Fire Building Methodology Firing Your Oven Discuss Fire Building Methodology in the Oven Management forums; Originally Posted by paulages i really need to get around to building a tool that will scrape or push the ...

[Marcel]

Originally Posted by paulages

i really need to get around to building a tool that will scrape or push the coals sideways, instead of scraping them front or back, like the scraper/brush tool does. it's always a pain in the ass to get the fire/coals situated as far over as possible.

i think i'll weld some angle iron or a flat piece of steel along a handle, instead of perpendicular to the handle like the other tool. has anyone made a tool like this?

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(M) Paul, consider a 45 degree angle. Theoretically you should be able to simply push straight forward to force the coals to the side. Conversely: pulling straight back on the handle should traps some coals if you have also have a piece of steel welded along the handle which joins the tip of your "coal plow".

(M) "Everything should be made as simple as possible, ...... but no simpler!"

Albert Einstein

Ciao,

Marcel

[james]

I am attaching a photo of a curved oven tool that works well with coals. Our Italian tool supplier doesn't make this particular one -- perhaps someone could build them in the states.

James

[ColonelCorn76]

I just pick 'em up with my peel -- an aluminum 14" one. Works fine.

[jjerrier]

On one of my firings, I used my shovel to take a bunch of the burnt down coals out and put them into a steel bucket...the oven seemed to work a lot better - much better convection...but my problem was that the steel bucket i put the ashes in heated up to about a million degrees. anyone use anything different to put ashes in? I wonder if they make something like for tailgating??

[paulages]

the only time it's a concern for me is when i'm ready to cook, and it's time to scoot the fire over to the side. i use a hoe to rough the fire over, but then there are all of the smaller bits to clear.

i was thinking of fabricating something like you mentioned, marcel. a "snowplow" type design.

james, that tool looks really easy to make. maybe i'll talk to my blacksmithing buddy and see if he would make a nice one for me.

jim, when you use your 14" peel, what do you do with the coals in the back? those are my main problem. the stragglers are not really hurting anthing back there, but i've been teaching other people how to make the pizzas, and they sometimes overshoot and hit some ash. this 1-2 o'clock position on the floor seems to be the hottest, also, so it's not a bad area to aim for.

[james]

Paul,

It's the stragglers in the back and sides that are the trouble using a peel. They always seem to end up on the food. That's why I like the round rake. Thinking back on the tool set I left behind, I used the curved rake the most.

If there is interest, we could get a curved tool built in NorCal, and ship them out -- as an extension of the regular FB tools (peels, brush, rake, shovel).

James

[paulages]

james,
i'll probably make something sooner than you could get something like that put together, but it sounds like a great idea.

[jwnorris]

Originally Posted by james

If you have a larger oven, those coals are less of an issue. You just push everything to the side, and don't have to worry about it, because you just have more space to work with.
James

So, there really was a reason to get the Casa110 when I was going to use the 90 or 100.

J W

[jayjay]

Originally Posted by ColonelCorn76

I use about 1 1/2 to 2 cu ft of dry oak for my fire. I start just behind the chimney, build it up until it's burning nicely and then keep adding wood from my little pile until it's all in there. Then I burn it down, push the coals to the side, add a log split and start cooking pizza.

Check out my fire building photos at http://photos.yahoo.com/colonelcorn76

Jim
(Yea for Stan finishing & making his first pizza party!)

Jim,
Thanks for the wonderful pictures. Best wishes, I hope I can get my
oven fired up that much for nice turkey and maybe a pie or two for
Thanksgiving Day. We serve about 40 to 50 family members for
Thanksgiving and they really look forward to our spread.
EXcellent pictures, espically of the turkey.
JJ
Philippines

[jayjay]

I am still not sure how the fires are positioned.
I can figure out how to start the fire, but where do
I put it in the hearth. I have been starting the fire in
the doorway and then pushing it back into the hearth, about
3 x3 in the main area of the oven, with an 18 inch dome.
Then I keep adding fuel. My oven did not get hot enought to heat
the 8 inch thick walls.
Where would you folks position a fire for a 3 x3 oven. I don't have
much space to put the coals aside and still have room to cook in/on
the base of the oven hearth.
JJ
Philippines