mica window

[bseavey]

What is the mica window below the oven for? Is it just for decoration or is there a specific purpose for it?

[stoveman]

Hi Bill, That little window under the oven door is there for safety. The lady of the house could get down on her all-fours and peep through the window to make sure that the oven burner is burning. So Lady like and a sight to see! I think it is worthless. Even with a brand new piece of Mica, it is very hard to see through. I have found that most are punched out and the oven heat is excaping out of it. When you pull off the front panel, you will find that Little Bubba has poked his crayolas and toys into the hole, then balled his eyes out because now he has no more toys. I remember being very upset because I lost my Lone Ranger pocket knife down the hole and was afraid to tell Moma where it was.
If yours is punched out, remove the front panel, cut a piece of flat tin to fit over the hole and screw it down to the cast iron frame. You'll be able to "Cook with the gas turned off" with much better results.
And I'm pretty sure that Madam will ever tell you that she was down on the floor, checking the condition of the burner flame and discovered that you had closed off the safety hole!

[Joe Pieweed]

Sammy and Bill: Oh my gawddddd!!!! Mica window??? I just raced downstairs after reading your exchange.... There's the horizontal slit. Could it be? I rebuilt the stove THREE years ago and never noticed??? I grabbed the matches and lit the pilot... There's the blue flames, and the MICA! it is, intact. I had no idea!!! I am so humbled. Thought I new it all. A mica window..!! It's been there all this time and I had no idea! Wow, cool!!!!!

Never read about it int the service manual. Never heard anybody mention it til now. I love finding treasures under my nose.

Thank you, thank you thank you!