RokDok

@tony b Thanks, I'd forgotten that, I will do. Keen to experiment with the coffee wood. I haven't done much smoking - looking forward to it. Was thinking of you when I cracked the first bottle of Munich Malt and Sauvin / Hallertauer last night - nicely biscuity and not a million miles away from Munich Helles.I wondered what you might be drinking. @Braai-Q - That is a good idea - although I would then have to get it across the lawn - at least the path around the house is tarmac / stone / brick - although I would still probably use the leapfrog plywood method. I can drum up plenty of labour - I have plenty of beer in the garage. I'll try that first , although I have a couple of farmer friends in the village and I know at least one has got one as a fall back. Forks =/- cradle - as @tekobo and you say storage of extras is a point to consider - I think they'd probably have to go down the "summer house". It's a rustic space - the irons and peels for the WFO are kept there. I've never used a spit before - I have gone for the heavy duty motor as it is waterproof. I do bone and roll quite a bit though - the jury is still out - but I said that about the tables..... @Ron Hixon I built a WFO too, a lot of joy in the building and we use it about 4-5 times a year. I enjoy the lighting bit - sit looking at the fire with a beer or two - you can use pallet - these days it is heat treated the pallet stamp tells you that, origin etc. Do you use your barbecue much ? I cook as often as I can, but when the weather gets cold and drizzly that won't be possible - but you can still use a KK- that was my initial rationale for considering a kamado, but I now see it opens up a huge vista of cooking opportunity. As for "discussion" I found that after looking at some new sofas Mrs RD was in total agreement about the foolhardiness of not getting a KK. Best RD

Tekobo, Thank you, Yes, it's an important point about the expense of shipping things individually at a later date, but I'm struggling to think of an occasion when I would cook something which couldn't be fitted on the forks. The cradle is a lovely design, but I think I am struggling to justify getting both. I am not normally this sensible in my decision making when it comes to things like this - I have previous form - and I may find that in a day or two passion overrides logic. I did have a panic last night that I might not be able to get the oven into the back garden I had visions of some how trying to crane it over the wall from the pub carpark, so was up just after dawn in my dressing gown, tape measure in hand. I have just over an inch to spare at a bit over 37 inches. The gap between the yew hedge at the front is a bit narrow so will need a bit of slash and burn without the burn. I count myself lucky that I have experience with horticultural hurdles when it comes to outdoor cooking. I was kind of hoping that I could just rock up at Southampton Docks with a tail lift van and a pallet truck with Mrs RD (she does pilates and yoga and is quite strong) and pick up our KK, but I'm not sure it'll be that simple ........ Best RD

Basher,Tony and Troble. Many thanks - I've changed my order from the cradle to the forks.

Quick question : I've pencilled in the cradle - would it make sense to get the forks too ?? RD

Tony B - You've a lot more experience than me ! I've been brewing for six or seven years. I don't know what an oxygen-less transfer is, presumably you use a hop rocket or similar for the APAs ? Brewing is, I think very similar to cooking - there is some science but but it's an art really. - you have a hunch for what is going to taste good. Rudolph would work up a bit of a sweat. I guess it would save on delivery charges. Tekebo - Would you want your Xmas wrapping paper for the KKs to be all the same or different patterns & colours ? Would they all require different amounts of wrapping paper ? Just wondering. Those pizza ovens are really, really nice Braai-Q. Slight delay with our 32" order - Mrs RD's choice of colour is a problem.....

Tekobo - The decision definitely is 32 " now - hope you get your new sofa by Xmas - I would offer you our old ones if not , but I suspect that, at current decision making velocity we may not have chosen a fabric by then. Can't stretch to a second oven - not for the moment at least, looks like your 16 " will be just the ticket - and as Paul says you'll be getting lots of practice with adult beverages. Just the thought is making me thirsty - and I haven't had breakfast yet. I'm looking forward to hearing about your pizza oven order - I guess you'll get them in colours to match the KKs ??🤫 Braai-Q - That is great information - definitely, definitely the 32 ". I hadn't thought about the double drip tray - it will be great to be able to make gravy too. I will get the pizza stone - I don't think my oven is practical to use when it's cold although to be honest I haven't tried in the winter. Absolutely makes sense for you to have something mobile to chase the sun - you will have a lovely set up. Tony B - nice to meet another home brewer. I brew a fair range of beer, I've done Bitters ,Mild, Munich Helles, Belgian Trippel, Pilsner (if the weather is cold), Weissbier, Dusseldorf Altbier etc. Recently I haven't been following recipes and I quite like using American / NZ hops in Pale Ales. Brew in the garage with a few friends in the village - it's a full day - they take beer home to ferment and bottle. The star of the show is Stout. We have a culvert running through the garden- fed from a spring a couple of miles away. I pump the water from the culvert to brew with. It flows through the chalk valley so is perfect for Stout. Colour has been chosen, by Mrs RD. I will get accessories as you suggest BQ. Jury is out though on the tables, it's quite a bit extra to spend . Money transferred from the savings account into the current (checking) last night. Cheers, RD

