[aeneas1]

very helpful replies folks and much appreciated....

to answer some of the questions:

- i'm fairly certain my temperature readings are correct unless there is something very wrong with my laser thermometer, which i doubt.

- i do not let the pies sit in one place longer than 15-20 secs and always rotate. the severe burning seems to occur almost on contact with the oven floor. because of this i first assumed that it was excessive bench flour that was becoming singed on contact.

- i have an arsenal of professional pizza tools including several perforated and non-perforated "turning" peels.

- i have never mopped the oven floor. ever. just good brushings from time to time with my copper-bristled brush. could it be that what i think is a clean oven floor is actually one that is covered with soot or ash? perhaps this is the case but i have to say the floor appears spotless at time of bake. and, also, if this was the case how would one explain the few bakes that come out perfectly? i'm certain that it's not a matter of the good bakes happening to hit the only "clean" spot in the oven.

- as far as having an excessively hot spot in the center of the oven is concerned due to where the fire was started, this isn't an issue in my case. i've been experimenting with my oven for use in a commercial application and have not let it cool in the last month or so. each day the oven is at about 500f-600f when i begin my testing - with the old logs and ashes from the previous day already pushed to one side, i add some more wood and it gets up to temp rather quickly. i do remove some ash before adding new logs (although there is not a great deal to remove) and brush the floor well.