Cob Oven Real Cost?

[shedinator]

I really like the idea of building an outdoor oven, and since we're (hopefully) closing on a house in May, I'm hoping to finally do so. I've looked at a few different brick oven designs, but recently came across this article about Cob ovens:
http://www.small-scale.net/yearofmud/2009/09/12/outdoor-cob-pizza-oven/

What I'm wondering is how much the twenty dollar claim relies on the builder's ability to scavenge the materials involved. Those would basically be:
Rocks/urbanite
Glass Bottles
Cob (straw, sand, mud, and clay)
Bricks
Decorative stone (optional)
Concrete slab? I'm not sure about this one, but I think generally speaking it's advisable when building a heavy stone structure.

Has anyone made one of these ovens? How much did it cost you? Which materials did you purchase and which did you source yourself?

[CU Tiger]

I have not made one, but have obsessively watched youtube videos about how to do it.

I think if you were a do-it-yourself kind of person who was willing to source things through Freecycle and Craigslist, you could do it for fairly cheap. Maybe not $20 cheap, but cheaper than a couple of hundred dollars.

The thing I notice about myself is if I want a thing like this (which I do, but not enough to pay $$ for it) I want it RIGHT NOW! That could lead to running out to the home supply store and laying down a bunch of cash.

If you wanted a cob oven, make a list of what you need and see if you can find those things for free/ridiculously cheap. Once you have it all together, start building.

Post on Freecycle/Craigslist that you are willing to come haul away people's old bricks or rocks, that you need X number of glass bottles and will haul away. People are often willing to give you things if you will do them the favor of carrying it out of their lives.

If you do it, post pictures of the project, cob fascinates me!

[FrugalAussie]

I agree CU Tiger, we're slowly collecting what we need to make a brick pizza oven.  So far this year my partner has gathered about half the bricks we need and the base cement pavers.  Some were sourced through Freecycle, some during curbside rubbish collection and some good sized bricks for the base from a wall that was damaged and being replaced.  He just kept an eye out.  Even if it takes another year of stockpiling, we'll be way out ahead and get many years of enjoyment from the oven knowing we didn't waste $ to get it or contribute to environmental degradation. Isn't that the definition of "badassity"?