Materials Review

I thought I would review some of the materials used to create the "mud" for my earth oven.  I did not go out to find clay in the field but you certainly can, however I highly recommend if you do to read Kiko Denzer's book Build Your Own Earth Oven, he wrote a bit on how to test your materials before using. We are lucky in Pittsburgh to have a big wholesaler of ceramic supplies--- Standard Ceramic in Carnegie Pa--- there I got five bags of pure red clay (50 pound bag), mixed this one (clay)  to two  (sand),  added water and mixed away--- see earlier posts.




The sand (50 lbs bag) I got at Home Depot, and I used builders or all-purpose sand as it is sharper and will hold better when making the void/form and mixing. I started with 15 bags of sand and five bags of clay.  Now I have two bags of clay left and about 3 bags of sand. And I have the insulation layer and final layer to yet to do.  I think I will be ok since the insulation layer has saw dust mixed into it.  Oh, I got the saw dust from Trader Horn, cedar shavings actually, the kind used for hamster cages.  I big bag set me back 10 bucks!  I have more than I will probably use.




 Remember you are going to be making a sand form--- which took a lot of  sand but after you make the clay dome and cut out your door--- you will excavate the the sand and use this for the other layers.

The chimney is finished, I decided to go with one I  built rather than the two halves of  the  terra cotta roof tiles I fashioned into a chimney.  See an earlier posting.

Swish-Swish: Stomping the Clay!

Each day I try to work a little bit on the oven. The thing is that it has been hot, super hot and not good weather for this type of work, which is heavy and hard.  Yesterday, I tried to finish the chimney area of the oven so I can get that insulation layer started.  I was drench in sweat.  In fact I think at one point I got a little too warm so I took a cold shower.  Anyway as I stomped the clay mixture, my sweat was mixing in with the clay and sand. All it needed was my blood and tears.  I just couldn't bring myself to cry or bleed.

 I am hoping to complete this project soon because the list of people who want to have pizza straight out of a wood fire is growing.  I think the fall is going to be full of party weekends, I might need to get a port-a-jane (john) or two. 

   
Enjoy the pics:

Let's do the twist.  I think I hear Chubby Checker!

The clay I am using is powdered and very fine so to be safe I wear a mask.

Twist, twist, twist!