Thermal mass question

[sjdritz]

I am in the planning stages of attempting to build a Pompeii on a metal stand. I am basically looking to have it resemble a Stefano Ferrara mobile oven. I am trying to go as small as I can and still make 2 pizza's at a time. How is 34 inches? Now for my question, I understand that less thermal mass heats up quicker and is better for pizza making. I am pretty much interested in making pizza's. I would say 99% of the time. So when building, would it be prudent to cut the bricks from being 4.5 inches to like 2.5 inches for the dome, or is this a bad Idea. I am trying to cut down on the diameter of the stand that I will need.

Thanks,

Scott D.

[Nic The Landscaper]

I dont know if prudent is the correct way to phrase it, but cutting the bricks in half will work just fine to reduce fuel use, speed up heating time, reduce weight, and size, especially if all your doing is pizza. A 30" oven can easily handle two 12"-14" pizzas, if your entry is designed well.

[dmun]

I have a two and a half inch thick oven, see the link in my signature. I don't recommend it. You trade off a lot of stability and structural integrity for an imagined improvement in heat-up time.

Also, low dome ovens are structurally challenged without buttressing in the first place. Making it thinner may be skirting disaster. Prudent? No.

[GianniFocaccia]

You trade off a lot of stability and structural integrity for an imagined improvement in heat-up time

From my reading through threads here I get the impression there is no real heat-up time improvement from a thinner dome. One can still cook pizzas in a hot oven that isn't fully saturated. What you get from a two-and-a-half inch thick oven is a reduction in residual heat capacity.

[sjdritz]

Thanks for the feedback. I think I will plan on 4.5 inches for the dome.

Scott