Matt Walker continental stove build

there might not be creosote ---but there is fine ash and soot that collects in the stove mostly in the top  under the ceramic glass area---these stoves still need to be cleaned out at some point ---hence the easy glasstop remove and Matts open black oven idea, so by having an enclosed box type of oven you must be able to access the oven box at some point ---or build in clean out doors---as for baking and roasting in the oven---well Matt has done this many times --so its just lots of experimentation for the rest of us to find that sweet spot----i dont think Matt  cooks or roasts  with an open pot ---uses lids --so the extreme smokey flavor wont be there---he is a barbeque  fanatic though i think---i am going to try out a cordierite pizza slab in my oven ---for extra heat retention----just been down to the l---idal  store and bought a few----they are on clear out section for a bargen ----also thinking (again slowly)----that these might be suitable to use in the firebox---well for mine at least ---as i used a hybrid mix of insulated firebrick for base and sides ---and two layers of 1/2 " ceramic fiberboard  as the ceiling/roof of it----its starting to get battered a bit ---its soft stuff ---so if at a later stage i could lift the c-glass off ---dismantle the top build section--- fit in pizza board cut to suit ---as a new firebox ceiling ---and put back the cfb layers over it---more work and experimental stuff

theres some discussion on the ---forno bravo --site for building types of pizza oven  ---on doors and oven shapes of roof ---not ground breaking but helpfull---also on insulation and temp gauge position---heres a door made by ozovenbuilder--on the site ---they go in a lot for sealing up the door to maximize heat retention---then the vitcas site is having a sale---and some gauges they offer----otherwise its back to ---vintage recipes and cookery---where the old methods are explained of how to judge /estimate heat levels.

took a piece of scrap 3/4 inch plywood and copied the pattern i made of the oven shape ---less 5mm or so less all round--onto it ---cut and shaped --checked many times for a good fit----found a piece of aluminium cut out the shape and beat it around the plywood ---cut that cordierite sheet ---380 x 300 x12---to shape from the plywood buck---with angle grinder and tile cut disc ----cut the shape from both sides of the sheet ---so when it cracked at the last cutting --followed the line shape----polished edge with loads of old flap discs ----drilled holes into it with slow speed using metal work drill bits---made them blunt but easy to resharpen----tapped two holes in door ---and bolted alloy with cordierite sheet under neath ---onto it

just rounding up some of the last bits , my comp system is struggling ---so it could just give up on me ---if so could be awhile then before i can cobble up another set up or make some funds for it ---so the hot water is still being worked on ---making up a wooden former to bend the copper coil around---oven works better now ---more heat reflected back in---heres some stove s that are inspiring me for next build in our cottage ---collecting bits already ---wonder if a double core could be done----anyway till later

thanks to all for the apples ---just accessed my email ---heres the first baking done in new oven ---not by me ---its banana bread/loaf ---the last bit left  of three--i came back inside just in time---coffee break---her old stand by recipe was used and just timed as per usual when electric oven was used---stove had been through its first firing ---bricks were still warm --- a second firing  was under way -----great success as it browned all over-- rose up ---and light texture--bonus was top browning off ---better than the electric oven i am told----well it wasn t beer bread but still it started with a B----i had cooked earlier myself ----stirfry ---chilli prawns and squid---used a cast iron flat bottom wok ----not the best i found ---it drags a lot of the heat away ---should have used the steel one ---but it was good ---we have a collection of old cookware ----- Cast offs , Recycled , Abandoned  & Passed on ---some thinning out of the herd needs to take place---once we can determine which work best

i have also made some changes to the stove flue ---in case i need to scrub out the system with rods and brush ----not creosote but soot /ash---maybe over the top ---but i can now access the whole flue from top to bottom if needed---i had to adjust the flap valve anyway so ---it was too loose ---then too tight ---my fault on design of it ---rushing at the time to complete things---now it has a looser fit tube to turn in and a spring to keep the flap plate in position---all highly teknikal and ingineered ---i saw Burra purchased some nice cast iron pan type things from the l idal  shop---in the BQ section ---i rushed down the next day to my local one 12 miles away-----was as soon as i could get there----but all gone ---but they had an orphaned flat round one---and for 6 euros ---makes good pancakes and toasted cheese---have to make a pick up handle as the existing ones get roasting.

