Correspondence # 9 where we explain in detail the construction of the furnace with the clay…

Finally we were able to manufacture the first oven on Saturday thanks to the Gare Franche and Amora! While we are in full preparation from Sunday to ForestA of June 4 (the program arrives…), guy-neighbor of the Viste and accomplice since the first encounters-, lent himself to the play of the narrative and we thank him.     See you soon, maybe a Sunday:)! Construction of a traditional Cob Oven acknowledgements: • La Tuilerie Monier, which supplied the clay bags graciously • Catherine, Dominique, Zohra for hosting us at the Gare Franche • Amora, her family, her friends and neighbors of the plan D'aou for their valuable experience • Elise • Dominique • Marion • Hakim • Julie • Josiane •… and many others with unknown names 3 indispensable elements • clay • straw • water some will add elbow oil (feet and hands)… The oven base, already made, is an Assembly of terracotta briquettes, installed in height on a rolling table to facilitate a better movement. Straw is piled on the base to mount a pyramid, compress and round at best, which will serve as a template for the final form of the furnace. In a large gamate, the clay is poured, which will be mixed with straw (before or after watering). A good amount of water is required for this mixture to become a more solid and sticky (COB) texture. To obtain this homogeneous mixture, 2 methods: • at the feet, as practiced in the Maghreb countries • by hand, to better feel the consistency from the base on the belt the cob straw, floor by floor, remembering to leave several oven openings: • the door on the main side • Windows on each of the remaining 3 sides to monitor the cooking (or even allow better ventilation) 3 wooden wedges are installed to better support the access door, which is useless for Fe smaller area. The oven walls are also wet for a better adhesion of all the assembled elements of the cob. You don't forget to leave a final opening on the top, like a chimney. It will be necessary to wait at least one week of drying for the commissioning of the oven, the straw and the wood are burned definitively during this operation. There you go!