For those of you using screens, are you having any bubbling problems & how are you cutting in an edge to raise your crust? Are you doing it by hand? Thinking of testing some pans for some new items, but have only worked screens. Any suggestions very much appreciated… 
use “proofed” dough, with a day or so “age”
Any method of forming the crust will produce an “edge” but hand forming/tossing gives you the most options…
not a pan fan…pizza was not invented in a pan
We have thoroughly tested both screens and pans, and we feel that pans (dark colored, anodized, non-stick surface will out perform screens every time with regard to both quality of bake and durability. All baking disks are not the same, they must be selected to give you a specific characteristic in your finished crust. For example, you can get them with more or fewer holes in the center section, or you can get them with a wider ot thinner edge (used to control “pizza bone”) and you can get them totally flat with rendomly spaced large holes in the center and a solid edge (without holes) to duplicate a hearth baked characteristic in an air impingement oven. So, you really need to discuss what you want to achieve with your pan supplier before purchasing to ensure you get the right pan/disk for your specific application. I will be glad to discuss this with you, or you can contact John Crow at Lloyd Pans jcrow@lloydpans.com.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor
Tom,
How is a uniform raised edge made whilst using a pan? I understanding cutting the edge in by hand, a-la papa johns, but don’t see how I would achieve the same result with a pan… Should the dough be pressed up the sides of the pan, or do I just not dress that portion of the dough skin? Thanks for your assistance…
The easiest way to make a pizza of the type that you describe is to use what is called a “cutting pan”. This is a pan with 40 degree angled sides, and the top of the rim is left unfinished (not rolled). The dough is formed using a sheeter, it is then laid over the top of the pan and a rolling pin is rolled over the top of the dough, cutting the dough so it falls into the pan, from there it just takes a couple seconds to tuck the dough into the pan and to straighten the dough up on the edges of the pan. Presto! A thin crust pizza with a raised edge that is thin and uniform. Both Lloyd Pans and American Metalcraft have these pans in stock.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor
Tom,
You say disks will out perform the screens. Does that include deck oven applications? Durability is no contest . . . screens lose. Can I get a pan that will give me the same bake at the same temp/time in my deck?
How about taking abuse? Will they stand up to being dropped into a ‘catch box’ under the oven after coming out of the deck?
Anybody have a nice solution to a mobile “catch box”…we have been using a dishwasking rack dolly with our 18" cardboard corrugated circles box on top to transport hot pans from our oven to our prep area where they are wiped down ans stored but looking for something better.
Thanks
PS hard coat anodized is the only way to go…aluminum are junk…the big advantage of pans I think is that it is easier to store pies that are prepped for peak times
I’m almost embarrassed to admit we use an old coca-cola plastic tray that is 6"-8" tall. It was for 6-paks of 20 oz bottles, I think. Sure, it melts a little tiny bit each hot screen that goes in. TINY bit. I’m looking for more options as well. Every time I go to a hardware store, home repair center, grocery store, restaurant, salvage store, anywhere. I am looking for new ideas for this.
I think that this may be an ‘invention opportunity’ for the ingenious. Once we find soemthing brilliant, then patent the application and get it marketed right away!
What would something convenient, durable, washable and portable be worth to someone in this industry? I’d pay $50 for something that would work and be a simple tool.
we use 2 dough trays on a dunnage rack…we don’t use “cheater” bars, so the disks just drop down/off…
Nick;
The disks will stand up to just about any abuse you care to subject them to. Everybody tosses them into some form of box right out of the oven, so they are perfectly at home with that type of treatment. Even in a deck oven, they work quite well, but remember, they are designed to duplicate the type of bake that you get in a deck oven, so the question begs to be asked; why do you want to use a screen or disk in a deck oven? Even with that, I still see a lot of pizzas being baked in a deck oven on either a screen or disk.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor
If you get your cheese in 8 6LB blocks, the cardboard box fits up to 16" screens perfectly. Just rip the top flaps off and replace everyday.
If you get rolls everyday like we do, you can use bread boxes…durable and free. Only thing is capacity about 30 or so, but just empty it out.
It takes less skill and precision to screen the pies instaed of baking right on the deck. We use the 981 blodgett, which is not actually a pizza oven. We have found that the screens allow for a longer bake necessary in the oven to complete the pie.
I may need to re-test the conclusion again and see if we can bake on the deck directly. Didn’t do so swell 18 months ago when we tried it . . . overcooked bottom and undercooked top.
We’re still trying to decide whether or not to keep our 981… May use it with a new bigger deck or might get two bigger decks. We are still trying to find the best way to use the 981 with its two different decks (heat under the bottom only). We often move a pie from bottom to top and from on a screen to off and I think we HAVE to get away from this… Are you having any luck baking from begining to end without a screen at all? I’m thinking if we get another deck, we could turn the temp down a bit and better use the bottom of the 981. That would leave the top for other things
Sorry Tom, that was Nick’s quote… Anyway, I got another tip from a shop that said use RICE FLOUR if your going straight to the deck. Burns less… C.