I'm looking for someone to build me an outdoor grill & oven; constructed out of block and fire bricks (can those be found?). I'm sure the wife could find a mason that will say he can build it from supplied drawings but I would prefer to find someone who has prior experience. I want quality and something that will last. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Shawn
Fire bricks are available in Daro.. you see them on the sidewalks on both sides of the national road. All come from the same supplier and cost the same. 8 to 10p each depending on delivery area. Any good hollow block worker can lay them up for you, but best you pull up a lawn chair and supervise while it's going up. Buy the premium cement (few peso's more per bag), seems to have less contaminants in it and makes for a smoother mix. If you want a "pizza/bread" style oven there are many designs and plans online. Be very careful of the opening measurement as it's critical for the draft and quality of the oven's performance. A well built oven should not smoke at all and draw very evenly throughout... PM me if you need any more help, happy to offer my 2 bits worth. Gerry
I built a tandoor oven in my garden, the chimney was constructed by the use of the local clay ware that Filipinos use in their dirty kitchens. Insulation against the heat generated ( tandoors tend to take the hairs off your arms, I shipped some industrial fire proof gloves from overseas, the type that Formula 1 drivers might use) was my biggest problem. Nothing much I could do about this other than to make sure there was a decent amount of space between the oven itself and the concrete housing. I filled it with some pretty heavy duty sand and clay. It burns at 450F and will do a chicken in 20-30 mins. The odd crack has appeared in the cement due to the heat generated, but it is holding its own now after a good 2 years worth of use. I shipped the skewers from Mumbai. The guy that shipped them has become a firm friend. He has a mate in the Bollywood industry and plans are underway so he says. Don't tell the wife, but I think leading man to Katrina Kaif will do me just fine. Anyway, fire bricks are essential for the flat, wood burning type of pizza oven - available in most hardware stores in Duma. A lot of Filipino men make good masons/carpenters. They seem to pick up the know how from here and there. My advice would be to choose a Noy that has advanced in years, sit him down and have some younger types do the navying under his supervision. Bound to be a trustworthy one in your neighbourhood that could use a wage for a few days. Mine's a gem, he insists on the best materials and warns me of the consequences if I don't do x,y or z. The tandoor was a new one on him, but he saw the problem with the heat generated instantly and warned me. As I say, a couple of cracks two years down the line is not bad - and for technology that isn't native to the Phils. Good luck - and when do I get the invite to chow down with your oven? C
Mother Earth News has a pretty decent article for one that will do everything I need. Build an Outdoor Stove, Oven, Grill and Smoker If I was home for an extended amount of time then I would be comfortable taking it on but I am not going to put it on the wife to oversee. So my best course of action would be to have an experienced person build it for me. I can supply laborers for the heavy lifting. Thanks for the responses. Shawn
