|
Post by Chuckie on Nov 1, 2018 21:53:48 GMT -5
Well, as you prolly already know, "he's B-A-A-C-K"!!! (must be Halloween season!! LOL) Dwayner is T-O-T-A-L-L-Y trying to do himself IN this time!! He's been working like a DOG the last few days!! Yesterday was the day-from-hell whilst WORKING on the stove-from-hell!!! I cannot BEGIN to tell you all the things that went wrong. The highlight was the one extra "A" valve that I had was manufactured BACKWARDS, so Master Scientist came up w/the idea to pull out the "stop pin" that keeps the valve from spinning around. That allowed the valve to turn EITHER direction, and w/the Imperial designed connecting rods, it can't go too far either way. BRILLIANT!! Then the brackets that Hugh's Place made me just before he died and says he, "they're ALL universal on an Imperial!!" Well, I WON'T speak ill of the dead, so just take me word on it he was 'incorrect'. They would NOT fit as cast!! In deference to Hugh and his great contributions over the years to the Chambers and other antique stove movement, maybe the ones that HE dealt w/over the years WERE identical. By this time, I'm banging my head against the wall, and just ready to push the SOB off into the Mighty Mo. In steps the caped crusader ONCE MORE, and literally CUT the cast iron part that wouldn't allow the bracket to fit OFF. I'm talking like a straight cut approx. 18" long!!! Then he ground it down where you couldn't even TELL it!!! And we'd BOTH picked Don Mattera's mind on how they mounted, as--once again--mine did NOT have brackets, so we had no CLUE! Don was VERY patient NUMEROUS times in telling me over the phone and dwayner in person how to do it.
On the fore-bracket in this picture, you can see how smooth it is. Well, it ONCE had that 90 degree angle sticking out like on the back one, and he cut it off, ground it smooth, never to be able to tell it was GONE!! Here he is, doing the brain work whilst this idjit held the backsplash up so he could mark it to drill the mounting holes: Earlier in the day, I DID manage to (half-ass w/LOTS of dwayner help!) get the thermostats installed, and asked dwayner if we should put the front panel on to ensure they were where they were supposed to be, so he did a temp fix on that TOO, and everything is in line now!! S-O-O-O-O-O-O, as you can see, today went MUCHO BETTER, and I'm crediting going to All Saints Day Mass early & saying the Rosary--for success but ALSO that dwayner didn't KILL me before we got done!! (No need to mention the success due to his brilliant mind/expertise in ciphering OUT stuff that made it all WORK today!!!) He says easier day tomorrow, hooking up the safety system for the two ovens. He also got the thermowell connections done today along with BOTH oven damper rods, so that they function properly too. I would say about NINETY-NINE PERCENT of the Imperial being what it is (becoming) is due SOLELY to dwayner!!! His reward will TRULY be great in Heaven, as he'll NEVER get his just dues here!!!
CHEERS! Chuckie
|
|
|
Post by mach12 on Nov 1, 2018 22:36:06 GMT -5
Wow - it's really starting to look like there's light at the end of the tunnel! It wasn't long ago that you guys were talking about stuff like putting it in a corner and throwing a tarp over it, though in truth I think these kinds of challenges are just motivation to Dwayner.
|
|
|
Post by dwayner2 on Nov 1, 2018 23:00:54 GMT -5
You are Waaaaaay too kind Chuckie. As much as I " mostly" enjoy tinkering with these Chambers and learning new things....it's the great hospitality from both Chuckie and Monkey, the awesome home cooked meals and Chuckie's never ending pursuit to make me laugh that keeps me coming back. The FREE BEER might have something to do with it too??? Mach12, I think the plan last year was "to roll the %#£?%# stove down the hill until it flies off into the creek at the bottom of of the road". LOL! But as Chuckie said, while yesterday was another nightmare of things gone wrong, today was smooth sailing until we both just got puckered out and had to stop. We did good!!! Tomorrow we're hoping to finish the safety pilot installs and tubing, then fire up the stove to test the burners and T-stats. We know we don't have the right orifice caps for LP but I think because we're so close to finishing, we absolutely MUST see at least one burner with some flames on it....and soon before we wet our pants with anticipation! Y ou know, my texting is starting to look a lot like Chuckie's...I think there's something in the water up here!?
