ash collector bin at rear of oven chamber?

[pam]

I am in the planning stages of oven construction and am thinking it might be good to leave an opening at the rear of the oven floor (about the size of 2 fire bricks placed end-to-end). Under the opening, I would place a metal ash collection bin which could be removed to pour the collected ash on my garden.

The bin itself would be constructed to fit neatly into a storage area designed into the cinder block base so it wouldn't be open to the air.

Questions ... would this diminish the oven chamber's ability to get and stay hot? ... would it affect the "draw" of the smoke up into the chimney positioned at the front of the oven chamber? ... has anyone ever tried this or something like it? ... if so, how did it turn out?

I'm thinking this would be a good way to get rid of collected ash and other fire debris without raking it out to the front of the oven which, it seems to be, could be a messy process.

Am I being too fastidious?

Help ...

[PizzaMan]

Yes, the ash slot in the back would be a problem...

I'm no pro at this; I'm only finishing the dome on my oven as we speak. But I've seen this issue addressed by those who've had their ovens for some time.

As you speculated, the heat retention would not be the same because you could not seal the oven off. you would also have some likely air flow and firing problems, unless you have some way of closing off that opening during firing to keep the air circulating as with the typical oven. But I imagine that could be worked out, too.

If you were baking in the oven as with breads, etc. you would want the oven to have consistant masonry on all sides. I believe that's why this idea has not been "improved upon" after all of these ovens have been built.

Good luck,
Michael

[PizzaMan]

Yes, the ash slot in the back would be a problem...

I'm no pro at this; I'm only finishing the dome on my oven as we speak. But I've seen this issue addressed by those who've had their ovens for some time.

As you speculated, the heat retention would not be the same because you could not seal the oven off. you would also have some likely air flow and firing problems, unless you have some way of closing off that opening during firing to keep the air circulating as with the typical oven. But I imagine that could be worked out, too.

If you were baking in the oven as with breads, etc. you would want the oven to have consistant masonry on all sides. I believe that's why this idea has not been "improved upon" after all of these ovens have been built.

Good luck,
Michael

[PizzaMan]

Sorry...

Okay, that was an exercise in redundance.

My bad!

Michael
aka PizzaMan

[ColonelCorn76]

Questions ... would this diminish the oven chamber's ability to get and stay hot? ... would it affect the "draw" of the smoke up into the chimney positioned at the front of the oven chamber? ... has anyone ever tried this or something like it? ... if so, how did it turn out?

I'm thinking this would be a good way to get rid of collected ash and other fire debris without raking it out to the front of the oven which, it seems to be, could be a messy process.

Am I being too fastidious?

Help ...

1) Yes this will diminish the heat retention capability of the oven. Even the relatively minor chimney hole of a Horno oven of the American Southwest looses significant heat.

2) Yes it will likely negatively impact the draw of the oven. The design without your ash slot allows the air to run from the front through the fire washing up the back and across the ceiling before spilling out the front & being drawn up the chimney. Unless your ash slot were airtight, you'll get turbulence that will alter the ability of the fire to maintain its burn and will certainly mess up the flow of hot air that is supposed to hug the masonry up the wall & ceiling.

3) The Scott rectangular design has an ash slot in the front for people who don't want to shovel out the ashes. However, based on the temps of the oven, you should end up with very little ash -- I use 2 cu ft of hardwood per firing (about 1/5th what I burned in my Scott oven) so I don't have a real problem with ash. I usually leave it in the oven for several burns before I take it out using an aluminum pizza peel. I usually toss it into a fire bowl I have on the patio. Others drop it into a metal trash can.

Jim

[pam]

thanks to you both