How cool is this?

[59junior]

Hi everyone. Newbe here and can't wait to get started. I think I fit the bill. Im an Italian mason who started my career in refractory, lining coke ovens at zug Island in the early 80s in Detroit and also heat treat furnaces in Plymouth Mich. Went to red brick after that and now I am an apprentice/saftey instructor. I love pizza and cooking and of course eating. I have been planning to build an outside summer kitchen with stone, brick and broken concrete for some time now. I have been smoking meat and cooking meals with wood (cherry and mesquite) on a smoker/grill for about 15 years and have always wanted to build a masonry cooker. While looking for plans and talking with co-workers I was turned on to Forno Bravo and I can see my future in bold now. Probably won't be able to start untill spring but that gives me plenty of time to research and prep for the project. I plan on bulding the mother of all out door kitchens and will document each step of the project. As I stated I can't wait. Regards to all. I look forward to learning the finer points of Italian pizza oven building and all the fun (and eating) thats to come.

[dbhansen]

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with! Welcome to the obsession.

[GianniFocaccia]

Junior,
Great intro, nice background of lineage and skills. You're gonna tear it up! I would ordinarily attribute your pre-build obsession to your heritage, but in this case it would have to be all those years of smoking meat!
Looking forward to your build.
John

[KraemerBAC]

I will be following your build with great interest

HAve fun with it

Peter

[nissanneill]

Junior,
with all of your attributes, I am surprised that you didn't build a masonry oven and outdoor kitchen years ago.
Anyway, welcome aboard and go for it.
Remember though, it doesn't stop at the end of the build, that is just the beginning.

Cheers

Neill

[Evets]

And let me guess........along with your other attributes......you're a guitar player as well?

[59junior]

Ha Ha ya theres a little guitar playing as well. Rockonloudly!

[59junior]

I have come across my first question where high or medium duty Fire brick and food are concerned. I have read conflicting thoughts on food contact or even fume contact with food being cooked from a fire built in contact on fire brick. Alot of stuff in those brick chemically. Obviously its being done but I wonder is there a certain type of brick used as opposed to just regular fire brick and fire clay? I can't seem to find anything difinitive.

[shuboyje]

If firebrick concerns you I would look into soapstone. That said I know some commercial manufacturers of UL listed deck ovens offer firebrick hearths as an option. I cannot say that these are just normal firebricks, but would assume so.