Check out the griddle

Hi everyone!! There's a stove on ebay at the moment that's got a Teflon-coated griddle (as well as the regular aluminum version). Item # 7594388485

It looks like an original Chambers griddle that's been coated to me. Ha-Asfan mentioned that Gigi does silverstone coatings, so I know it's an option.

My point is that really looks good on the stove surrounded by all the chrome, and it also looks CLEAN! The aluminum griddles do tend to look a bit rough with use, unfortunately, and matte black looks downright spiffy in comparison.

Anyway, I'm wondering if anyone out there has had their griddle coated, and if so, what is the opinion of looks and function?

-Jenn

I've got two griddles. Ha-Asfan, do you know how much it costs to have one coated?

Spent yesterday cleaning out garage, installing a new workbench (reclaimed from neighbor -- bulk trash pickup day), and getting things ready for the Chambers teardown, which will start sometime after I do the generator to alternator swap-out on my bug.

Hey Blue Beetle, we recycled my Dad's workbench too!! Hubby loves it. It was built in the early 70's and is solid!!
They don't make them like they use too!!

I've been considering getting an extra griddle.
One for cooking and one for "display". I am interested in the coating, will stand up to the high heat and wearability.

<font color="#FFFFFF" size="1">[ March 09, 2006 11:50 PM: Message edited by: lowracer ]</font>

I was wondering about the silverstoning too, although I am a bit hesitant because I saw someone's griddle who had sprayed a non-stick surface onto it and my first reaction was "ew, ick!" It looked like the bottom of my non-stick pans, with the utensil marks gouged into it, only worse. I'm sure, though, that Gigi's process would look much nicer, although I'm worried about what normal utensils do to the finish. We were extremely careful with trying to not mark our non-stick pans, and they are still a mess.

But, for all that, I'm still tempted and would very much be interested in hearing someone else's experience, if they go this route.

I've actually seen Gigi's work. She showed me an example of their silverstone work... looks awesome. Feels nice as well... more of a smooth metallic feel as opposed to the plastic feel of some coatings.

Gigi told me that you would have to use plastic or other, non-metallic untensils. But, that their coating is of a professional grade and it should last much better than your run of the mill coatings. I have some great quality "silverstone" pans. In spite of the extreme care in the use and cleaning of them, they are scratched.

I'm on the fence with this one. I like the idea of no stick and easy clean up. However, it also seems like putting spinners on a 69 Mustang! Just wrong!

I can see it now, am going to end up with 3 griddles; an original, silverstone and, if I can find one that fits, cast-iron.

lowracer,

I just sent an email asking if I could see the stove. The stove is 10 minutes from where I live. It may be worth buing for parts and selling the rest to you great guys. I'm waiting for a response and will keep you posted.

Frank
Owner of a Chambers 90C from Iowa

<font color="#FFFFFF" size="1">[ March 09, 2006 11:51 PM: Message edited by: lowracer ]</font>

Mark,

I prefer calling you lowracer, I'm a huge cyclist, although I prefer Italian racing bicycle to recumbants, I will keep you posted on my attempts to get this.

Great work on the safety system, I can't wait to see pictures of you cooking with the gas off.

I haven't started on my stove yet. It sits in my unheated garage waiting patiently for the weather to change and for me to begin the restore project.

Good luck

Cheers,

Frank
Owner of a 90C from Iowa

I think I've ruined all my non-stick by cooking with too high a temperature. I've tried Circulon, Wearever, I finally decided to just get cheapies and replace. The point being...high temperature may do damage to the finish and defeat the non-stick purpose, and you would have to be extra careful with the griddle...v

Ok, we've all heard about the "coating", some lucky ones have seen it.
Does anyone have it currently & cook on it and how is it hold up???

Fatfutures,
Be careful with using cast iron in place of the original aluminum griddle. There is a weight difference and it can damage the lifting mechanism on the broiler. [img]frown.gif[/img]

Berlyn

Quote:

---

I just sent an email asking if I could see the stove. The stove is 10 minutes from where I live. It may be worth buing for parts and selling the rest to you great guys. I'm waiting for a response and will keep you posted.

Frank

---

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I'm intrigued -- Frank, I just sent you a PM. I'm on the lookout for a white 90c backsplash and storage compartment door -- both of mine are chipped. It might be more cost-effective for me to wait and see what turns up around here, but I'm interested to see how much it would cost if you could snag that stove.

But no rush, and no pressure. I don't even have a house to put my Chambers in yet -- still renting right now.

I'm sure this thread could possibly ignite a debate over whether parting out a "perfectly good" Chambers is the right way to go. Me, I don't see that much wrong with it, if one good stove can help complete 5 or 6 others.

Berlyn, you say that using a cast iron griddle can damage the lifting mechanism. Would this be a danger if I didn't use the lift with the cast iron griddle? I had seen earlier warnings of the cast iron being to heavy, which makes sense.

I am off to Gigi's shortly to pick up my BEAUTIFUL grates, pans and burners (oven bottom too). I'll ask about the cost of applying silverstone to a Chambers griddle.

