Rado oven experiences?

[bradtri]

Hey All,
   I've been scoping out a place in my yard for a WFO.  I've read up some on Rado's ovens at http://www.traditionaloven.com/ and really thinking about going that route.   I'm fairly handy and don't think I'd have much problem with the build as long as the instructions are good.

   Any folks out there that have built a Rado oven and would you care to share your experience?  How did the build go?   How well do you think it cooks vs a purchased oven like FB or similar?

thanks,
Brad

[bakeshack]

Dome oven is the only way to go if you want Neapolitan style pizzas.  Barrel vault ovens are especially good for breads because of the thermal mass.  You can download plans from forno bravo although you might need to make some adjustments to lower the ceiling height. 

Marlon

[bradtri]

I've read numerous threads on the debate between dome and barrel and that's not what I'm asking.  I'm looking for folks that have used the Rado plans and would like to know how their build went and how the cooking is going in their oven.

[shuboyje]

Not to beat a dead horse, but this is a pizza forum, so the opinions you are going to get here are going to be based on the ovens use for pizza more then likely.  Rado's ovens are not pizza ovens, they are bread ovens.  Barrel vault ovens can be built for pizza, but his aren't.  It's like going to a site dedicated to off roading and asking for people's experience with a Chevy Aveo.  Yes, it is a car, but among cars in general it is a poor choice for off roading. 

[bradtri]

Guys ... seriously ... enough of the "you can't make a real pizza unless you have a dome oven".   I've read tons of threads on this forum and others and many folks are clearly making some very nice pizza using a wide variety of ovens. 

So again, I'd really like to hear of anybody having built a Rado oven (or similar barrel style) and what their experience has been, both building and cooking with it.

[shuboyje]

I know people can be very annoying about this constantly preaching why their oven is best, I assure you that isn't the goal here, people just want to help.

You may get more answers if you open up the question to Alan Scott ovens as well.  Both are basically the same design and Alan Scott ovens are much more common in my experience.

[bradtri]

And for sure, my oven design is by no means set in stone ...  that's why I was hoping to hear from some barrel vault owners.

My biggest concern with the dome design was whether I'd be able to do a nice job of the brick work.  My goal whenever I do a dyi  project is to do it well enough that it's not obvious that I did it myself, if you know what I mean.

I've been looking at the FB plans for pompeii oven also.  I already own a wet cut table saw for tile that I'm sure would do quite nicely for cutting the bevels on the firebrick.

[shuboyje]

Like I said earlier, you can build a barrel vault oven for pizza, but in general the designs out there are for bread ovens and are hugely handicapped by their excess thermal mass.  Frustration with existing barrel vault designs actually led to the development of the Pompeii oven.  Since then others have build barrel vault ovens optimized for pizza, with Tscarborough who is a member here being one of the most prominent.  I know others have built ovens based of of his design.  That would be my starting point for a barrel vaulted pizza oven.

[Tscarborough]

The Rado oven is good, but it has too much mass and not enough insulation.  Increase the under floor insulation, decrease the amount of cladding and you can cook bread and pizza.

[Tscarborough]

Allan Scot ovens are not the same design, they are much worse than Rado's.

[bradtri]

Tscar...
   Thanks for the info.   I was wondering about on the Rado oven of just using the same building technique as the Pompeii oven where the insulation is placed directly over the firebrick arch without the thick cladding.    I'll have to admit, the Pompeii is growing on me as I've been reading through the building plans.   There's also a super nice video on youtube showing a build.

   I'm in the process of deciding on a location in the yard right now.  Two spots that I had chosen seem too tight once I squeeze in a 5'x7' pad.  My other location is to the side of my deck with the main disadvantage that I'll have to sacrifice my favorite apple tree.   

   For the location by the deck, the oven would be 2-3' away from the deck stairs (which is 9' high).   I'm a little paranoid about possible fire danger to the deck, but I'd have to think that the screen spark arrestor on the chimney cap would virtually eliminate that.   Has anybody experience hot embers coming out the front of the oven?   Again, I would think if you were drawing up the chimney that nothing would come out the front of the oven.

[Tscarborough]

I rake them out onto my toes, but have not noticed any exiting the spark arrestor.

[TXCraig1]

Has anybody experience hot embers coming out the front of the oven?   Again, I would think if you were drawing up the chimney that nothing would come out the front of the oven.

On more than one occasion I have had a sizable hot ember fly out the door - big enough to hurt like heck when I stepped on it with my bare foot. You know how wood pops in a fire. I don't know if it would be enough to light a deck on fire. I kind of doubt it, but you never know.

CL

[Bigfoot21075]

On more than one occasion I have had a sizable hot ember fly out the door - big enough to hurt like heck when I stepped on it with my bare foot. You know how wood pops in a fire. I don't know if it would be enough to light a deck on fire. I kind of doubt it, but you never know.

CL

Oh yes it is.... I had a pop while running my Big Green Egg and it sent a lit ember out the vent door onto the deck and caught the deck on fire. Fortunatly we were sitting close by and caught it before things got really ugly. Now BGE has a spark screen on thier doors. Wood decks and live fire do not mix.