Been down to my local garden center and he says the mix is 4:2:1 , thts 4 sand to 2 aggregrate to 1 cement.
I got a quote from a "mini-mix" delivery and its was $226 for my .4Msq , the cost of the sand/aggregate/cement from the local bloke is $129 !!! why the difference, WELL he tells me you can order what you want of the mini-mix but they just charge you a MIN 1Msq.
It doesn't matter when or where you are reading this but almost double is a BIG difference, especially when you can find sand and rocks everywhere yourself !
Everything I read still says "portland cement" is an ingredient you need, portland NOT becuase its from portland its just the brand/type name. it has certain attributes and probably best just buying the stuff ! but if you want to spend time researching then "portland cement" is where to start.
Gonna go do me some sand hunting LOL
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Ready to start
Well today I delivered the last of the big items to granma's to start building the project, it was the last of the solid bricks, some wood to make the surrounds for the slabs, the angled bricks i got cut and a few pieces of "metal cross reinforcing" for the extension to the roof above the oven.
We are heading into winter so as expected this will slow up the project but at least no more "hunting and gathering" and "delivering" .
except now the concrete and mortars !
We are heading into winter so as expected this will slow up the project but at least no more "hunting and gathering" and "delivering" .
except now the concrete and mortars !
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Added extras
SOO much info so far and I still haven't started ! well half the reason is by writing the blog i reaffrim ideas into my own head so it helps me greatly.
Just saw a professional restuarant smoker oven on telly, what it had was sliding racks on rollers thus just like an oven grill. great idea to make it easier to load and unload...I work on the logistics and post it.
ALSO thsu i thought that sometimes you may want all racks in or just one? depending on the size of what you are smoking, thus i thought it would be a good idea to install some hooks into the bricks of the oven wall for rack storage when not in use.
Just saw a professional restuarant smoker oven on telly, what it had was sliding racks on rollers thus just like an oven grill. great idea to make it easier to load and unload...I work on the logistics and post it.
ALSO thsu i thought that sometimes you may want all racks in or just one? depending on the size of what you are smoking, thus i thought it would be a good idea to install some hooks into the bricks of the oven wall for rack storage when not in use.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Support 4 with images
Here are the mockup imagesThis is a view from the top, as mentioned previously I will have 2 levels of sideways bricks for the oven to sit on , the same will be on the other side of the structure.
From the outside the bricks look like this, remember this is just a mockup so i didn't spend to much time on it.
Close up view, i think this is a much better solution then building an internal stack of bricks
Thursday, April 23, 2009
how to lay a concrete slab
here it is , this is really perfect instructions with great tips
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQafafOwBT0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQafafOwBT0
Making smoke go UP
One concern for me is that the smoke actually goes where i want it to.
First we have it coming out of the dutch-oven and rising into the bottom vent of the oven where it will fill the oven and then go out the chimney....we hope.
My oven has the bottom vent right below the chimney area??? you know how a gas oven has the flame at the back well thats what i have, now it might be ok for HEAT to rise quickly into an oven but i think smoke is a little lazier, i might have to create a curved hood to make sure the smoke doesn't just go up into the oven and STRAIGHT into the chimney and disappear.
thankfully this is something I can test long before i put it into the brick structure and thats why I wrote this piece as I would strongly suggest you all do this before commiting the oven into the space as playing with it afterwards would be a hassle.
One thing I do like about the fact the incoming vent is at the back is that any drippings from the food can be caught on a tray and NOT end up on the element which would happen if the hole was in the middle of the oven.
First we have it coming out of the dutch-oven and rising into the bottom vent of the oven where it will fill the oven and then go out the chimney....we hope.
My oven has the bottom vent right below the chimney area??? you know how a gas oven has the flame at the back well thats what i have, now it might be ok for HEAT to rise quickly into an oven but i think smoke is a little lazier, i might have to create a curved hood to make sure the smoke doesn't just go up into the oven and STRAIGHT into the chimney and disappear.
thankfully this is something I can test long before i put it into the brick structure and thats why I wrote this piece as I would strongly suggest you all do this before commiting the oven into the space as playing with it afterwards would be a hassle.
One thing I do like about the fact the incoming vent is at the back is that any drippings from the food can be caught on a tray and NOT end up on the element which would happen if the hole was in the middle of the oven.
Supporting the oven 3
I think i've worked out what to do with supporting the oven on bricks.
I will create the side brick walls VERY close to the ovens sides, then when i get to the correct height I will turn bricks around/sideways to create a shelf for the oven to sit on, the weight of the bricks above forcing down on the sideways bricks will keep it stable, if i do 2 layers of bricks intersecting then the weight of the oven + food will be spread over a large area, I think i will also include a piece of reo across the void at the back .
because the oven i have has a draw under the oven door of @ 20cm i will be taking this out and the frame will be left, i'm going to cut the front bottom piece off so its open for the dutchoven and thus the oven will be supported by the side-frames. THUS this sideways brick idea will happen 2 bricks up the element area. (the element will still need to be supported by a brick platform
this method will save a few bricks (@ 32+ eg: [8x4] for the 4 corners) and it will allow for extra side ventilation.
