36'' or 42" oven?

[jmhepworth]

Re: 36'' or 42" oven?

James, NASA demonstrated not long ago the risk of mixing metric and English measurements. http://facultyfiles.deanza.edu/gems/...eImportant.pdf

[dmun]

Re: 36'' or 42" oven?

Most people don't know that the inch was standardized, as a metric measurement, in 1959. It's 25.4mm exactly. The inch system is a "graphic user interface" for the metric system.

Most people do not realize that the standardization of the inch for worldwide use did not occur until 1959. Prior to that the inch had been defined differently among the major inch-using countries: the U.S., Great Britain, and Canada. Each of those countries had their own definition of the inch, and in each case the inch was defined in terms of metric units, the only set of internationally-accepted standards of length, mass, etc. In the U.S. the metric system was made legal for all purposes, by the Metric Act of 1866...

Needless to say, when the inch was standardized, the US inch was almost unchanged, with other English speaking countries adapting our standards.

In countries which have converted entirely, there are a LOT of things in fractions of 25.4mm.

[Eric Pfeifer]

Re: 36'' or 42" oven?

It's probably not as much of a big deal for outside ovens, whether one goes with 36 or 42. For me, I had definite space constraints, and had to build a large (counting the footing, 12 feet tall!) exterior structure to bear the weight of the ovem, and I estimated the extra 6 inches would add another 30% cost to the project. I cut out a 36 inch circle in plywood and looked at it for a while, and it occured to me, that (accounting for the wood fire on the cooking surface) it wasn't much smaller than the conventional gas oven I have now. And assuming 90 sec-to-three minute pizzas, it would be far more productive.

Cheers,
Eric

[Alter ego]

Re: 36'' or 42" oven?

In countries which have converted entirely, there are a LOT of things in fractions of 25.4mm.

I just knew that there would be a strong resistance to my metric mutiny from our American cousins.

I will concede that metric division of pizza doesn't really work as you would normally cut into 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 etc and not into 0.1 of a pizza

Paul

[kombiman]

Re: 36'' or 42" oven?

I'm building a metric oven which is 1.0m diameter.

There are enough Aussies and Europeans on the forum now that we could start a conversion to metric. Want to join me on this mutiny???

Paul

Absolutely. Im a metric child. Yet I understand my Father yelling for 1455mm of 2 x 4

Before inches Im sure they used Zogs, Thumbs, Pebbles or it-looks-about-rights.

I just knew that there would be a strong resistance to my metric mutiny from our American cousins.

I will concede that metric division of pizza doesn't really work as you would normally cut into 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 etc and not into 0.1 of a pizza

Paul

0.5's 0.25's etc

My geekness goes into overdrive with this

or this

011011110111001000100000011101000110100001101001011100110000110100001010

[Eric Pfeifer]

Re: 36'' or 42" oven?

I'm impartial on this one--hey, maybe I am a waffling American politician!

I was born to krauts, and I love when they describe machines in sub 0.01 mm precision. But I'm also an amateur historian of the machine tool tradition. The first useful machine lathes were British and American (surprise!), and used Imperial measurements. The first numerical temperature scale was Fahrenheit. The first standardized screw threads were in Imperial units. I have a granite flat ground to 30/1,000,000 inch flatness. Sounds more impressive describing it that way, I think. And to this day, when a european buys an LCD flat screen TV, they are presented with INCHES screen diagonal.

Yeah, I know bla, bla, bla.

It sure is cool outside today, 0---Celsius. I can't wait for the wet saw to get here.

[Mitchamus]

Re: 36'' or 42" oven?

And to this day, when a european buys an LCD flat screen TV, they are presented with INCHES screen diagonal.

nope - it's presented in centimeters.

Even though those cm equate to an inch measurement,
That's only because it's expensive to build 1 size for Luddites and one size for everyone else

I mean no self respecting Luddite is going to buy a 39 1/64" tv

I also find it funny that imperial background people weigh water and present it in grams.

Not that there's anything wrong with Inches...but why work with fractions if you don't have to?

[jmhepworth]

Re: 36'' or 42" oven?

It really would be nice if we Luddites would convert. I tried to change the oil on my Honda lawn mower and needed to find a 10mm wrench because the imperial ones were too big or too small.

[Mitchamus]

Re: 36'' or 42" oven?

here you go...




(I hate these things BTW)

[jmhepworth]

Re: 36'' or 42" oven?

Thanks. I laughed out loud.

[Frances]

Re: 36'' or 42" oven?

On a completely different topic (or mabe not).... WFOAMBA - why just America? Something wrong with metric ovens maybe?

I mean WFOAMBWW also sounds quite catchy... or maybe we need a European and an Australian division?

[Alter ego]

Re: 36'' or 42" oven?

I agree with Frances.

My proposal for this new organisation is WOMBAT... Wood fired Oven Manufactures Belonging to Any Town

Paul

[david s]

Re: 36'' or 42" oven?

I agree about the wall thickness being the main factor in heat time. A smaller oven is burning a smaller fire but still takes around an hour to fire up. The heat is still only going to travel through the walls at the same rate. A fast heat up is not really desirable anyway because it only creates more stress on the refractory materials. If you really want to be kind to your oven you should keep the rate really low (like 100 C/Hr) But who wants to go that slow ?

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: 36'' or 42" oven?

I actulally bought an adjustable wrench once and its marked on the handle
"METRIC ADJUSTABLE" which is the only reason I bought it,,, I thought it was too funny to pass up....

Cheers
Mark

[karl]

Re: 36'' or 42" oven?

If the tread is still discussing 36" versus 42" oven size I may add that it is important to be aware of the following. heating up the inner skin of the various size ovens to a certain temperature does not differ much in time. The duration of the fire is however very importent in regard to the temperature gradient in the fire bricks. Until the fire bricks are "fully loaded" (minimum temp. gradient) the oven will respond with a very rapid initial surface temperature drop when firing stops. This is due to the fact that the temperature gradient will rapidly flattens out. A "fully loaded" brick wall will see a very gradual temperature drop determined by the heat loss through the insulation mainly. If you plan for short firing you should consider a smaller diameter to assure that your oven get fully heat loaded.

karl