getting a cast-iron pan "machined"?

I'm thinking of getting a double-sided cast iron griddle like this:

formatting link

but I've noticed that the non-ridged side has the unmachined cast iron surface, whereas a machined surface is generally considered better.

formatting link

formatting link

Is this something that a machine shop in the UK could do easily & perhaps cheaply? What exactly would I ask when phoning up --- "can you just mill the cast surface off an iron griddle?" or something like that?

Thanks.

Reply to
Adam Funk
Loading thread data ...

Often the problem is holding the item in such a way as to holding firmly whilst not fouling the cutter path and secondly those sort of items are rarely flat. All in all a PITA and the charge of even an hours work (jigging,set up and machining time) send customers away.

I really try and avoid those "can you just" jobs like the plague even for friends and family to be honest.

Reply to
Bob Minchin

You might have a fighting chance to do some smoothing on these just with normal abrasives on a random orbit sander - working up through the grades as one would on wood, rather than attempting to mill it in the normal metalwork sense. All that is really required is smooth rather than truly flat.

Reply to
John Rumm

Cast iron ought to be fairly easy to hold with a magnetic chuck. I used to have a surface grinder that would have done the job quite easily.

That is quite true.

Colin Bignell

Reply to
Nightjar

Um, not if you're planning on using it on an Aga or similar. In this case flatness is way more important than smoothness.

Depends on what the OP is intending using it on.

Tim

Reply to
Tim+

Cast iron is often "chilled" by being turned out of the mould early. Either by accident or design. Cheap castings are often chilled, they turn them out of the mould while still hot. This makes it harder than normal and harder to machine.

formatting link
Best bet is an angle grinder with suitable disk.

Reply to
harryagain

I presume the side you want smooth is the food contact side, not the base?

Reply to
John Rumm

I've used an angle grinder with a flap disk to make cast iron smooth. The thing on the left is cast iron:

formatting link

Reply to
Matty F

You presume wrong. Most food is a bit floppy. The surface of an Aga is a machined flat surface. For best heat transfer you want two machined flat surfaces.

Is this really so hard to understand? The OP presumably used asked about a machined surface because that's what he wants/needs.

Tim

Reply to
Tim+

Apologies, just reread your reply and realise that you were (I think) agreeing that smoothness is for the food side, flatness for the base.

Tim

Reply to
Tim+

Indeed - there seems to be much talk of getting a "glassy" surface on the pan via correctly "seasoning" it, and that can be best achieved on a smooth iron surface...

Reply to
John Rumm

John Rumm wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@brightview.co.uk:

Griddle/dp/B00

I would expect a cast iron pan to distort if it was machined.

If machining it - then my approach would be a good rigid set-up and a carbide tipped milling cutter to take light passes to avoid too much pressure. However - the threat of dostortion would deter me from doing it.

Reply to
DerbyBorn

John Rumm wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@brightview.co.uk:

Griddle/dp/B00

I would expect a cast iron pan to distort if it was machined.

If machining it - then my approach would be a good rigid set-up and a carbide tipped milling cutter to take light passes to avoid too much pressure. However - the threat of dostortion would deter me from doing it.

Reply to
DerbyBorn

I have a normal gas hob & I'm interested in having a smooth surface on the top (food-facing) side. I agree with you, though, that flatness would be important for an Aga.

Reply to
Adam Funk

If you can't get a "vintage" machined pan, & you can't get one machined, the best alternative recommendation is to use a steel spatula instead of a plastic one, so that you gradually smooth the surface in use.

The traces of iron in your food are supposed to be good for you unless you have haemachromatosis (in which case you'd be advised not to use iron cookware anyway).

Reply to
Adam Funk

I have a cast-iron pan, ground flat on the stove side. The food side had a grainy texture from casting in a sand mold. Food stuck...

Angle grinder with a coarse gritty sponge sorted it -- looked a bit like a 3M abrasive scouring pad, but much coarser. This wore at the edges, and made it easy to get the rounded corners smooth as well. Smooth but not flat -- but food doesn't stick anymore...

Thomas Prufer

Reply to
Thomas Prufer

+1 on looking out for distortion. This looks like a fairly thin item so you could get quite a bit of distortion. It's also worth noting that the skin produced on the casting tends to have better rust resistance than machined cast iron - though still not great
Reply to
docholliday93

Interesting idea. I know I'm the only person here without an angle-grinder but I think my brother-in-law has one.

Reply to
Adam Funk

Interesting idea, thanks.

Reply to
Adam Funk

Ah well, that's your pressie sorted this year ;-)

Reply to
John Rumm

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.