Can I build / keep my fire inside a steel baking pan?

[monader]

I have an old ~12x18x4 inch baking pan that i was going to throw out, but was thinking what if i built my fire inside the pan, then could easily move the whole fire to the back when the oven was heated without fusing with sweeping coals, and to cleanup could just take out the entire thing and dump it.

Is it possible? Would the steel melt? Would the steel transfer the heat to the floor good enough or even enough to heat up? has anyone tried it?

[Gulf]

Steel wont melt at the temps that we see in the WFO. However, the pan will probably distort somewhat. I doubt that it will allow the floor to heat up like is needed. You can experiment with it and let us know how well it works.

Pushing the coals to the back or side of the oven is easy with the right rake. A couple of slaps against the floor with an aluminum peel will clean that spot better than any brush. Fine ash will get caught up in the draw of the oven and will escape like smoke up the flue.

[deejayoh]

Probably harder to move the whole fire all at once in a pan vs a bit at a time with a rake. Plus I agree with Gulf that you're going to lose heat in the process. Re-banking the fire is one of the best ways to recharge the heat in the floor of the oven.