|
|
|
Post by dwayner2 on Nov 1, 2018 23:48:00 GMT -5
Like Chuckie said, we sometimes think this stove is possessed. There's too many things going on that just DON'T make sense. Yesterday we discovered the tubing from the well burner/mixer pin wouldn't screw onto the brass valve on the pipe header. Turns out, that one valve had a different diameter connection where the tubing screws onto....it was too big. Hmmmmm? Then there's that one oven valve Chuckie mentioned. Eight of the nine valves all opened/closed the same but for the one controlling gas to the big oven. The angle of the lever was off by 180° and we can't figure out why. In the picture below you can see the different positions even though BOTH valves are "Off". We had to pull the "stop" pin from the core so it could turn freely. Now it works just like all the rest. What the heck? The other thing today was how the mixer pins were mounted for both ovens. The first picture shows how they were originally mounted with the threads for the tubing nut facing upward. Problem is, in that position there is NO WAY to install the enamel floor in the pantry, we would have had to drill holes in that false floor to run the tubing from the mixer pin to the thermostat....what the... ? So, I cut a hole in the bracket so we could turn the mixer pin straight down so now we can 90 over and then up the wall with the tubing, clearing the floor. How does this stuff happen on a stove having been used for many, many years???
|
|
|
Post by Chuckie on Nov 2, 2018 7:47:47 GMT -5
I was TOTALLY exhausted and "brain dead" last night, and COMPLETELY forgot to give credit to our resident archivist/ Chambers Professor Pooka! Dwayner has been pm'ing him on here, and he's been providing us info on BTU's, etc. Or TRYING to that is, w/the limited information available for this model. We need to know the BTU's on the upper burners/broiler/thermowell/ovens on this in case we DO have to solder shut/redrill the orifice holes ( see dwayner's post, chamberscommune.proboards.com/thread/3021/orifice-cap-btu-chart). And Pooka has been on it like a duck on a junebug! He's like the "Professor Phineas J. Whoopee" of the Chambers world, the “ Man with All the Answers".---or knows where to FIND them!! And with his help, like Tennessee Tuxedo, we will NOT fail!!! LOL Where the HELL would I be on this restoration w/o ALL my forum friends?!!!! From Don Mattera's and mach12's expertise to name just a couple, and to just bringing pompoms and cheering us on, you've been WONNERFUL!!!! Believe me, that 'satanic slab of sheet metal from Shelbyville' would've been in the SCRAP HEAP by now, and meself in the BOOBY-HATCH!!!
Thanks gang!!! We're coming into the homestretch now!!!!
CHEERS & T-H-A-N-K-S!!!! Chuckie
|
|
|
Post by pooka on Nov 2, 2018 14:07:54 GMT -5
I'll take the praise grudgingly. I don't really think I deserve that much credit though. I'm just a guy who's spent way too much time collecting any info I could find pertaining to John Chambers & his miraculous kitchen ranges. If my efforts are pleasing to others, I guess I'm doing something useful. I live to serve.
My mom used to ask me more than once how I know so much. I would say I don't know. Perhaps it's because I have two eyes & two ears in working order, & a dusty disorganized attic of a brain to dump all the input into. My computers aids as repositories for all the info the internet has allowed me to seek out. Being a slave to logic & reason helps. Unfortunately, I'm not as organized as I'd like to be. My typing skills amount to hunting & pecking with one or two fingers to dispense what I know. I was a mediocre student at school at best. I often say I've learned more away from school than I ever did in school. I'm certainly no mister wizard even if some think I am.
If I've aided in getting this project to come to fruition, I'm glad. To me it's just practicing the golden rule. Help others if you're able in the hope that when you need help, that help will be returned in kind. It's the only rule I need.
|
|
|
Post by nana on Nov 2, 2018 17:07:59 GMT -5
I am beside myself with anticipation to see this stove all put together, to see a picture of it working, and to find out what the first thing you cook with it will be, Chuckie!
|
|
|
Post by karitx on Nov 3, 2018 20:12:18 GMT -5
I am also waiting with baited breath to see the Imperial in all its restored glory!
|
|
|
Post by Chuckie on Nov 3, 2018 23:17:28 GMT -5
I am also waiting with baited breath to see the Imperial in all its restored glory! ...today was safety system install for the ovens, and remember there are T-W-O!! Dwayner FINALLY lost his cool today-- FIRST time since I've KNOWN him!!---recovered, got them BOTH 99% installed in only like 13 hours!!! *sigh* As an aside, do NOT mention safety systems to HIM, lest you might meet your Maker!!! He'd NEVER had any use for them, and has 500% LESS now!!! I dunno HOW he does what he does and keeps on going, God bless him!! CHEERS! Chuckie
|
|
|
Post by dwayner2 on Nov 4, 2018 0:12:30 GMT -5
Ditto to what Chuckie said. . I've never been a fan of installing a pilot safety system but getting TWO done today just "ate my lunch". But don't let Chuckie give me all the credit, he was running around Leavenworth and KC the last two days rounding up all the bits and pieces so we could install the systems. Then, something else would go wrong or be missing so off Chuckie ran to find what was needed. It was like a treasure hunt today and I'd say CHUCKIE is the one with the cape. Still keeping those fingers crossed that by Monday the gas will be on and the panels in place!
