Stephen B. Thomas

I had shown my June calendar to a friend of mine, and she asked that I make one for her. So August is coming up (her July calendar was already done), and this is the best I came up with. I think the first I made was really something special, and I suppose this one is all right.

Coydon Wallham wrote:I'm wondering how versatile an oven like that could be as the only baking source. Putting on my permie facia thinking hat, I wonder if it could be fed with larger sticks of fuel since bread temps are lower than pizza temps, and maybe the fire would not demand the attention of helicopter-style parenting?
[Just to clarify: what temps do you do the pizzas at in the rocket oven?]

Pizzas are typically baked 8 to 10 minutes at 525*F - 600*F. It is a poly-dough base (though we've also used GF crusts, either store-bought or from scratch), and we make sure the pies are of consistent thickness (crust + toppings) because that helps keep baking times consistent.

Maybe this coming Autumn I'll have a go at baking bread out there, and see how the temperature behaves with thicker fuel bits. I also like Jay Angler's idea of using a dutch oven to keep the temps consistent over longer periods of time.

Coydon Wallham wrote:What have lab experiments with baking bread in the rocket oven shown?

I've only baked pizzas in there, myself. Other folks have baked casseroles, roasted vegetables, and things like that. Never tried bread.

I wonder how to keep the temperature consistent when there's so little mass. Seems like one would have to adjust the design to accommodate a slower warm-up time, in addition to a slower cool-down time. Either that, or constantly hover over the heat source for the duration of the bake - which prima facie doesn't really appeal to me.

Earlier this year I visited a massive brick-oven bakery (as in, the brick oven itself was massive), and they would light a fire early in the morning, then start baking bread a couple hours close to lunch time. There was a lot of stone and brick that held on to that heat and let it slowly dissipate. I suspect this is possible with a rocket oven, however it would take a lot to bring it up to temp. I don't think the "tiny" oven at Basecamp is the right tool for the job.

A few quick updates to bread-making with poly-dough here at Wheaton Labs. I've been baking bread twice a week for the rest of the Boot Team for maybe a month now, and here are a few pointers that help me come up with consistently good poly-dough breads.

- flour total usually adds up to 11 cups, including "dusting" and incidental coating of my hands while shaping and kneading
- sprinkle salt on top, not mixed into dough until you're shaping the loaves
- rise in the oven for 4+ hours, excessively beyond that is marginal returns at best
- make four small loaves from one batch, or one focaccia and two small, sweet loaves
- usually make two savory and two sweet loaves to accommodate different tastes
- set oven to 380*F, bake for 30 mins (I think this is particular to our oven)
- be sure to poke it with a toothpick and check for thorough baking

A word on adding salt: I've heard conflicting reports about how salt can inhibit or somehow impact the yeast action, while just as many people have said it's not a big deal. I saw someone sprinkle the salt on top of the dough before proofing, and so that's what I've decided to go with for now. Seems like doughs rise consistently and there have been no issues, so long as the yeast hasn't "gone bad."

Attached are a couple photos from today's batch. I usually divide the batch in half, then make a pair of savory herb loaves and a pair of sweet loaves. The Boots can come in at the end of the Boot day and have some buttered toast or make a peanut-butter sandwich or something like that, based on their mood.

It's also very easy to make a focaccia bread (it's just like making a sauce-less pizza crust), then cut it into breadsticks and serve with marinara sauce. I can usually get away with a 25-minute bake when doing this. I like adding herbs de provence as the savory addition, and drizzle a little extra olive oil on top just before putting in the oven.

Today I made rosemary and thyme for the savory option, and I've been doing well with cinnamon raisin (and now, with maybe a teaspoon or so of added molasses) as the sweet option.

To Sum It Up:
Paul and I put our heads together and came up with a design we could both settle on for half of the front gate at Allerton Abbey. Please review and post comments and questions here.

More Details:
We're nearing completion of the fence repairs over at Allerton Abbey, and to complete the fencing project we want to install a gate in the front driveway. A few guidelines for us as we designed this:
- as close to purewood as possible (zero metal fasteners)
- 14' wide opening and no lintel, to facilitate large vehicles like excavators and stuff
- protects the inside from deer predation, and contains chickens

There will be two leaves (AKA doors) at this front gate, and they'll be secured together when the gate is closed. The gate will open only one-way, so the counterweight shown in the diagram won't interfere with the height of the fence. Those of you who have seen the front gate of the Lab will understand our gate - counterweight mechanism here.

I'm hoping natural builders can have a look at the images below, and provide any feedback, pointers, obvious design flaws, questions, etc. in an effort to make this design better. At this point, only the vertical support post is installed. Please post your responses in this thread. Thanks!

Here's an image I sketched together to start the ball rolling and communicate with the rest of the Boot Team:



This is the gate design, with the junkpoles removed from the gate leaf/door. It's kinda "busy" otherwise.



Some details on the measurements of the different pieces of roundwood are included here (imperial measurements, sorry for you metric folks out there...!):



Some additional details on how the vertical leaf posts are secured to the main gate bar at the top. Being purewood as much as possible, we're hoping to use mortise and tenon, with an extra helping of drawbore securement in the form of hardwood dowels plunging through the two joined pieces of wood.



That's all for now. Please post in this thread any questions, guidance, feedback, and so on you may have. I can clarify the design should you have any questions.

Thanks...!!!

Finished my personal calendar cover for June 2026.

The staff at the local stationery store suggested an opaque white pen, and I think it helps the sheen of the worm quite well here.

Best of success with your project...!

It seems similar in scale to what Jason Rohrer has done with his various games. His most recent completed game is One Hour, One Life.

Nicole Alderman wrote:Maybe someone at Wheaton Labs can see if this is still standing?

Yep, I can confirm the "ramp" is still standing. Just by glancing at the thumbnail on that video, I recognize the door.

Stinging nettle, stinging nettle, stinging nettle...!

I love the tea. I love teaching people how to pluck it and eat it right off the plant. It won't be eaten by deer. And despite its fantastic taste and flavor, it also happens to be quite nutritious.

Coydon Wallham wrote:Well, good to see you don't have a zerk gun made from a gnarly old white oak. I hear those Burr zerkers can be very hazardous...

Zing...!!!