speak with an applications engineer.

[orionjib]

Getting a precast unit might work, but I think the Forno ovens will not fit into my stainless steel enclosure. There are other manufacturers, but I'm having trouble locating them. Months ago a local masonry company gave me a name of a company who made a casting that doable, but I am unable find them now. We haven't had much luck getting the specific info we need from Solo. I think they are guarding their trade secrets, which is understandable.

[dmun]

I don't know how much smaller than a casa 90 you're going to get and still have a workable cooking floor. It is slightly heavier than your five hundred pound limit, but again, that is mass you need for wood fired cooking.

[SpringJim]

90 would be pretty small, particularly for catering with a mobile.

How big was the original oven?

[asudavew]

I have to agree with Dmun.
I was thinking the Casa coated with mortar and insulation, to help retain heat.

How about brick, with chicken wire and mortar coating the whole thing?

[SpringJim]

Originally Posted by asudavew

How about brick, with chicken wire and mortar coating the whole thing?

I have to tell you my first thought was Craig's ferrocrete project....

[orionjib]

Looking at the casa90 dimensions, I might fit albeit a bit pricey. We are starting this thing on a fat shoestring. Tell me more of Craig's ferrocrete project. Our problem is that the oven needs to fit within a SS enclosure that already has a door opening and chimney flue. We can make some modifications, but we are limited by overall dimensions.