|
|
|
Post by mach12 on Nov 4, 2018 11:35:21 GMT -5
I am also waiting with baited breath to see the Imperial in all its restored glory! ...today was safety system install for the ovens, and remember there are T-W-O!! Dwayner FINALLY lost his cool today-- FIRST time since I've KNOWN him!!---recovered, got them BOTH 99% installed in only like 13 hours!!! *sigh* As an aside, do NOT mention safety systems to HIM, lest you might meet your Maker!!! He'd NEVER had any use for them, and has 500% LESS now!!! I dunno HOW he does what he does and keeps on going, God bless him!! CHEERS! Chuckie That explains why when we installed the safety system in Pepper he said something like "you have fun with that. I'm going to take care of some other stuff" and then headed for the beer fridge...
|
|
|
Post by dwayner2 on Nov 4, 2018 13:00:59 GMT -5
Well, day 3 working on the tubing and still running into problems. Looks like a new tubing nut on old fittings (1930's) don't work too good. My helper looks a little (a lot) confused but he's still plugging away...
|
|
|
Post by karitx on Nov 4, 2018 21:19:22 GMT -5
I am also waiting with baited breath to see the Imperial in all its restored glory! ...today was safety system install for the ovens, and remember there are T-W-O!! Dwayner FINALLY lost his cool today-- FIRST time since I've KNOWN him!!---recovered, got them BOTH 99% installed in only like 13 hours!!! *sigh* As an aside, do NOT mention safety systems to HIM, lest you might meet your Maker!!! He'd NEVER had any use for them, and has 500% LESS now!!! I dunno HOW he does what he does and keeps on going, God bless him!! CHEERS! Chuckie This is why I don't do the actual mechanical work. Sporko will get mad, then cool off and take everything apart and try again. I start thinking how satisfying it would feel to whack something with the sledgehammer. I'm glad you guys have more patience than I do! It will all be worth it in the end when it is up and working. Party at Chuckie's house!
|
|
|
Post by dwayner2 on Nov 5, 2018 0:26:24 GMT -5
I am also waiting with baited breath to see the Imperial in all its restored glory! We will post pictures of the stove in all it's glory but it will be weeks before the backsplash goes on. We had to do some major modifications and sanding on the end brackets that support the back panel and Jeff won't get them re-porcelained for a good while. Still hoping to have panels on by late tomorrow but we need two more tubing fittings to finish the oven control systems. Today Chuckie thought it would be a good idea to try slipping in the cast iron floors for each oven before we insulated the door and put on the panels....good thing too! Once again, another problem to solve. Both floors had nothing to sit on above the burner so we scratched our heads (once again) until we solved the problem. We extended the four "rests" for each floor but still need to do some grinding on the back ends of the cast iron floor. I'll post pics later. Last time I had this much "fun" working on a stove was helping Mach12 work on 'Pepper' which fought us every step of the way for two weeks. So while Chuckie stays in touch with the "Big Guy" upstairs and asks for guidance, I go out into the shop every morning, look at the piles of parts and tools and tell myself "I love my job, I LOVE my job...I LOVE MY JOB!!!"
|
|
|
Post by dwayner2 on Nov 5, 2018 0:41:05 GMT -5
Best we can figure, the cast iron floor sits on these "rests" that extend out from the side runners (the horizontal surface in front of the green tape). Our side runners look to be too far apart to hold up the floor. The second picture below shows the silver bracket we attached to each corner so that NOW the floor has something to rest on....
