Hello from Eau Claire, Wisconsin

[jdjr]

Hello from Eau Claire, WI (90 miles east of Minneapolis, MN)

I Googled Wood Fired Pizza Ovens 2 months ago and by chance I landed on Rado Hand's site... I read there for a few weeks non stop. I knew zero about brick ovens and that was the way I was headed until some on that site mentioned Forno Bravo.

Now I've been lurking here for a few weeks and am just now realizing how much I don't know. I've seen a lot of great builds that I can only envy, but may also steal ideas from. I hope (need?) to keep my oven fairly low key and probably without a roof, keeping the igloo or round shape and covering with stucco, but don't know how weatherproof that can be. I'm sure I'll change my mind a few times before I start digging. I don't have my wife fully on board yet, but hopefully that will come.

I'm leaning toward a 36" and maybe a corner install. I think I understand the base, hearth, insulation, IT, and Fire Bricks ($2.28 each locally for 2 1/2" or 1 5/8"...no arch bricks), but hopefully I can learn the rest on the job.

It's 18 degrees here today with 18" inches of snow, so I won't be digging anytime soon, but will keep reading and will try to soak up all your great advice.


Thanks!
John

[mrchipster]

Re: Hello from Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Hi, I graduated from UW Stout and spent many an evening haunting Eau Claire I have an Oven in my back yard in Crystal MN and you are welcome to come visit and bring your wife. Maybe it will help to have a demonstration of the food possibilities. That is how I got my social director on board and she loves it now.

Chip

[silvfox]

Re: Hello from Eau Claire, Wisconsin

jdjr,
Mr. Chipster is my brother inlaw and WFO mentor. It only took one pizza party at his oven to hook me. Poured my slab before the winter freeze to avoid waiting for spring road bans on concrete trucks not to mention the nasty ruts one of those guys will leave in your yard on soft spring soil. I have 90% of materials on hand and making use of the wait for spring by learning from the excellant resource this forum provides. I'm located near LaCrosse thus a little closer to you than the Chipster. Since I'll probably have the jump on you feel free to look over my shoulder and learn from my failures and successes.
Suspect all builders have some of each. Its interesting to compare some of the earlier builds and the evolution that has taken place in just the last five years as later builds have incorporated the best of those who went before. Take Chip up on his offer and you'll be ready to get started.
John

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Hello from Eau Claire, Wisconsin

jdjr,

Welcome to the WFO forum, you are in good hands if Mr. Chip mentors you. There are also a link of best builds on Lburou thread located in the Newbie section under "treasure achives" on something similar. Good luck

[jdjr]

Re: Hello from Eau Claire, Wisconsin

mrchipster,silverfox & UtahBeehiver, thanks for the welcome.

mrchipster, Crystal is only 100 miles away, small world, If I have trouble convincing my wife I'll have to take you up on your offer.

silverfox, I'll be looking over you shoulder the whole way. I don't have any materials yet, but I stopped in to our local HF to look at the 10" tile saw. Quite a unit for $229 (minus %15 off coupon!)

I'm a bit ahead of myself, but is it possible to smoke in one of these ovens? I usually do ribs, salmon or pork shoulder in my Weber Smokey Mountain smoker @ 225 degrees, but maybe they would taste better smoked in a WFO!

[silvfox]

Re: Hello from Eau Claire, Wisconsin

You can definitely smoke meat in a WFO. I currently use a New Brunsfull Texas style with an offset firebox except when we are smoking a large batch like the few hundred rings of vension bologna we made a few weeks ago. Then we fire up the walk in cement block smoke house. I think you'll find that its just a matter of controlling your fire, probably with the door slightly ajar and maintaining a small fire.

[Gulf]

Re: Hello from Eau Claire, Wisconsin

I'm a bit ahead of myself, but is it possible to smoke in one of these ovens? I usually do ribs, salmon or pork shoulder in my Weber Smokey Mountain smoker @ 225 degrees, but maybe they would taste better smoked in a WFO!

I think that it is possible, I have been experimenting some in mine (with mixed results). But, don't sell your Weber just yet . There are just too many dishes (requiring different temps) that you will want to "finish" at the same time.

[jdjr]

Re: Hello from Eau Claire, Wisconsin

It's 23?f here today and snowing hard. With 24" of snow on the ground plus this I may be starting my build in July instead of May.

http://137.28.94.193 - here is a look outside my office window...might be hard to see the snow coming down though

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Hello from Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Hmmm, might really be building an igloo. Strange weather we have.

[jdjr]

Re: Hello from Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Here is my new design...It's -5?f here this morning. I think I will build an igloo!