Steve
I use a pan on the bottom shelf of an electric oven. I also have
thin firebricks(I think they are called splits)on the middle shelf
and quarry tiles on the highest shelf. Then I have splits in a
broiler pan on the lowest shelf. My oven temperature is set to 25 to
50 F above where I want it. I throw a cup of boiling water into the
pan just before or just after putting the bread in. Then sometimes I
add another cup of boiling water 3 minutes later if I am baking a
large loaf that is going to take longer. I turn the heat down to the
required temperature. There is never any water in the pan at the end
of baking, and I am sure it is gone well before the end of baking. I
have a vent in the top of the oven that allows steam to escape. The
bricks help maintain the heat in the oven when I open the door to put
water and bread in. A word of warning though; you can overdo the
oven heat and cause a fire by adding too much mass so check the walls
of the oven for temperature. My oven is a self clean and has lots of
insulation. You can leave your oven door open for the last 5 minutes
or so of baking to dry out the bread it you think it is too
moist. Feel free to contact me if you need any more information.
Cheers
Dave