ThomasPowers Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 Seasoning iron cookware is well covered on the internet. As for cleaning grungy crudded up "finds" I have started using the lye method instead of the burnoff method---also covered on the internet. My wife bought a high dollar special no stick pan and then won't heat it above "warm". I used my cast iron that 8 of them cost less than her pan and can actually cook before dinner time is over! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 Easy off is the lye method. Self cleaning ovens are also good. They don't get hot enugh to ruin good old thin pans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 Easy off is *a* lye method. I use Red Devil lye and water in a 5 gallon bucket myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 Potato, potata... the emphasis was on lye not the, lol. But thank you for keeping me honest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 design it on a cad package and either have it turned from a solid piece or cast by a foundry, possibly for under $1000 if you are very lucky or raise / dish it from sheet or even learn metal spinning ( someone on this thread knows quite a bit about that Uh. . . Iron Dwarf, suggesting a person LEARN metal spinning on a copper alloy like bronze is on a par with learning casting with bronze. Copper alloys work harden abruptly and without proficiency spinning it WILL surprise you in a bad way. It's funny stuff, first pass it moves like butter, second pass it's almost as cooperative, third and it's objecting some then somewhere around 4 or 5 it tends to come apart in interesting ways. Copper is pretty forgiving but it's alloys aren't. Sinking or raising bronze vessels gives you plenty of warning even if it work hardens just as abruptly. Your ear will tell you more than how much it moves and especially how it looks, you can hear it hardening distinctly. If you have to spin it you want scissor tools and a strong lathe. You can take it as far as you're good enough to the first pass, second pass you can still get it to move a surprising amount, the third and it's more plannishing and minor tweaking time. If it's not finished put it in the heat treat box. Fun to hammer though but start small, you'll be breaking it for a while. Bronze is pretty, especially red bronzes. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 well we all learn things here, thank you frosty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GandalftheGold Posted October 3, 2017 Author Share Posted October 3, 2017 Thanks for all the info. My new question is where can i find a steel disc? Ive been looking since yesterday afternoon and have yet to find one. I know this is probably a horrible idea, but I am leaning toward using a saw blade and trying to forge weld shut the hole in the middle with some of the small scrap bits I have lying around. Its probably way more work than it needs to be but I have to try forge welding at some point right? My only alternative I can think of is flattening a small block I have and cutting it to a disc. I have been looking for scrap dealers near me but they all seem to be auto scrap yards and none have returned my calls. I think my swage block is going to be a carved out tree trunk, i would use a steel pipe but as i said none of the scrap guys have gotten back to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latticino Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 I strongly suggest you contact Bob T (from this site) and request one of his skillet kits. He has a pre-stamped ~12" diameter heavy gage steel pan ready for hand hammering and riveting on a handmade handle, quite cheap. This should take care of your desire for a home-made piece of cookware safely and in a cost effective manner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 My own "in-progress-sitting-next-to-the-forge-and-I'll-get-back-to-it-one-of-these-days" skillet was made from a chunk of heavy gauge plate that I got for a couple of bucks from the drop bin at my local steel supplier. Traced the size and shape of a dinner plate, and then cut it round with an angle grinder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GandalftheGold Posted October 3, 2017 Author Share Posted October 3, 2017 that was basically my plan. I finally heard back from a scrap guy for the pipe which I can hopefully snag on Thursday. I will see if they have any thick gauge plate lying around. All else I have access to is the sheet steel from home depot and I don't think that is a great material for this. I am also pretty sure it is galvanized, which I guess I could burn off wearing a respirator but I would rather not. Metal fever is not something I want to deal with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 There are much better ways to remove the galvanized chemically, such as a soak in vinegar. Burning off a galvanized coating in a fire just moves the fumes into the neighbors yard. Any particulate matter can cover your yard with particles that fall out of the air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 So what did the local ABANA affiliate say when you contacted them asking about local suppliers? Also try the local SCA group; it they know an armour maker in the area they might have heavy gauge sheet and the means of cutting it. Also look up Steel Suppliers; as far as I can tell New Hampshire has several times as many of those as New Mexico does. You may have to go through several before you find one that can help you out on a small bit. Also ask at local welding places, they may have drops or can tell you where to get metal. Also ask around at places that use metal---say ornamental iron places. My new steel source near my shop is a place that installs and repairs old fashioned windmills; they dell steel to the public much cheaper than the lumberyard in town. What I would look for is a place that make tanks, liquid not mobile artillery, as they will be cutting out circular pieces for vents, pipes, inspection hatches, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GandalftheGold Posted October 3, 2017 Author Share Posted October 3, 2017 Good advice. I know there is a Blacksmiths of New England branch somewhere around here but I have yet to get in contact with them. I will defenitly see if I can find a tank manufacturer around here. I have been calling steel manufacturers but I haven't yet gotten in contact with one that has not either laughed at me or said they don't sell in the small quantities that I was looking for. But the search will continue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 My pleasure Iron Dwarf, talking about metal spinning brings back good memories, I should set up a lathe but I have a lot of back burners that are closer to the front. Galdalf: When the guys say Heavy they mean heavy sheet, NOT heavy plate. 