You can click on any photo to see a larger version
It all started on a rainy day in August when the
overseas container arrived here in the Mad River Valley.
Carlos Olivera came from San Francisco to construct
the oven. First, bricks were laid to make the fire chamber.
Refractory concrete finished off the fire chamber
and the first of the steam tubes were put in place. When all of these
were in, more brick and concrete would cover them. The resulting
thermal mass becomes the heat exchanger that transfers the heat to the
steam tubes, which in turn distribute the heat throughout the oven.
Carlos was assisted all week
by long-time friends
Johnny and Rich.
A few extra hands were needed to put the eight
steam generators in... HEAVY!
The hearth plates weren't light either!
Rich finishes off the concrete base.
More concrete went into the walls, then exterior
walls and insulation. (We don't call him Johnny Barefoot for nothing!)
All done! 38,000 lbs. of brick, concrete and steel
(and another couple hundred of family).
