Sometimes finding information about receiving procedures is difficult. So I thought I would make a post outlining the exact procedures we were given. For our Toscana 110H oven:
When the pizza oven is at the local distribution facility, a dispatcher from the freight company will call the number on your invoice to schedule a delivery time. Delivery times must be scheduled within 3 days of the oven arriving locally or additional charges may apply. The delivery appointment can be as much as an 8-hour window.
In order to receive the oven we have to have the forklift on site, ready to offload. The forklift has to have 72″ forks. In our case, we have to move the oven across a field to be placed on the stand. We will need a rough terrain 4 wheel drive forklift to ensure we don’t have issues getting stuck. The oven weighs just over 4,000 pounds.
Before the carrier’s driver leaves, inspect the shipping crate for any signs of mishandling or damage. There will be a Shockwatch Indicator label on the crate, where RED Indicates rough handling. If the Shockwatch Indicator is RED, if the Shockwatch Indicator is MISSING, or if there is visible damage to the crate, take pictures and make a note on the Bill of Lading.
Remove the top panel of the crate using a screwdriver, and check the product for damage. Ensure that there are no visible dents, chips, or cracks on the product. Some shippers may not allow the crate to be opened. If that happens, make a note on the paperwork before signing for the oven and document with pictures.
If there is any damage to the product, and if it appears minor and simply requires a replacement part, like a floor tile on a kit, note the paperwork and accept the oven. If the damage appears severe, REJECT the delivery and fill out the Forno Bravo Technical Support Form.
NOTE: Forno Bravo will not be responsible for damage claims found after the carrier has left the site that have not been clearly marked on the paperwork. The carrier will not process a claim for a shipment that has been signed for and accepted as undamaged. So it is critical that you inspect the oven and document any issues or, if the carrier won’t wait for you to open and inspect, make sure you document that they refused to wait while you inspect the oven on the invoice before signing. If you notice damage when opening the crate make sure you document well with pictures. We plan to video the opening so there is clear evidence of any damage and when it happened.
Now that we have received the oven it will be time to move it to the stand.
This is not the oven we are getting but it shows the example of how the ovens arrive on dual pallets.
The top pallet has two channels that you can insert forks to lift the oven. We will remove the Styrofoam (and rear boards on the Toscana) from under the oven in the two channels by simply breaking it out with our hands and/or a 2×4. We will place several layers of the packing foam or cargo blankets between the oven and the metal backstop of the forks to protect the oven in case of movement. I will use the bottom pallet to lift the oven and carefully transport it across the field and place the oven and pallets on the prepared countertop. I will reposition the forklift and slide the forks directly under the oven (in the channels of the top pallet). I will put a double layer of packing wrap foam under each corner where the forks will touch the oven before gently raising the forks to lift the oven off of the pallet by a few inches. We will then remove the all pallets and foam from the counter. Now the oven will be sitting directly on the forks.
To get the oven off the forks and onto the stand:
With the oven elevated, we will slide 4 – 10lb bags of ice onto the counter under the oven (perpendicular to the front edge and towards the center of the oven so that the forks will clear).
I will line up the oven where we want it on the counter and make sure the oven is square on the pad and in place.
See the photo for a real-life example, as well as a diagram of the general ice bag placement.
(The ice bag installation technique was provided by Forno Bravo compliments of their friends at Outdoor Pizza Ovens of Canada. We appreciate their tip!)
I will then slowly lower the oven onto the ice and extract the forks. We will adjust the oven’s orientation by pushing it with our force if the movement required is extremely small of with the forks (using padding between the forks and the oven) until the oven is exactly where we want it and the ice melts completely. Once the ice melts the oven will be sitting directly on the stand.
There probably wont be any visible plastic since our oven is more square and the ice will be more towards the center and away from the sides. We will carefully trim off any visible plastic (if there is any) from the ice bags using a box cutter or knife after the oven has settled.
I will then breath a huge sigh of relief!
I will then load the forklift back on the trailer and return to the rental location.
I really can’t wait for this step of the process. The stress from building the foundation, scheduling and pouring the cement, laying the bricks, filling the brick cores with cement, building the stand top and mixing/pouring the cement, building the counters, surgery and recovery, coordinating the forklift rental and delivery, receiving the oven and getting it on the stand – will all be gone.
Then, as we sit and stare at the beautiful new oven, it will be time to decompress all the stress with a few ice cold beers!
More to follow!
ZuniBee