|
|
|
Post by Chuckie on Nov 5, 2018 9:29:46 GMT -5
I am also waiting with baited breath to see the Imperial in all its restored glory! We will post pictures of the stove in all it's glory but it will be weeks before the backsplash goes on. We had to do some major modifications and sanding on the end brackets that support the back panel and Jeff won't get them re-porcelained for a good while. Still hoping to have panels on by late tomorrow but we need two more tubing fittings to finish the oven control systems. Today Chuckie thought it would be a good idea to try slipping in the cast iron floors for each oven before we insulated the door and put on the panels....good thing too! Once again, another problem to solve. Both floors had nothing to sit on above the burner so we scratched our heads (once again) until we solved the problem. We extended the four "rests" for each floor but still need to do some grinding on the back ends of the cast iron floor. I'll post pics later. Last time I had this much "fun" working on a stove was helping Mach12 work on 'Pepper' which fought us every step of the way for two weeks. So while Chuckie stays in touch with the "Big Guy" upstairs and asks for guidance, I go out into the shop every morning, look at the piles of parts and tools and tell myself "I love my job, I LOVE my job...I LOVE MY JOB!!!" Dwayner exaggerates NOT on how this restoration has been--and ongoing since 2012!!! One of the coup de grâce yesterday was I had just put the oven floors away when I picked them up wrapped tightly way back in maybe '13?.. Anyhow, the one that's for the smaller oven is actually one for a Model B!!!! S-o-o-o-o-o, now I don't know if I took the wrong one TO IPE, or if Jeff gave me back the wrong one. I suspect the former. At any rate, Jeff is gone on vacation this week, so I'll get w/him when he returns. As dwayner mentions, he modified the racks that hold the bottom in place, as he felt them the Achilles heel, in that they would fail over time. So off we went to Menard's to buy brackets to modify. Also the big oven floor is now a hair too BIG, since reporcelaing it and the oven box changed the dimensions slightly, so the back side needs ground down some.
Lord knows what the stove will throw at us today!!! We feel like Father Merrin (Max Von Sydow) in the exorcist movie, with the beast throwing every vile thing our way!! Perhaps we should rename this stove "Regan", as in the Linda Blair character from that movie!!! LOL CHEERS! Chuckie
|
|
|
Post by dwayner2 on Nov 5, 2018 22:46:34 GMT -5
Soon, either Chuckie or I will post several pictures of the Charlotte's Web tubing job we've been cursing over these past few days. Take note, half of these runs were installed, removed and then re-installed because of bad fittings or the inability to turn a nut due to other tubings in the way. Another thing, we had to work around 3 damper control rods and the false pantry floor going in later. All this lead to a very tight space we had to work with.
|
|
|
Post by Chuckie on Nov 5, 2018 23:00:45 GMT -5
Soon, either Chuckie or I will post several pictures of the Charlotte's Web tubing job we've been cursing over these past few days. Take note, half of these runs were installed, removed and then re-installed because of bad fittings or the inability to turn a nut due to other tubings in the way. Another thing, we had to work around 3 damper control rods and the false pantry floor going in later. All this lead to a very tight space we had to work with. Here' ya go, dwayner!!! Yet ANOTHER busy day here!!! Dwayner sidetracked & went out to clear out the back garage so Monkey can move our new camping trailer out there. He keeps sucking up like THAT, I'M liable to be the one looking for living space!!! CHEERS! Chuckie p.s.--the tape on the tubes was to let dwayner know that he'd already tightened down BOTH fittings on that particular piece. Alleviates any "self doubt" later...
|
|
|
Post by dwayner2 on Nov 5, 2018 23:11:37 GMT -5
Yep, I helped clean up the garage for you guys to move in your new camper trailer, BUT..... I really just wanted to play with all your nice looking stove parts out there. It was like a candy store for Chambers restorers.
|
|
|
Post by pooka on Nov 6, 2018 11:29:26 GMT -5
I don't envy you bending all that tubing into that maze of silver noodles. I'd be horse & bald headed from screaming & hair pulling if I had to tackle that. It is a wonder to see it all done up though. My hat's off to you for having the diligent to get it done.
I may have to take some vacation time soon to see it in person. I just checked & I have seventy six hours of vacation time to use up before May. In the past, I just added a few hour every week to use it up.
|
|
|
Post by chipperhiker on Nov 6, 2018 19:09:25 GMT -5
Incredible work!
|
|
|
Post by karitx on Nov 6, 2018 22:21:57 GMT -5
Ohmygosh! I would have quit a long time ago and bought a new stove, but I'm glad you guys have the fortitude (or insanity???) to persevere! It's very exciting to watch from the sidelines, though!
