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Post by mach12 on Nov 9, 2018 12:13:48 GMT -5
Wow - what a challenging one! Still, it's going to really be an awesome stove to cook with when it's up and running.
What do the two ovens use for burners? From the looks of it the smaller oven looks to be about the size of a regular A series oven and the other is bigger. Does the large oven just have more room but use the same size burner or does it actually have a larger burner (and therefore a larger mixer cap orifice)?
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Post by dwayner2 on Nov 10, 2018 0:17:11 GMT -5
I didn't put the two burners on top of each other but they looked to be the same size to me, or at least not much different. If I don't freeze doing it (15° tomorrow AM) I'll run out to the shop and compare the two. Not sure about the orifice caps since we already removed one. The smaller oven is the one that had the larger threads on the mixer pin and the larger tubing so it doesn't make much since....but that's about the norm on this stove.
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Post by dwayner2 on Nov 10, 2018 0:29:07 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. Left front panel....hole off center, slight warp above door... Left oven door...bottom right corner is touching the front panel..... Center panel...broken tip where thumb tab attaches.... Center panel...pantry door too high... Right (large) oven door...sagging on right side...
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Post by Chuckie on Jul 10, 2019 20:42:08 GMT -5
Well, dwayner the Imperial Master strikes again!!! He not only fabricated this BRACKET to replace the one I L-O-S-T, he also added spacer bars to the bottom, as the reporcelained panels "warped" under 'fire', and had to be pushed out a bit: The man is a T-O-T-A-L GENIUS!!! Stories continue, too tired from watching him WORK all day!!! And himself is in the Murphy Bed as I type, taking a "nap" before he goes to BED!! CHEERS! Chuckie
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Post by Chuckie on Jul 11, 2019 5:51:43 GMT -5
Well, dwayner the Imperial Master strikes again!!! He not only fabricated this BRACKET to replace the one I L-O-S-T, he also added spacer bars to the bottom, as the reporcelained panels "warped" under 'fire', and had to be pushed out a bit: The man is a T-O-T-A-L GENIUS!!! Stories continue, too tired from watching him WORK all day!!! And himself is in the Murphy Bed as I type, taking a "nap" before he goes to BED!! CHEERS! Chuckie ...I JUST awoke at 5:30, and turned on the news in the bedroom to see wassup in the world. Monkey just came in and told me dwayner's in the barn WORKING already!!! LORD I wish I had his stamina/determination!! Out to the salt mines w/me too!!! Wish me luck!!
CHEERS! Chuckie
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Post by nana on Jul 11, 2019 11:04:03 GMT -5
It bears repeating: There's no rest for the wicked!
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Post by vaporvac on Jul 11, 2019 12:10:38 GMT -5
You guys are amazing! Wish I were there to see it all! ))
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Post by Chuckie on Jul 11, 2019 18:03:08 GMT -5
More work & progress(a LITTLE today, didn't want dwayner to suffer burnout!!!) Big oven fired up, before final adjustment. Notice the BIG-ASS pilot, and NO adjustment on safety, so we have to buy an inline 1/4" compression shut off to 'throttle' it. Nobody ( LOCAL) had one, alas! Gronis put them on order for us today: Small oven, both pilot AND burner PERFECT!!!They BOTH went to bypass, so we KNOW that function 'works', but did NOT try to calibrate the thermostats, as yet ANOTHER prob we encountered was the screw that holds the oven thermostat dial to the handle was funked up because of the coppering I had done. Found ANOTHER old-hardware store in north KC that had a TAP we bought that fixed THAT issue. A-L-W-A-Y-S a problem, no matter H-O-W little an item is on this stove!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think instead of Gráinne, this stove should be named DIABLO!!! Traveled the length & width of KC today, and methinks dwayner WELCOMED the BREAK!!! Himself is a WORKIN' FOOL!!! CHEERS! Chuckie
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Post by mach12 on Jul 11, 2019 21:35:18 GMT -5
Man that stove's looking good!
I know what you mean about Dwayner and his being like the Energizer Bunny. He stays in my 5th wheel when he's here and it's set up with full hookups right next to my shop. You'd think he'd go in there and kick back and relax but it seems no matter how late or early it is he's in the shop tinkering and fixing stuff. When he does leave the shop he comes down to the house and wants to do stuff like bake bread and cook. I feel guilty!
BTW, You're running on propane, right? Did you put the propane orifice in the oven pilot when you installed it? That large flame almost looks like it's using the natural gas orifice.