1/4" is way more than necessary for a heavy even heating skillet. 1/8" (10ga.) sheet would make a heavy skillet. All you need is a saber saw and center punch to cut a circle. Punch the center and using a compass draw the circle, follow the line with the saber saw. Oh heck, just use a decent compass, I was thinking of a circle cutter on the saw when I suggested center punching. Do NOT buy fine tooth blades! The rule of thumb is 3 teeth on the material at all times. I could go into all the reasons but I get too involved in long explanations and you don't really need to know details you can't use just try to get close to the 3 tooth rule and it'll do you well. Don't push the blade, let it cut at it's pace, you'll hear it when you're feeding too hard, the blade will chatter or stall and the motor will bog down. Back off you want to hear the machine work but not bog, stall or snag. If you can't get to your circle from the edge then drill a hole a little larger than the saw blade just on the outside edge to start your saw cut. Better still, inscribe the circle so it's JUST touching the edge of the piece of sheet. I like corners it wastes the minimum material. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 Don't center punch the disk! I found a speaker magnet with a central screw in the middle that when the screw was removed worked for a circle cutting jig for a torch without messing up the part you want for a skillet! A blob of modeling clay will hold a compass leg for light use and you can go over it's line if you need too. Or duct tape a chunk of pasteboard to use as the compass base. (Worked this out with a friend who was making "1 rivet" cooking pots---the rivet was to deal with the center punch divot that tended to work it's way through when you forged the disk extensively for a pot. No rivet pots were much better!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GandalftheGold Posted October 3, 2017 Author Share Posted October 3, 2017 It is not the best method but I was probably going to tie a sting around my finger and go around several times with a sharpie and eventually I will end up with a circle like thing. Im not a super exact person so it shouldn't bother me too much. I appreciate all the tips Frosty. I figured you dont need much steel as i checked out my own steel frypans and they are just a few mm thick. Unfortunately my jig saw has gone mia in my basement so I only have a Sawzall and an angle grinder at my disposal. I have no idea what happened to it. I put the bucket down, went to grab it a few days later and poof, I havent seen it since. The jig will show up eventually but till then that's all i have to work with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 I know there is a Blacksmiths of New England branch somewhere around here Their website is http://www.newenglandblacksmiths.org/. IFI members @Judson Yaggy, @jlpservicesinc, @Lou L, @notownkid, and @Dylan Sawicki were all just talking about how much fun they had at the Fall meet 2017. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 Oh CRIMINY, that's obvious talk about a head slapping moment! Right you are Thomas, NO CENTER PUNCH, there are better alternatives! Oh COME ON! Guys with strings on sticks built the pyramids and more complex structures over thousands of years. So tie a loop in the string, slip it over a stick and then just roll it around a pencil till the point is AT the radius you need, pinch the string so it can't move and mark your circle. If you estimate the circumference of the circle and spray it with flat white paint the pencil mark will stand out clearly though a Sharpy is OKAY pick the inside or outside of the mark and you can be sort of accurate. Enough anyway. Don't just slop stuff when precision is so easy, there IS NO EXCUSE. Don't make me go all curmudgeon on you, I'm getting too old to be taking you young bucks out behind the woodshed. It makes me cranky. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GandalftheGold Posted October 3, 2017 Author Share Posted October 3, 2017 fiiiiine Ill try to be precise. A finger is just like a stick but less durable. Would you believe me if I said I am precisely imprecise? Thanks for the tips on drop bins and dealer scrap cut pieces. I sent out a boat load of emails and phone calls today so we shall see if I get any responses. There is also a blacksmiths shop round 20 minutes from me which I also contacted and will hopefully hear back from reasonably soon ish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 Don't be surprised if hardly any of those places will respond to an email. This the sort of thing where a direct visit or at least a phone call will get more results. The internet is NOT THE BEST WAY TO DO A LOT OF THINGS! (all y'all heard it here first!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GandalftheGold Posted October 3, 2017 Author Share Posted October 3, 2017 I understand that but I mostly emailed the ones who didn't answer the phone as a last ditch effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 Hard to sell yourself as a nice local guy with an interesting hobby they might be interested in by email; and remember for businesses time is money including time to read e-mails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GandalftheGold Posted October 3, 2017 Author Share Posted October 3, 2017 Alright I admit it, I should have listened to you from the start. I just made one call talked to one guy and have everything set up to go check out their supply of drops. It took all of three minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 Alright I admit it, I should have listened to you from the start. I like this guy. Can we keep him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 Don't be surprised if hardly any of those places will respond to an email. This the sort of thing where a direct visit or at least a phone call will get more results. The internet is NOT THE BEST WAY TO DO A LOT OF THINGS! (all y'all heard it here first!) HEY! I've been saying that for years! And don't forget to take something for the secretary or a box of donuts for the shop guys. I like this guy. Can we keep him? I second the motion. Objections? No? Good motion carried. We'll keep him. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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