I would love to hear how this works. I was always under the impression that a silverstone pan should never be heated for too long without food in it as it could damage the finish. But everytime you use the broiler, doesn't the griddle heat up?
I would love to learn that I am wrong and whoever is coating the griddles is right.

I'm here at Gigi's now. She says that it's $35 to silverstone the griddle. She is also very excited to see her name so many times on the board!

ask her how they hold up under extended heat.

Get some photos at GiGi's!

Wow, just got off the phone with the stove owner in Villa Park, IL. 10 minutes from me. She gave me the whole story on her stove and I will be taking a real look see tonight.

The stove was her mothers and was the only possession she wanted when her mother died. Her husband let her keep it because she was still grieving for her Mother.

Well now she is trying to re-do her Kitchen because she needs more space and she is selling the stove. I'm not sure how this makes any sense, but for my sake oh well.

She has all of these extra parts because she was driving down the road one day and saw a man throwing a stove away. She scavanged as many extra parts as she could. The stove has worked for many years and the thermostat only became a problem recently.

The story behind the teflon coated griddle goes like this. Her sister mentioned an ad she had seen for having this done. So she sent it to this place to have the griddle teflon coated for $50.00. The place happens to Macy's Stoveworks. Well she got the griddle back from Macy's and used it on the stove. The teflon bubbled up. She contacted Macy's and they told her that the griddle gets to hot to hold teflon. "I wonder why Macy's hadn't told her this before she had the griddle teflon coated". Anyway, Macy's recoated the griddle for her. Now she uses the teflon coated griddle for show and cooks on the extra non teflon coated griddle.

So I will see if this stove would make a good parts stove for the one I have already have or if the one I already have would become the parts stove for this one.

Now I have to sell the wife on this purchase.

Wish me luck

Oh yeah after I have one stove, I will sell all of my extra parts to anyone on this list for a reasonable amount. That said, I haven't bought the stove yet, and I am a long way from knowing which parts will be useful after finishing the restore. So please be patient on any requests.

Frank

Hey Frank, were you able to get a gander at that stove?

I see the seller ended the sale early -- did you manage to snag the stove, Frank?

Mr. Beatle,

I saw the stove two nights ago. I also saw all of her other goodies that are up for auction. I did not buy it. I did tell her I would come to adecision today. My wife is hesitant to have two stoves.

She told me she would be taking the stove off EBAY. I told her that would not be necessary as I was willing to lose the stove to a motivated buyer. It appears that she did take the stove off EBAY yesterday.

The condition of the stove is good. At least, it is in better condition than the stove I'm starting with.

The thermostat needs to be fixed. I don't know if it is out of adjustment or if it needs an entire re-build. The thermostat will only turn as far as 350 degrees. Maybe Sam or someone else can tell me if this means that it needs to be rebuilt.

The doors and panels are clean. The stove has virtually no rust. Where the stove I picked up in Iowa has lots of rust.

There is a build up of greese in the stove, but only where one would have to remove the panels and the top to be able to get at the greese. This women really took care of it and still uses it.

I will talk to her tonight. I haven't made my decision, but am deciding between one of three scenarios.

First, I could decide to let this stove go and continue with the restoration of the stove I already have.

Second, I could buy this stove and use it and the stove I already have to make one stove and sell the or give away the rest to people on this board or on EBAY.

Third, I could restore both stoves and sell one after restoration. The problem with this idea is, I have no idea what a restored stove could go for or if there would be a market for a restored stove at a price that would cover my costs and time.

I'm leaning toward number two. However, I still haven't convinced the wife yet.

As for the pots and parts she is offering on EBAY for those interested. I've noticed that several of our board members are bidding.

The pots have never been used and are immaculate.

The burners are in better shape than the burners on the stove. They may be OK with just a good cleaning.

The stove grates are not in that great of shape and one is cracked

The oven racks are rusted really bad.

I hopes this helps everyone.

Cheers,

Frank

If you go for option #2 and we can agree on a reasonable price for the backsplash and the storage compartment door (if porcelain on both is in good shape), incl. shipping, I'll offset your purchase by that amount. [img]graemlins/sun.gif[/img]

Hi Frank,
I just have to say that I love the idea of a restored (versus parting out) Chambers - there are only so many left. Also, the learning curve we are taking on - why do all that for just one stove? I like the idea of working on one and using the other (then you can see how it goes back together too) then working on the other and selling one when all is complete. Restored stoves seem to be worth a mint!
I think we should part out the stoves that have no other restoration option. Save the Chambers!
My 2 cents anyway! Good luck! Thanks for the report,

Phoebe,

Thanks for the input, but my wife is more of a bottom line person. She wants to pay the least and get the most. Also, I think I can help out Bluebeetle in the process.

Bluebeetle,

I've sent you a PM. I'm waiting for a reply.

Frank

I did volunteer Search and Rescue work for a little while and thought that their motto really works when one is angsting over whether or not to part out a Chambers:

"So that others may live."

If dismantling a stove leads to many more restored, then to me it would be an acceptable sacrifice.

"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one."