|
|
|
Post by dwayner2 on Nov 7, 2018 22:21:21 GMT -5
Imperial Restoration....Problem #239. Chuckie and I chilled out today and didn't start back on the "Beast" until about 3:00 PM. He ran to get supplies (a never ending task) while I began mounting the outer oven door panels before insulation could start. The outer door panel on the smaller oven went on OK but was pretty snug around the cast iron. Tried to put the outer panel on the big oven door frame and it wouldn't go. As suspected, the heating process to melt on the new porcelain at IPE warped the edges of the door inward.....a common issue from my experiance. We couldn't risk trying to pry the new enamel outward to get it to slip on so we grinded down the edge of the cast iron door frame to compensate for the warp. Pictures in the next post..... -photos 1-3 show how the edge of the new enameled panel disappears behind the mid section of the door frame -4 shows the tape marking where and how deep to grind -5 & 6 show the newly ground down edge and then new paint reapplied -7 panel attached and looking good -8 shows the two doors 1/2 insulated We then had to make new gaskets that go behind the door latches (manifold gasket was used) and round up the right bushings and speed clips to finish mounting all the door handles. We'll finish that tomorrow during the expected snow storm here in Leavenworth. Right now it's dinner time with Chuckie's homemade chili! PS- No...we did not damage the mating surfaces on the door and/or frame
|
|
|
Post by dwayner2 on Nov 7, 2018 22:28:18 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Chuckie on Nov 7, 2018 23:04:59 GMT -5
Imperial Restoration....Problem #239. Methinks dwayner UNDER exaggerates--more like Problem number 22,390!!!!!! EVERY SINGLE THING we TOUCH on this stove turns into a "problem". It is almost to the point of being EERIE!!! It is DEFINITELY very TIRING!!! *sigh*
I'm sure we'll BOTH be glad when this restoration is BEHIND us!!!!
CHEERS! Chuckie
|
|
|
Post by mach12 on Nov 8, 2018 9:44:47 GMT -5
What really gets me is how we always have our eye's open for another one to restore! Freud would have a heyday.
|
|
|
Post by nana on Nov 8, 2018 18:18:43 GMT -5
I look at these pictures and I don't even know what I'm looking at, but I know enough to say better you than me, pal! I DEFINITELY would have thrown in the towel long before this! Kudos to you! But speaking as someone who has made this particular mistake before, are you absolutely positive this stove will fit in the place you are planning to put it? Because the way things seem to be going, I sure hope that isn't going to be the ace up this devil's sleeve when the time comes to install it!
|
|
|
Post by ronruble on Nov 8, 2018 19:40:46 GMT -5
Chuckie - I have one word to say about your restoration
WOW!
|
|
|
Post by Chuckie on Nov 8, 2018 22:39:35 GMT -5
Chuckie - I have one word to say about your restoration WOW! MANY THANKS for the " WOW", but dwayner deserves all the kudos!!! He's worked on MANY MORE of these than I have, and knows how to adjust the door(s) when they don't align, etc. I just tore the three I had down to the FRAME, and rebuilt the valves only on the last one. Again, he knows how to align the frame even when warped from reporcelaining, etc. TRULY a MASTER at this!! I truly am NOT lying when I say this stove would've been G-O-N-E by now, w/o dwayner!!! He's a lifesaver!!! We had another day from hell today, and I suspect he's getting ready to post from his digs in the back of the house, so I'll let HIM tell you all the gory details!!! CHEERS! Chuckie
|
|
|
Post by dwayner2 on Nov 9, 2018 9:23:22 GMT -5
Yesterday was the last chance we had to FINALLY try on the panels since I'll be heading back to TX. As you can guess....more issues to deal with next time. Left side oven door and front panel The hole in the big panel is a little too high for the oven door latch receiver. We absolutely CANNOT bring it down farther to better line up the bolt with the hole, not possible! Solution.....I'll take a Dremel motor and a small stone bit to ground out a bigger hole. Also, the outer oven door panel is too far to the right so the lower right corner of the door panel is touching the main front panel....can cause chipping later. We have NO SLACK left in the four inner nuts to try and move it. Solution....remove all door panels and grind down the right side of the oven door cast iron frame so we can then slide it more to the left. Center panel with valve controls and pantry door It took us an hour but we finally got the center panel lined up and looking good, but broke one thumb latch tab receiver in the process. Solution....pull off panel (again!), remove front control assembly, replace broken piece with spare we have. The other problem, the pantry door is WAY TOO HIGH. Have no idea why, unless the main front panel that surrounds it is too low....and that's not likely because it lines up great with the other front panels and we cannot raise it higher due to the enamel cook top. Solution....remove the door panels and drill another hole (higher) into the bracket where the bolts are attached inside. This will allow us to move the door down and into position. Right side oven door and panel The main panel has same problem as left side, hole for latch receiver not centered properly. Solution....Dremel and stone bit. The big issue though is the large oven door frame is slanted due to repairs done to the hinges where the door pivots on the speed bolt. The door has a bad sag on the right side and is off center with the main panel. Solution....(Not Sure) We're going to remove the panels and insulation from the door frame and see if we can remove the slack somehow. GOOD NEWS.....the side panels look to be an easy mount.
|
|