Potje Firebasket? Drilling cast iron?

[Gazbo]

Would normally agree 100%, but assuming this is a cheapo/low quality casting, there will almost certainly be inclusions. They are hard enough to take the edge of almost any drill, hence the need for some sort of lube. Water will do at a pinch - been there, done that (NO T shirt though)!

In engineering, we would invariably use parrafin to drill or machine cast iron, and Brass. No idea why parrafin, but it always seemed fine.

 

[DrPhill]

Some interesting information (and diversions) here. Thanks.
The 'modern' equivalent 'stoves' are made with an outer jacket that allows a flow of air from the bottom to be injected at the top. The price got me thinking about converting the potje though.

 

[Droogs]

very much the way you build a smokeless firepit. The idea being (I believe) the injection of the air at the top burns off any particulates preventing smoke.

 

[Stevekane]

This is a funny old thread thats for sure, so can I ask a supplimentary questaion?
My son has been bought an Ooni brand Pizza oven, I will try for a photo below, its fired by wood pellets, oak apparantly, which you drop down a short chimney into a little fire basket sitting in at the rear, when its running the flames curl in a lazy fashion over the pizza before exiting up the chimney proper. This thing reaches temps of 500f and will cook a pizza in 1 minute flat,,,so thats the advertising pitch, however we get it going, the temp climbs to around 450f and we cook at pizza or two really fast,,( a stressful experience in itself) then the temp starts falling, rapidly and nothing we do will get it back up to temp?
I wondered if the little fire basket was becoming blocked and needed riddleing, but I was able to make up a riddle that was effective but didnt improve it one jot. The temp falls to less than 200f in moments,,,so whats different from when we first fire it up?

 

[PDW125]

Putting a large tin can (catering beans size) with a lot of holes around the bottom and top edge inside the pot would make it work well - you would get the airflow but also make it easy to empty too.

 

[DrPhill]

Putting a large tin can (catering beans size) with a lot of holes around the bottom and top edge inside the pot would make it work well - you would get the airflow but also make it easy to empty too.

What an excellent idea. I will keep my eyes open for a bean can..... An easier solution for my skills and tools, less destructive of the potje, and it may reduce the likelihood of cracking the CI too.

 

[Tris]

This is a funny old thread thats for sure, so can I ask a supplimentary questaion?
My son has been bought an Ooni brand Pizza oven, I will try for a photo below, its fired by wood pellets, oak apparantly, which you drop down a short chimney into a little fire basket sitting in at the rear, when its running the flames curl in a lazy fashion over the pizza before exiting up the chimney proper. This thing reaches temps of 500f and will cook a pizza in 1 minute flat,,,so thats the advertising pitch, however we get it going, the temp climbs to around 450f and we cook at pizza or two really fast,,( a stressful experience in itself) then the temp starts falling, rapidly and nothing we do will get it back up to temp?
I wondered if the little fire basket was becoming blocked and needed riddleing, but I was able to make up a riddle that was effective but didnt improve it one jot. The temp falls to less than 200f in moments,,,so whats different from when we first fire it up?

Is there a baffle in the main chimney? What I suspect is happening is that once the chimney gets hot it is drawing too fast and sucking the heat out quicker than it is produced

 

[Stevekane]

Is there a baffle in the main chimney? What I suspect is happening is that once the chimney gets hot it is drawing too fast and sucking the heat out quicker than it is produced

Now theres an intresting idea, hadnt given that a thought, and it does indeed have a damper in the chimney,,the next time I have it going I will try partly closing the damper and see what happens,,,and of course report back,,,thats a very good idea esp as its difficult to think of anything else to try!
Steve