I will create the side brick walls VERY close to the ovens sides, then when i get to the correct height I will turn bricks around/sideways to create a shelf for the oven to sit on, the weight of the bricks above forcing down on the sideways bricks will keep it stable, if i do 2 layers of bricks intersecting then the weight of the oven + food will be spread over a large area, I think i will also include a piece of reo across the void at the back .
because the oven i have has a draw under the oven door of @ 20cm i will be taking this out and the frame will be left, i'm going to cut the front bottom piece off so its open for the dutchoven and thus the oven will be supported by the side-frames. THUS this sideways brick idea will happen 2 bricks up the element area. (the element will still need to be supported by a brick platform
this method will save a few bricks (@ 32+ eg: [8x4] for the 4 corners) and it will allow for extra side ventilation.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Another use for the oven
I spent some time in South Africa and became very fond of Biltong. basically beef jerky but you can make somany spices for it as well, i actually had elephant biltong ! (tastes like chicken ! just joking and don't send me hate mail about eating elephant there is a very good reason for their culling so i suggest you investigate it)
biltong is GREAT for days out, to the footy or whatever, i suggest you cut your biltong like a toblerone(into sections) before you go out for the day, it makes it much easier to eat/use.
this video is a good intro to it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-BOsNA6NDU&feature=related
stage 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUmuRj7K56A&feature=channel
All you really need is a place that insects can't get into and this oven will be secure like that.
another vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSp5IYXOGw8 , note with this vid at the very end they have a box with vents, what i suggest is you to put mess over all your vents to ensure insect prevention. In my design you will see that by leaving the smoker element door open it will create the same air drying effect.
The recurring theme on making biltong seems to be air flow + heat but not alot of heat, i'm not sure where the heat comes from in this vid but some vids i've seen its just sunlight !
there's another vid i have seen that uses a cardboard box and a normal tungstan 60watt light glode so i'll try to find it and post it.
Whatever but its good to get the maximum amount of use of your oven.
biltong is GREAT for days out, to the footy or whatever, i suggest you cut your biltong like a toblerone(into sections) before you go out for the day, it makes it much easier to eat/use.
this video is a good intro to it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-BOsNA6NDU&feature=related
stage 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUmuRj7K56A&feature=channel
All you really need is a place that insects can't get into and this oven will be secure like that.
another vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSp5IYXOGw8 , note with this vid at the very end they have a box with vents, what i suggest is you to put mess over all your vents to ensure insect prevention. In my design you will see that by leaving the smoker element door open it will create the same air drying effect.
The recurring theme on making biltong seems to be air flow + heat but not alot of heat, i'm not sure where the heat comes from in this vid but some vids i've seen its just sunlight !
there's another vid i have seen that uses a cardboard box and a normal tungstan 60watt light glode so i'll try to find it and post it.
Whatever but its good to get the maximum amount of use of your oven.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Supporting the oven 2
I had a play around with a mock layout on the bench and have decided on bricks as the oven support, i think the movement created by the oven door opening needs as much support as possible.
I've measured it out and its 6 or 7 bricks up to the gas element, the 4 bricks for the opening to the dutch oven, then a lintel across the opening and 2 bricks to the bottom of the oven door
This is a photoshop mock up, there will be a metal door infront of the gas and dutch oven.
Its certainly not going to look as clean cut as this, my oven is thinner but taller and I intend to put a metal front on it.... unless I can find some heatproof glass !
the oven i have has the internal glass section of the door but the outside glass isn't there, must be why they were throwing it out??? it would be quit cool to look inside but as i have guttered the oven i'll have to install a light myself.
I'll just drill some holes in the top of the dutch, this will help the wood heat up whilst allowing the smoke to exit.
I've measured it out and its 6 or 7 bricks up to the gas element, the 4 bricks for the opening to the dutch oven, then a lintel across the opening and 2 bricks to the bottom of the oven door
This is a photoshop mock up, there will be a metal door infront of the gas and dutch oven.Its certainly not going to look as clean cut as this, my oven is thinner but taller and I intend to put a metal front on it.... unless I can find some heatproof glass !
the oven i have has the internal glass section of the door but the outside glass isn't there, must be why they were throwing it out??? it would be quit cool to look inside but as i have guttered the oven i'll have to install a light myself.
I'll just drill some holes in the top of the dutch, this will help the wood heat up whilst allowing the smoke to exit.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Supporting the oven
I am going to have the bottom of the oven door at waist height, the gas element will be at knee height. I think most of your time will be spent at the oven so it makes ergonomic sense to do it this way.
So I'm thus going to have a square brick structure with an oven hovering in the middle of it, I have thought of supporting it with bricks but i came across some heavy duty reinforcing metal rod the other day so I might use that and then wire the oven to it. The oven weighs @ 20kg now its stripped, I can't see any more then 20kgs of food being inside it so I am sure the reo will take the weight. Hmmm, I'll decide when I get the oven almost into position, the thing is you do NOT want it to have any movement at all, opening the oven door over time will take its toll and once it is inside its going to be a bugger to change anything.
