[Sca-cooks] Sca-cooks Digest, Vol 35, Issue 58

[Terry Decker]

>> Why is dumping the hot ash into the alcove under the oven
>> any more dangerous
>> than dumping it somewhere else? Where somewhere else? What
>> do you carry these
>> live coals in, when moving them to this somewhere else?
>> Now, we think metal
>> shovel. But back then shovels tended to be of wood. But
>> perhaps they
>> wouldn't scorch too badly. But scrapping out the coals,
>> letting them fall to
>> the ground and then scrapping them into the hole
>> doesn't sound too bad.
>
> I agree.   I don't think this would be so bad.  About the same as 
> shoveling coals into a bucket and setting it aside.  Also, if there were 
> some coals underneath, would this not slow down the loss of heat in the 
> above oven.  If it is covered in front like the oven I don't forsee this 
> being a large issue.  I am going to try it, and maybe my opinion will 
> change.
>
> Cerdic

Coals in an alcove under the oven probably won't provide anything extra in 
the line of heat for a heavy heat mass oven as the heat is more likely to 
dissipate than to convect through the floor of the oven above.  Ovens with 
the firebox separate from the baking chamber have the firebox imbeded in the 
mass to be heated with the wall between the firebox and the baking chamber 
being thinner than the surrounding mass or made of a convecting material.

Bear