Finally... I got the time and some decent weather--- not too hot but still a chance of rain---to put the insulation layer on the oven. And three friends came over to help too! Dave, Sherry and Sandy! I call them my pizza angels, but they are simply angels! Without their help, I would be building this oven till next year and then some.
Sherry, me and Dave!
Truly though...there is joy in working in mud...with friends!
Always handy is Kiko's book-- the bible of oven making! I cannot tell you how many times I read and reread this book!
I am enthralled by clay ovens!
Please send me your comments and links if you made one!
This is the clay mixed with sawdust. I used cedar sawdust designed for hamster and other animal bedding. It expands when water is added--- we thought at first it was best to soak it but later we learned that was not a good idea. And proceeded with adding dry saw dust to the clay mixture (1 part clay to 2 parts sand).
This looks like a monk's head!
The insulation layer was quick work since not a lot of time is spent packing it down down as the first layer--- and with friends it only took 2 and half hours. I plan to do a final "plaster" layer but first I need to get comfortable firing this up. I am so afraid of cracking it but I need to trust the universe...so to start... I will be doing 2-3 slow curing fires--- then a bread trial and then... the holy grail...PIZZA!
