My oven build, "It's a primitive oven, just build it".
I started this project not knowing the magnitude of this endeavour. I love beginning projects and my wife told me I could not start a new one until this was finished, which was sometimes the driving force to keep me going with it.
I have a copy of The Bread Builders book for guidance. My father, who owned a artisan bakery through out my childhood, was also just a phone call away whenever I needed a bit of advice. When ever I would get overly critical of craftsmanship, which was quite often as I am no mason, I would remember a very short story my dad told me. Harbor Bread Co. was the name of my dad's bakery in Gig Harbor, WA. He had hired a guy to build his oven and whenever the builder was stuck or didn't know exactly where to go he called Alan Scott for guidance. "It's a primitive oven, just build it." Alan Scott said. So whenever I screwed up I just thought of that comment and kept on going. I wanted to pass on that quote to anyone who finds themselves in a tough spot or is frustrated if their work isn't "perfect".
"It's a primitive oven, just build it".
I took a slightly different approach to the base of the oven. This cut down on size and weight. Instead of using concrete blocks filled with concrete to support the oven I used 2" square tubing welded to make a frame. Replacing the rebar I used 3/4 steel tubing welded to the frame.
From there everything else was pretty straight forward from the slab to the hearth to the arches.