So I'm thus going to have a square brick structure with an oven hovering in the middle of it, I have thought of supporting it with bricks but i came across some heavy duty reinforcing metal rod the other day so I might use that and then wire the oven to it. The oven weighs @ 20kg now its stripped, I can't see any more then 20kgs of food being inside it so I am sure the reo will take the weight. Hmmm, I'll decide when I get the oven almost into position, the thing is you do NOT want it to have any movement at all, opening the oven door over time will take its toll and once it is inside its going to be a bugger to change anything.
Under the oven
Under the oven is where the heating element and dutch oven go, you want to be able to access this area easily to add more wood and start the gas element, I will be having a metal door that will keep the smoke in so it rises to the oven but allows easy access.
Also you should think when building this that there may/WILL come a time when that gas element breaks down and need replacing, as this is a brick structure it will last a LONG time so make sure you think about this and don't enclose the gas in bricks.
At this stage I also think I will need to create a metal enclosure under the oven to ensure the smoke goes into the oven and not out the side and up the bricks, for this I plan to use the metal panels I have taken off the sides of the oven. Tin snips should do it to cut them to size.
Also you should think when building this that there may/WILL come a time when that gas element breaks down and need replacing, as this is a brick structure it will last a LONG time so make sure you think about this and don't enclose the gas in bricks.
At this stage I also think I will need to create a metal enclosure under the oven to ensure the smoke goes into the oven and not out the side and up the bricks, for this I plan to use the metal panels I have taken off the sides of the oven. Tin snips should do it to cut them to size.
Oven
Picture a gas oven with stove top, then rip everything off it and leave a shell, what you are left with is a sealed oven with door, racks, a whole in the bottom where the gas burner was (so the smoke can come up it) and a chimmeny. PERFECT.
With smoking you aren't really looking for alot of heat just quality smoke.
Anything that drips down (marinates) will just be like a normal oven with a drip tray at the bottom. you can add in hooks at the top for hanging things and remove the racks.
With smoking you aren't really looking for alot of heat just quality smoke.
Anything that drips down (marinates) will just be like a normal oven with a drip tray at the bottom. you can add in hooks at the top for hanging things and remove the racks.
GAS
What i intend to do is have the 4 burner on the left and the smoker on the right as the gas feed into the bbq is on the right of it, if it was the other way i would have flipped the design.
picture a 4 burner bbq with a side element for boiling pots, well what i will do is take that side round element off and will be using it under the smoker oven to heat the dutch oven where we put the wood to create the smoke.
picture a 4 burner bbq with a side element for boiling pots, well what i will do is take that side round element off and will be using it under the smoker oven to heat the dutch oven where we put the wood to create the smoke.
Bricks Bricks and Bricks
Well you are going to need bricks, I'm actually going to also be including the present 4 burner gas BBQ in this structure so I'll be need more bricks, the benefit of including the 4 burner is I am going to split the gas feed to both the bbq and smoker, thus only using 1 gas bottle.
All i did was go into a new estate near me and ask the brickie if I could have his leftover once he finished, i didn't get a single no as they generally just go to landfill, i've got for about 7 different houses but I'm going to paint the bricks anyway so it doesn't matter.
I got a bunch of the same colour so I will be using them at the front and painting the ones at the back.
All i did was go into a new estate near me and ask the brickie if I could have his leftover once he finished, i didn't get a single no as they generally just go to landfill, i've got for about 7 different houses but I'm going to paint the bricks anyway so it doesn't matter.
I got a bunch of the same colour so I will be using them at the front and painting the ones at the back.
Getting started
Well its been 2 months now since I decided to build the oven and I have done ALOTTTTTTT of research so there is a mountain of helpful hints I will be giving out as we go along.
I'll be uploading to youtube once I get started but for now heres the groundwork.I'd like to thank everyone that has posted articles on the web and also videos on youtube, my design is a combo of all that info.
First thing you need is a PLAN, well any plan will do as you will end up modifying it anyway.
My plan is currently still in my head but its pretty EASY so I will detail it (in detail) a bit later.
For this project I will be using an old gas kitchen oven I found on the side of the road, a brick structure to encase the oven, a round bbq gas burner, a cast iron dutch oven and an old iron gate.
I'll be uploading to youtube once I get started but for now heres the groundwork.I'd like to thank everyone that has posted articles on the web and also videos on youtube, my design is a combo of all that info.
First thing you need is a PLAN, well any plan will do as you will end up modifying it anyway.
My plan is currently still in my head but its pretty EASY so I will detail it (in detail) a bit later.
For this project I will be using an old gas kitchen oven I found on the side of the road, a brick structure to encase the oven, a round bbq gas burner, a cast iron dutch oven and an old iron gate.
Free gas fired smoker oven
Hi
In this blog I will detail how to build your own gas fired smoker oven for FREE ! , well it was almost free for me as there are some things that i couldn't find for free BUT you may well be better then me so keep reading.
In this blog I will detail how to build your own gas fired smoker oven for FREE ! , well it was almost free for me as there are some things that i couldn't find for free BUT you may well be better then me so keep reading.
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