Tomorrow is the day!

[Traumensie]

I am a complete Chambers oven newbie. A few weeks ago I saw an ad on Craig's list for a 1949 Chambers stove for $150. I had never heard of a Chambers so I did a search, and ended up here. Tomorrow I get to go get her, and I'm so excited!! She is a white model B, and appears to be in really good shape (a few dings here and there, nothing major though). I do have a few questions - the first of many I'm sure as I begin my Chamber's adventure!

I have never seen the stove working or hooked up to gas. The woman I am buying it from got it from Ebay less than a year ago for the same price she's selling to me (it was a local auction). She says the guy she got it from claimed to have used it in his basement, but she had never seen it working either. She claims to be selling it "for financial reasons" and further, that her husband promised to install it, but hasn't gotten around to it and she wants it removed from her kitchen. Not sure how true it all is, but I did go see the stove, and as I said, as a complete novice inspecting it, it does look good - fairly clean inside and out, all the handles, the pot is included, etc.

My question is...I am planning on just putting it in the kitchen and hooking it up to use the stove top while I work on installing the safety value in the oven (since it's nearly summer I don't plan on baking for a while) - that is assuming it works!! Is there somewhere I can find a check list of things to look for once I get it here to make sure everything is working properly? Any safety tips I should be aware of?

I am so excited, but I also want to be responsible and not blow up LOL!

Thank you!!!

[Kitzig]

Welcome!!

Do you have a manual? That is your first place to start. Both Todd (moderator) and Sam the Uncertain Stoveman sell the manuals.

Are you using natural gas or propane? When it was originally hooked up was it using the same type of gas (natural or propane)? The manual will tell you how to adjust the flame for optimum performance. Then do a search on the board for oatmeal and you will be "good to go." [img]smile.gif[/img]

We love pictures, so feel free to post them.

Lori G.

[stoveman]

Safety Safety Safety...Soap bubble test for leaks. Hook it up to the house gas and wait about 30 minutes after the bubble test and give it the nose sniff test. If you are on Natural gas, the gas wiil rise and you will likely smell any leaks. If you are on LP, it is heavier than air and will go down and puddle in a low spot like the bottom of the stove cabinet or on the floor. Be Carefull! If this message spooks you out, it is meant to. If you are spooked, call a professional for the install.

And check out the Chambers Literature here:
[url="http://stores.ebay.com/The-Uncertain-Stoveman?refid=store"]http://stores.ebay.com/The-Uncertain-Stoveman?refid=store[/url]

[Traumensie]

Thanks for the reply. I am using natural gas, and from what I've read, the stove should be set up for that. As soon as I get pictures, I will post them!

The woman I'm getting the stove from has the manual, so it that contains the info I need, then I should be set.

Is it tomorrow yet?!?!!? :-)

[Kitzig]

Have you read up on the suggestions for moving the stove? There are several parts to remove and you may want to remove the side panels so that the enamel does not get damaged.

Lori G.

[Traumensie]

Hi Lori,
Yes, I've read a few posts on how to best move the stove. Would I need to take anything other than a few screwdrivers to dismantle the parts I can? (I was thinking the porcelain panels, and the high back).

I am crazy excited...like it's Christmas Eve!! 5 hours to go! : )

[Kitzig]

Maybe pliers to hold the nuts and a bag to put them all in. You might want to bring towels to wrap up burners, pans, etc. They can rattle quite a bit and if they are in good shape you don't want them to get scraped up. I usually bring a big box so I have some place to put the burners, grates, oven racks and floors, etc. Have a great time and we want pictures. [img]graemlins/camera.gif[/img]

[loxie12]

You can fill the hole with metal epoxy- just mix it and spread on like you would spackle. It will be ugly but, it will work until you can replace the piece. When you replace it, you'll find that the rockwool isn't 100%. Buy 2 pounds from Sam the Stoveman.
Enjoy your stove!

[tux_sf]

It sounds like you are missing the oven lighter heat shield. I'm including a couple of pictures. The first is a full view of the interior of the door, the second is a close up of the shield. When the oven is on & the door is open, I've noticed that flames sometimes shoot up the tube (not scarey big flames, but little puffs up to the edge of the lighter tube). I just assumed that this piece is to protect the enamel when the door is closed and perhaps to insulate some of the extra heat that must come through the lighter opening while the gas is on. I don't know if you can find just the missing piece, or if something else can be substituted. There are probably others on here who have dealt with this problem & might be able to advise you.
--Danny


</p>
[img]http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3066/2896/1600/fulldoor.jpg[/img]




[img]http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3066/2896/1600/ovenlightershield.jpg[/img]

[Traumensie]

Woohoo!! She's home! After much struggling and grunting and sweating (very little cursing!), my new Chambers is sitting pretty in my kitchen, nestled up next to my old oven. Moving her was quite a bit more difficult than I had anticipated, but the excitement of having her carried us through, along with a late night call for help to a few neighbors! :-)

We still haven't hooked her up to gas yet. I'm of the dive right in school, while my husband thinks we need to go over her with a fine tooth comb first, but there is definitely enough work right now with getting her released from all those years of serving a previous owner. The top most layer of grease is gone, but I will need to get something more industrial-like to get through the thicker gunk. This website is an invaluable source of information for everything Chambers, including how to best clean them!

Preliminarily, I see that a few springs are rusted through and broken, although we were able to rig it together to have the cover stay up and the service door stay shut. And there is a hole on the interior of the oven door, near the bottom, opposite where you light the oven. My guess is that I will need to replace that panel, but if anyone knows of another way, I'm all ears!! :-)

I will get some pictures of her as soon as I take some. I'm thinking our decision to plop her immediately in the kitchen was not the best decision, even if inspired! I'm guessing the more I engage in sparkle and shine, the more I am thinking about all the rust I can't see, and I bet I end up doing a near total restoration on her.

I feel giddy, particularly since I don't have the first clue how a gas stove works (well, not much beyond knowing gas is...flammable!). I am determined and more importantly, in possession of a service manual!!