Hearth Height and operator ratio science!

[Xabia Jim]

I'll agree with that one! Room to back up and space for the long handled peel! Watch out for the onlookers

And Francis, you're right, it would be about 25 cm higher with your ratio. When I was playing with the tape measure yesterday, I felt that it could have been from 10 to 40 cm higher. Again, I've always been comfortable with what I have.

Who says I'm getting old and just want it to be higher

[Mojoe]

With age comes two things, we shrink and the oven settles... shoot for a range.

[PizzaPolice]

Me?... Since it's my oven and I'm the primary user, I had the oven floor set at my elbow. No doubt I picked this up from somewhere. For me, it works out beautifully. ...I figure the next guy can jump up on on step stool.

[gjbingham]

PizzaPolice,
Smart move. Ergonomically, that is probably the best working height for the hearth.

[Frances]

So what is your ratio PizzaPolice? Sounds as if your hearth is the highest yet.

[Xabia Jim]

If mine was elbow high, it would add about 15cm....

...for a ratio of .61

Frances, you are .68

[PizzaPolice]

Frances:

I was absent the day they taught ratio. So. (remember mine is a M.A.M 505 on a steel stand that I bought from some dude in Michigan.) After digging down and setting the concrete base, my neighbor (professional bricklayer) built up the blocks until the hearth reached my elbow.
So my part essentially was showing up for a measurement.

[Frances]

Its the height of your hearth divided by your size - works in inches or cm and comes to 0.somethingorother, which gives us an exact number to compare.... (what with poeple's arms and elbows etc being of different lengths and in different places)

I don't think they will have taught this when you were at school though, because "Hearth Height and Operator Ratio Science" is a relatively new field of study as yet. But I think I can predict without much fear of contradiction that it will soon become one of the supporting pillars of future oven building research...

[Xabia Jim]

maybe I should have got an arts degree instead of a science degree eh?

[gjbingham]

Funny Frances! I like your sense of humor.
G.