kiln shelf for cook floor

[waynebergman]

This Kiln Shelf I recently got is working good for a cook surface. I bought these as two cemi circles as the single piece would be too big to fit in oven doorway. I then welded two seperate rings of mild steel around them to hold them together so they dont seperate if you bang them with the peel when working the oven. The rings were made of two diferent widths so one side of the floor can kind of have a dam or lip to stop pizza from sliding into fire and ashes when working with the peel and then the other side that is lower is the side I brush the floor clean to. So far its working good and the kiln shelving only cost around 5o bucks. If it breaks or gets worn I can just replace it easy eneough. It is kind of nice to have the cook suface a bit raised of the ground as when coals are raked off to the side they dont fall back into the food area so easily.
Our oven is now about 1 and a half years old and I am proud to say it is still working quite well. We have actually had standing ovations from our pizza eating guests. Thanks again Forno Bravo for the plans and suport for the build and research on this project.....wayne

[Lburou]

Re: kiln shelf for cook floor

This Kiln Shelf I recently got is working good for a cook surface. I bought these as two cemi circles as the single piece would be too big to fit in oven doorway. I then welded two seperate rings of mild steel around them to hold them together so they dont seperate if you bang them with the peel when working the oven. The rings were made of two diferent widths so one side of the floor can kind of have a dam or lip to stop pizza from sliding into fire and ashes when working with the peel and then the other side that is lower is the side I brush the floor clean to. So far its working good and the kiln shelving only cost around 5o bucks. If it breaks or gets worn I can just replace it easy eneough. It is kind of nice to have the cook suface a bit raised of the ground as when coals are raked off to the side they dont fall back into the food area so easily.
Our oven is now about 1 and a half years old and I am proud to say it is still working quite well. We have actually had standing ovations from our pizza eating guests. Thanks again Forno Bravo for the plans and suport for the build and research on this project.....wayne

A novel idea, do you have more pictures, I'm having trouble conceptualizing everything you said.

[brickie in oz]

Re: kiln shelf for cook floor

But isnt the oven floor a cooking surface? or an I missing something?

[RTflorida]

Re: kiln shelf for cook floor

Bare firebrick floor has worked fine for me the past 3 1/2 yrs. Ash has not been a problem, it has already been brushed away before pizzas go in. I guess to each his own...some folks like to cook their pizza in a pan or start it in a pan, I don't understand that concept either.

RT

[waynespizzaworld]

Re: kiln shelf for cook floor

sorry for the late reply....I just stumbled on this and forgot I posted it.
I will try and explain my thinking here and how it works for me. I have found with my 36 inch internal cook size it is a bit small with the coals and fire swept to the side the coals kind of drift back into the cook area and with this raised up cook floor it kind of acts as a bit of a dam or raised up area off of the brick floor so coals dont fall back into the pizza and it gives me a better defined area that is the cook area and what is the fire area.
And yes it is the same make up as the floor or close enough. So as it is show it just stay there both during the initial firing and after fire and coals are swept aside I just cook right on the 1 inch thick kiln shelf.
I am happy with it and find it easier to keep clean and seperate the cook area from the ashes etc.
May not be for everyone but I like it.
Oh I forgot to mention I am registered with a diferent name now as I forgot my password etc. It has been a while since I have been to the site.

[brickie in oz]

Re: kiln shelf for cook floor

I can see ash on your all new raised cooking floor in the pic.
Maybe it should be higher?

[Lburou]

Re: kiln shelf for cook floor

I can see ash on your all new raised cooking floor in the pic.
Maybe it should be higher?

I'd eat that pizza, ash or no ash

If somebody doesn't think outside the box, nothing will ever get better.

[brickie in oz]

Re: kiln shelf for cook floor

I'd eat that pizza, ash or no ash

True, Ive eaten a lot worse, besides, isnt ash good for you?

[RTflorida]

Re: kiln shelf for cook floor

Isn't ash considered high fiber? Or as my grandmother would say - 'roughage'
In any case, it just adds to the rustic appeal.

RT

[brickie in oz]

Re: kiln shelf for cook floor

From now on I going to eat nothing but ash pizzas.
Just kidding....

[texassourdough]

Re: kiln shelf for cook floor

From what I have heard kiln shelves often have coatings on the top that are not for human consumption - a variety of bad chemicals. The bottoms are usually not coated from what I heard. It would be wise to get details on your shelf!