some more baking was done, i made a beer bread --rose up and good texture ,good colour , but took some time over the normal electric type stove set ups---no big problem really as i had banged it into the oven and went outside to make a box for my chainsaw and bits for it ----got down to oiling the wood ---and bugger---had to gather some bits for the fire ---as i was shouted at for letting the fire go nearly out---so next firing finished the task---with some occasional peeking to check progress----but after all of that---tasted odd ---i had followed some recipe to the exact ---but it had a too sweet taste for me ---and not a true bread as it used baking soda----anyway next time more research and testing to be done. Someone with more cooking skill made this cream garlic sliced potato ,cheese topped dish ---hardly had to wash the dish afterwards---oven works alost fool proof really as the temps start out low and peak before something burns ---a second firing does the job ---would be great for very slow cooked meals--as no to hardly any checking up needed---not for any speed in a rush baking /roasting.

Hi Tony,

You're in Spain, right? On the news today, they said it was 45° in Andalousie. How could you possibly be using your stove with the heat wave going on? What you made looks great and I believe I will be just excited as you when we finally have a walker. I just don't think I'd be using it right now. I'd probably be asking if we could have a second one outside.

I showed your pictures to my partner today and he wondered if you used any aluminium in building your cooker insert. Would you be willing to share more details about building it, please?

Cordially

not in spain ,in damp wet west coast of ireland ---13 C outside right now---warmish for us ---at 45 C --an outdoor solar cooking oven would be better----if it reached that high in ireland our breweries would run dry ---and there would be chaos through out the land---been using the stove at later in the day into the evening ---building up the heat storage into the walls  of the cabin--plus keeping out the damp---i used a piece of (about 3mm) aluminium sheet to make the reflective cover over the cordierite sheet that is fixed onto the oven door---the build plans of Matts stoves could use some of  it under the main core of the insulated fire bricks --for supporting the riserless core above the two heat channels---i used some (about4mm) stainless steel sheet ---had a handy sized  piece of it at the time---and i used a smaller piece of alloy sheet to support the common clay  bricks next to my core ---these are a deviation from Matts plans ---as i made my stove a bit longer ---to build in the water heating jacket---

these can be seen on page/post 1 , seventh pic down

re reading the question ---i did not answer correctly maybe ---the cooker insert is made from stainless steel ---an old beer keg ---cut down one side --and a flat sheet of stainless welded in place ---as the floor/base of the oven---this is welded onto a frame of mild steel angle iron ---yes you can weld the two types together---its not a decorative feature ---not a structural component ---so the looks and potential rust /discolouration is not  an issue---i used the mig weld process with steel wire and CO2 gas ----beer keg was what i had to hand ---i had wanted to use mild steel sheeting ----if you go up on the mild steel sheet to say 6mm its possible to stick weld (SMAW)  this---perhaps even to stick weld the stainless together ----using bespoke weld rods for stainless would be very expensive ---ordinary steel rods could be used---but difficult to control the weld bead---not sure of your welding skill set ---so i can not recommend this.

Hello Tony,

So you are from a fellow Celtic nation. I'm from Brittany, which I thought had a similar climate to Ireland. But not at the moment, as we'll get up to 25° today.

So what my husband thought might be aluminium is actually mild steel angle iron. Neither of us has figured out what that is in French,,yet. Do you think aluminium would weld to stainless steel?

Is the water heating up well now?

Good day to you.

yes i live in ireland now -- only recently arrived about 24 years ago----so nearly accepted by the natives---mild steel is iron more or less --element Fe---find a local metalwelder fabrication workshop ---they will show you all the examples of it available in the trade----for our intents and purposes ,aluminium and stainless steel can not be welded ---yes there are other  expensive and complex methods to join them  ---not really for us at this do it at home level. The steel i used was rusty ---so i cleaned it up with grinder and disc ---looks shiney and clean ----but not aluminium or stainless ----if you want the shine look ---there is right angle available in stainless steel ---but will cost a lot more to buy and the weld process is expensive to undertake ---i am presuming here that your metal working skillset is very basic so it would cost a lot more to have it carried out as well----using aluminium in the making of the cooking oven would also be expensive---for same reasons as in stainless steel. -----My hot water system is not working that well ---as i explained a few postings back ---i do have another idea to implement and try out ---but as i would need to dismantle the stove a bit to remove old and install the new  -----stove would be out of use for awhile----its next years project to correct this.

Thanks for your answers, Tony.

I had hoped for you that your water would start getting hot just as the mass got hotter. Sorry that it hasn't.