Honestly, I should have been blogging about this project for a while. It's every pizza makers dream, right? A wood fired oven, right in their back yard?
But it's been overwhelming to say the least. It's a big project, and I don't think I really knew what I was getting into.
I bought a Casa2G90 from Forno Bravo, which is a modular pizza oven which basically comes in 3 pieces. You sort of nudge the pieces together, add insulation (which it comes with), and tada- you have a pizza oven!
But way before that, you've got a ton of things to do. And even after that as well. You need to lay the foundation for the stand. This is leveling and pouring concrete. Then you need to build the stand, and make a little bridge and cut metal for that. And then you need to pour more concrete down the cores of the cinder blocks, and then you get to make the hearth- which is even more concrete. And rebar! Don't forget the rebar down the cores as well! Oh and the concrete needs to cure, so we're talking about weeks before you can put the oven on top. And then you do, and HOLY SHIT THOSE PIECES ARE HEAVY and it's you and Kirstin lifting these and OH GOD ABORT ABORT ITS SLIPPING put it down SLOWLY and grab the neosporin because I now have cuts on my hands and legs OK lets try this again.
And then you mortar the pieces together and now wait a long painful week while we don't light a fire in it while we wait for it to cure, but let's at least start on the framing. Oh the framing is made of metal studs and holy crap are these different to work with- so we've got another special metal cutting blade to add to our collection (we already have a diamond tipped one to cut through cinder blocks for the stand). And wow, framing is a bit more complicated than you figured but hey it's a learning experience and it's been a week now so time to light some fires, but slowly because you need to ease into it.
Anyway, that's where I'm at now with The Project.
I've still got to finish up a little bit of the framing, and then mortar on some stones for the bottom (because cinder blocks are ugly). And make it look prettier, and price out a little copper roof (I'm imaging it's going to be more than I want to pay), and so on.
It's been fun but I haven't decided if I'm an idiot for doing this all by myself (with the exception of Kirstin helping me lift the pieces). Above all it's been a learning experience (even if not always pleasant).