Good Evening Braai-Q, This is a great forum - what a friendly bunch ! It's clear there is a lot of passion here. I've read quite a lot of topics and posts and I see that my queries on 32 " v 23 " have to a large extent been answered, I think. Tekebo foresaw I was to be edging towards the 32". Just the 2 of us at home now, but the 3 kids are back home pretty frequently. I'd like to think that is because they like to see us, but if I'm honest I think it's because I brew beer and so they have an unlimited supply of free booze - and the pub is next door. So cooking for two most of the time, but quite often quite a few more. So fears about a 32" being too big to fire up just for two I think are allayed. That was my primary concern. What would you think are the essential extras ? We are quite lucky here, we have a small allotment next to the village hall so have lots of fresh produce and a friend of mine in the next village keeps a few rare breed pigs - or at least he did until Mrs RD and I helped him take them to the abattoir last Sunday. We had some thin slices of liver fried in butter last Thursday and had some large chops on the Weber tonight. Lovely but I think they could have been cooked better 😉. I give him beer and he gives us pig - it's a good deal. The sofa thing is real, - we need* three to replace the two old ones and two decrepit armchairs. I really am not superstitious, but Mrs RD found the KK website, her favourite comedian is KK- she watches his live podcasts 4 times a week , we have looked at hundreds of fabrics and the one she likes best is called ......Charcoal. You 'moved house' to accommodate a 32" - That almost happened to me when I wanted a WFO, but fortunately I was allowed to stay. The Pavesi Forni ovens look fantastic - but with the possibility of Lockdown II have you thought about building one instead ? I really did enjoy it. Maybe take a look at the UK Woodfired Oven Forum - it's where I got all my information. My build is on there somewhere. So - you have two KKs - a lot of people here seem to have more than one. I like that, and am looking forward to getting my arm twisted in that direction in the future. * need = necessary pre-requisite for KK ownership. Best RD

Yes I will do Tony - I had some email exchange with him a couple of weeks ago - I think he is expecting to hear from me !

Thank you for the welcome. The sofa search is progressing well. (Tekobo : Duresta ) I mentioned to Mrs RD that I had cancelled the order for the Buffalo Komodo grill and received a refund- she replied 'Good the others (meaning KK) are much nicer.' So, green light in the nicest way. Busy next few days -nice things- but will be choosing a KK soon - something I want to savour. I think I know which way I'm (we) are heading but will have a few questions, eg 23" v 32". Thank you Very Happy ! Best RD

Brilliant idea Tyrus ! The oak isn't screwed into the Portland stone base so should be straight forward enough to pop a piece of blanket under it and pull it into the middle of the lawn. Mrs RD will be so overjoyed to get the square yard of bed back that she'll probably insist that I get several KKs. Is there a collective noun for KKs ? Maybe a Euphoria of KKs ?? You're right - I have run into trouble on occasion with the pub being so convenient and have had to sleep with the dog at times. Thing is - he wasn't allowed on the sofa , so it was the floor for me and him. Best RD

Thanks for the welcome, It's a sofa fabric discussion rather than cover fabric discussion at the moment, although I do think it would be cute to get something to match. Mackenzie - I have just cancelled the order for the other ceramic oven. Tekobo - gateway drug - I like that.... fixing up to have a look at some gear at a sofa maker on Wednesday. I also got my acoustic drum kit together and photographed it and it is going for sale on Gumtree and Reverb in the next day or so, so there will be a bit of cash freed up . I did cook on the Weber last night and had a couple of beers in the pub next door. Mrs RD was at home watching her favourite comedian on You-Tube - Konstantin Kissin - otherwise known as KK - I'm not usually superstitious but I think this too much of a coincidence. Basher - the 3.5 T includes the fairly substantial foundation and Portland stone slab base so the oven isn't really that giant. Internal diameter is 3 feet, the walls are one foot thick, it's about 7 feet long and about 6 ft + high excluding chimney. As requested : a pic (or two) The first one when I realised that mobile wasn't going to work.

Hello everyone, Haven't got, or even ordered a KK yet - I have a similar hurdle to jump as others seem to have had to - or as Dennis has put it to me the "song and dance routine". I wanted to build a wood-fired oven about 7 years ago but Mrs RokDok was not keen on me using about a square yard of her flower bed, so tried to make a mobile one and once I'd screwed 16 heavy duty castors to an oak sleeper base and built it up to working height I realised that I'd already accounted for 650 kg of my 1.5 tonne weight limit before even starting the dome. It took two years of negotiation, the refurbishment of two bathrooms and the purchase of a (used) mini cabriolet for me finally to get planning permission. This must be the most expensive piece of real estate ever. Four months and a lot of mess and noise later (cutting each firebrick radially vertically and horizontally) I finished the 3.5 tonne oven. It's great - we use it mainly for pizza, takes an hour and a half to heat up and will stay warm for a day or two but it really only gets used in the summer.It's an event and focus for a gathering. I've used a 23 " Weber for 25 years now and use it as often as we can- got the hang of putting food on so we have an hour clear so we can to the pub (next door! ) for a couple of beers before eating. Being a bit loquacious here.. sorry. A couple of friends have got BGE, and the thought of having something that we could cook outside over winter, and that also was going to increase the range of what could be cooked was appealing so I ordered a Buffalo kamado. However it is not in stock and whilst I was trying to explain to Mrs RokDok what it was she had somehow got onto the KK website. I'm hopelessly hooked. I do a bit of home-brew and love the Blichmann gear - turn to jelly when I see something beautifully made, well engineered and using the best materials. I can cancel my Buffalo order easily, the job is to persuade Mrs RokDok of the absolute necessity and life or death importance of getting a KK. I've spent the day looking at sofas. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the ones that we bought when we got married 31 years ago apart from a bit of squeaking, a few stains and the odd handful of feathers which appear from them each morning. Wish me luck. I'm going down the pub now. I need a break, it could be fabrics tomorrow. Best RD