Fired Up In Maui

Building The Base

Still Building The Base

Pouring The Top Slab

Block In The Raw

Top Slab Drying

How Many Guys Does It Take To Lift A 500 Pound Slab?

Building The Inner Shell With An Island Cocktail

Placement Of The Outer Shell

Stoning Of The Wood Box And Brick Placement

"Tako" The Octopus

"Wonder Oven" Complete

Aloha Wonder Oven!



The Wonder Oven has arrived by "looks only" safely.  We must thank Marla, our Maui friend for giving the Wonder Oven a proper "Aloha" on the delivery.

The Long Journey...

The Wonder Oven on Tuesday started its 6000 mile journey to Maui from Central Pennsylvania.  We packed her tight with all the accessories that will make the Wonder Oven... the pizza and bread making beast from the east.



Packing The Pieces

The Wonder Oven will be packed in individual pieces. It will be my job to put all of the pieces of the puzzle together in Maui. "Hey, someone's gotta do it!"

Iron Man

It's now time for some ironwork.  Local iron artist, Kevin Schemreif will create all the accessories for the Wonder Oven.



The Wonder Oven Survives!

The crack in the Liberty Bell made it the World's most famous bell...now the Wonder Oven has one too.  This will be repaired because the Wonder Oven wants to be known for its World famous pizza.



Will The Wonder Oven Survive The "Lock Down"

The Big Kahuna is now on "Lock Down." The heat is off and the Wonder Oven has entered the cool down period. Now we must wait. Mike is nervous and explains all the bad things that can happen during this period. I'm the kind of guy that believes the Wonder Oven if half full.

Ready Set Fire!

The Wonder Oven was carried like an Egyptian Pharaoh on the pallet through the window and into the Big Kahuna.  The temp might read 5 degrees outside, but the Big Kahuna will be 2400 degrees inside for the next 36 hours...another 24 hours of cooling time and WAMMO!  All the colors of the Wonder Oven will be exposed.  Mike will monitor the heat very closely for the next 24 hours.

 

Snow Delay



Today was the day we were going to feed the Wonder Oven to the Big Kahuna, but its not going to happen.  A dusting of snow turned into more than 6 inches, so we are going for it at high noon tomorrow.  Same Bat Time same Bat Channel!

The Big Kahuna

The Big Kahuna Kiln is finishing the latest fire before the Wonder Oven takes over the entire fire box.  The heat will be greater then 2000 degrees for the big day.

Moving Day

When the final layer of glazing is completed tomorrow....the window to the Yoder Pottery Studio will be removed.  The Wonder Oven outer shell will be fired in the big outdoor kiln.

We need to carry the outer shell on the pallet as is and slide her in without disrupting the glazing.  This will be harder then the 6000 mile journey ahead.

Glazing (part 2)

After brushing and spraying six to eight layers of glaze, with up to 5 colors, the outer shell will be put in the kiln for a "reduction fire." This process removes all oxygen from the air which pulls color(iron) from the clay and glaze. The clay will be vitrofied (meaning non-porous) and the glaze will turn to glass. This makes the outer shell waterproof.

Glazing (part 1)

Layers and layers of glazing will take place over the next few days.  The colors you see will evolve and change during firing.

Freight



The Wonder Oven will be traveling more then 6000 miles in a few weeks.  The first 3000 miles by truck, within 6 business days.  The second 3000 miles by sea, which should also take 6 business days.  The Wonder Oven will be delivered to the residence in Maui with a liftgate.  Since freight quotes are only good for 2 weeks and were guessing the weight of the oven like the guy at the fair...the cost should fall in the $800-$900 range, plus an additional $100 to move it at the residence if necessary.

The Brick In Brick-Fired Pizza

The bricks have been cut to fit the template to the entrance of the Wonder Oven. Shown here face down, these bricks will be mortared to the outer shell to cover and protect all three layers. The oven door will be customized to fit the arch.

Let The Glazing Begin

Now that the outer shell is complete and the baking frogs have captured the chimney, it's time for the glazing process to begin.



Baking Frogs



Our first baking frog appears on the chimney. Rumor is, the baking frog blesses all of the food.

Bricks Ahoy

We have a dozen bricks that are perfect for the original "Wonder Oven". I haven't learned what the symbol means on the brick but the bricks do come with some symbolism. Found down by the Susquehanna River at the home of Than Mitchell's, a 70 year old radio man part of the longest broadcasted radio program still on air. Ironic, huh?

The Dome Starts To Close



With the closing of the dome, the palm leaf designs come into play. With the growth of the chimney will come the Baking Frogs. This rare species is only found on the south shores of Maui.

Growth Of The Outer Shell



The growth of the outer shell takes time to firm-up at such a thickness, so clay is mixed daily and pan-dried for the right consistency.

The Palm Impressions

The dome of the outer shell will have a thatch roof look. We will be using palm leaves to make impressions onto the outer shell.

Brick Arched Opening

I'm starting the process of auditioning a dozen bricks for the arched opening.

The Beginning of The Outer Shell

The 3 layers of the oven start to take form. The inner shell, space for the insulation and the outer shell.

The Inner Shell

The "Wonder Oven" will have an inner shell, insulator and cosmetic outer shell. The inner shell will be test-fired with extreme heat looking for cracks and flaws before continuing.

The Secret Ingredients

Mike called upon his mentors in the industry looking for the right mixture of materials to handle the intense heat of the "Wonder Oven".  The secret ingredients are: clay, sand, water, straw and... toilet paper.

Introducing The Potter

I called upon friend and fellow artisan, Mike Yoder, a well known potter here in Central PA. Mike and I have collaborated on several successful projects in the past. Mike creates the first "Wonder Oven" mini proto-type.

An Idea Was Born

Late September 2010, an idea was born. Judy and Kerby Confer wanted a brick-fired pizza oven in their new home in Maui. After researching many traditional pizza ovens, I wanted to create one as unique as them. And the "Wonder Oven" was born.