Fire Building Methodology

[james]

The coals in the back

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]

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]

Thanks for the link

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]

position of the fire

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