Post by stephenpiscura on May 6, 2015 7:36:39 GMT -8
Hello rocketeers, innovators and mad scientists,
This is my first post to the board, so please let me first thank everyone for allowing me and countless others to gain so much by following your discussions, experiments and discoveries. I'm completely inspired!
I'll do my best to be concise: So since i encountered Matt Walker's outdoor batch-box system on YouTube:
I've been totally infatuated. (Matt, you're a hero!) In addition to reading and researching, i've conscripted a couple of friends who would like to work together with me to create an outdoor system—one is an engineer and the other is an artist/general contractor with a significant background in ceramics and cob-building. And i'm just the joker who daydreams all day about cooking pizza outdoors with my wife and kids.
For whatever it's worth, i created a little presentation to share with others (namely people with minimal familiarity with this kind of thing) to give a really general picture of what we hope to build.
I'd be so grateful to get feedback from others regarding a number of questions i have before launching into any project:
I. Hybrid: "Ring of Fire" glass viewing windows / Peter van den Berg's Innovator's batch-box
Matt's outdoor, half-barrel system has, at least in one iteration, included two viewing windows, as well as a glass door, allowing for fire-visibility on three sides! In the newest Paul Wheaton-hosted Kickstarter campaign, a version of the system is built which is dubbed the "Ring of Fire." A visible fire is really important to what we hope to build. At the same innovator's event documented in Paul's forthcoming video series, Peter van den Berg's 8″ batch box is also featured. Like everyone else, i'm completely amazed at the efficiency of this system!
My question then, is whether or not it's advisable or even possible to attempt to integrate viewing windows into Peter's design, so as to create the same fire visibility that Matt achieves with his "Ring of Fire." Are we talking about fundamentally different levels of heat inside the firebox? If glass were integrated into each side of the firebox while retaining Peter's measurements, would this compromise the design in some way? What other limiting factors might be predicted?
II. Cooktop and oven integrations
In several of Matt's YouTube videos, he showcases the cooking/smoking ability he enjoys from the barrel top of his outdoor system. Peter's 8″ batch box features a third barrel into which the double-barrel riser vents. Ultimately, we'd love to achieve a system that combines:
Peter clarified that, while not measured, the heat coming off of the third barrel was enough to burn off its paint. Is there value in considering an oven build on top of this third barrel? Or could the double barrel riser skip the third barrel all together and vent into something that looks like a traditional cob oven, not unlike this example:
(This almost-finished circle is the essential shape of bench that we hope to build.)
Lastly, what about a cooktop? Matt mentioned that he's been cooking over top his indoor batch box all winter. Satamax modified Peter's SketchUp drawing to illustrate how this might work. Would the same be advisable on top of an outdoor system like i'm proposing?
Of course there's a lot more i'm thinking through, but i know i've already asked a lot. Please allow me to express sincerest thanks in advance for both your patience with the new guy and for any and all feedback folks may be able to provide.
This is my first post to the board, so please let me first thank everyone for allowing me and countless others to gain so much by following your discussions, experiments and discoveries. I'm completely inspired!
I'll do my best to be concise: So since i encountered Matt Walker's outdoor batch-box system on YouTube:
I've been totally infatuated. (Matt, you're a hero!) In addition to reading and researching, i've conscripted a couple of friends who would like to work together with me to create an outdoor system—one is an engineer and the other is an artist/general contractor with a significant background in ceramics and cob-building. And i'm just the joker who daydreams all day about cooking pizza outdoors with my wife and kids.
For whatever it's worth, i created a little presentation to share with others (namely people with minimal familiarity with this kind of thing) to give a really general picture of what we hope to build.
I'd be so grateful to get feedback from others regarding a number of questions i have before launching into any project:
I. Hybrid: "Ring of Fire" glass viewing windows / Peter van den Berg's Innovator's batch-box
Matt's outdoor, half-barrel system has, at least in one iteration, included two viewing windows, as well as a glass door, allowing for fire-visibility on three sides! In the newest Paul Wheaton-hosted Kickstarter campaign, a version of the system is built which is dubbed the "Ring of Fire." A visible fire is really important to what we hope to build. At the same innovator's event documented in Paul's forthcoming video series, Peter van den Berg's 8″ batch box is also featured. Like everyone else, i'm completely amazed at the efficiency of this system!
My question then, is whether or not it's advisable or even possible to attempt to integrate viewing windows into Peter's design, so as to create the same fire visibility that Matt achieves with his "Ring of Fire." Are we talking about fundamentally different levels of heat inside the firebox? If glass were integrated into each side of the firebox while retaining Peter's measurements, would this compromise the design in some way? What other limiting factors might be predicted?
II. Cooktop and oven integrations
In several of Matt's YouTube videos, he showcases the cooking/smoking ability he enjoys from the barrel top of his outdoor system. Peter's 8″ batch box features a third barrel into which the double-barrel riser vents. Ultimately, we'd love to achieve a system that combines:
- a heated bench,
- a pizza oven
- and a cooking surface.
Peter clarified that, while not measured, the heat coming off of the third barrel was enough to burn off its paint. Is there value in considering an oven build on top of this third barrel? Or could the double barrel riser skip the third barrel all together and vent into something that looks like a traditional cob oven, not unlike this example:
(This almost-finished circle is the essential shape of bench that we hope to build.)
Lastly, what about a cooktop? Matt mentioned that he's been cooking over top his indoor batch box all winter. Satamax modified Peter's SketchUp drawing to illustrate how this might work. Would the same be advisable on top of an outdoor system like i'm proposing?
Of course there's a lot more i'm thinking through, but i know i've already asked a lot. Please allow me to express sincerest thanks in advance for both your patience with the new guy and for any and all feedback folks may be able to provide.