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Post by Chuckie on Jul 11, 2019 22:39:08 GMT -5
It bears repeating: There's no rest for the wicked! ..."and the GOOD don't NEED it!" or so spoke one of the old Nuns that ( ATTEMPTED) to teach me as a child!! CHEERS! Chuckie
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Post by pooka on Jul 12, 2019 2:29:04 GMT -5
I don't know how you ran the lines for the new pilot lights, but there were inline valve for the old ones tack onto the thermostats. I did a write up about them earlier in this thread. They were flare nut fittings. Another thing I noticed is the different valves used for the pilot light & how they're mounted. Yours is screwed into the side of the fitting for the gas line, but mine is screwed directly into the side of the thermostat itself. Plus I've seen it screwed into either side of the thermostat, so since it's an add on, there apparently was no standard way they were installed. Additionally, theses valves use flare nut connections. An older & more time consuming connection to make, than the compression fittings that are used everywhere else. My model 74 uses a different valve, like ones I've seen used on model B's, & it's mounted on the fitting like yours, & uses a compression fitting. All that blathering to explain that the one on my big stove kinda looks like yours, but not quite the same, see. It also looks sorta like the one on my other little stove too, but still kinda different, see. Plus, it's kinda like this other little stove, except this one looks like it's hooked up backwards, but I guess it works the same either way.
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Post by Chuckie on Jul 13, 2019 18:08:24 GMT -5
OK--as y'all can prolly surmise-- dwayner & I give one another PUH-LENTY of GRIEF!!! Well, SOMETIMES he gets that little "Texas Nasal Whine" thang going on when I screw something up, and I'm ALWAYS telling him " NO WHINING WAYNE!!!" Well, I went to say that the other day, and skewed the words to: Which we BOTH thought VERY amusing!!!
Today--after yet ANOTHER one of my shall we say "mishaps"--I told him I was gonna post THIS sign like OSHA does on major worksites, and we BOTH had ANOTHER hardy laugh!!!
And here you can see the back corner of the Imperial so you can see the vicinity of my posting them:
Himself don't know about them yet, but I just wanted to share our laugh we had today!!! Will post progress--or lack thereof--later!! CHEERS! Chuckie
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Post by dwayner2 on Jul 17, 2019 1:29:48 GMT -5
I think Chuckie is taking a bit of a rest now that I've left town headed to MN (or Canada?) for a few days, so I'll try to answer Mach12's orifice question. The original orifice caps were the long type but definitely set for NG. The flames on all the burners were pretty darn high and no way to adjust them lower...no pin under the cap. I brought with me several long undrilled caps so we headed over to KC to what I consider the most AWESOME hardware store ever and picked up the 4 smallest drill bits they had. We used the smallest bit first and it looks pretty good but since I'm testing the stove off a LP bottle I'm sure the pressure is a little off. Once it's installed we'll fine tune the dampers and get them to light off the pilots. I will say this, the top burners DO put out some heat when at "Full On". I think you could melt lead on those suckers and make some fishing sinkers! As for the two ovens...after playing around with different orifices we just switched them out with some adjustable ones off that A I got in KS last year. Once the stove is in it's new home we'll get those set right. I'm just happy that all 300' of tubing on that stove now has NO leaks...knock on wood. When I get back to Leavenworth in a few days we'll try and calibrate both ovens. After that I've got 3-4 days off from the Imperial so Chuckie has me lined up for some yard work...spraying herbicide, killing some Poison Ivy, tree trimming. Then there's the screen door that Jasper shredded trying to escape the fireworks around the 4th. I'm glad to help for sure because not too many people get fed like I do by Chef Chuckie Hey Mach12, did you get my email from 3-4 days ago? Great to hear that quake you guys had up there didn't do too much damage and everyone is all right.
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Post by mach12 on Jul 17, 2019 23:17:35 GMT -5
Man, that meal Chuckie and his wife laid out when we visited was awesome so I know what you mean about the good eating there!
I did get your email and appreciate it. No problems where we're at, kind of like a truck driving by. When I redid the kitchen I updated the framing with earthquake straps and so on, so Pepper is safe.
Sounds like the Imperial was set up for propane if there were no pins in the mixers. Is it going to stay on propane or will it be hooked up on natural gas? I've never seen an orifice chart that shows the orifice sizes by burner but since he does Imperials too I'll bet that Don Mattera has that info. With different size burners in the two ovens I'd think the orifices would be different sizes too.
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Post by Chuckie on Jul 18, 2019 21:20:16 GMT -5
.....Sounds like the Imperial was set up for propane if there were no pins in the mixers. Is it going to stay on propane or will it be hooked up on natural gas? I've never seen an orifice chart that shows the orifice sizes by burner but since he does Imperials too I'll bet that Don Mattera has that info. With different size burners in the two ovens I'd think the orifices would be different sizes too. It was ORIGINALLY set up for NG I believe, as I "test drove it" hooked up w/NG @ my (late) Mother's house where I had it stored until her death. The burners all worked FINE there on City gas. I didn't test the griddle but DID the top burners, but NOT the broiler (just "didn't" I guess!) nor the well, as it had been disconnected. It is going to my late MIL's house; Monkey's bro bought it, and is currently doing a MAJOR restoration, to be completed approx 2022 when they move back here from Chicago. Here are the burners burning in one of my EARLY (9/15/12) Imperial posts: And this post was from September 10, 2012: -----------------------------------------
Got the burners for both ovens cleaned up today, and fired the ovens up. The little one, after 20 minutes, I just barely moved the control off of 400, and the oven shut off. I opened the door, and OILA!, the thermometer said 400!!! ;D
On the big one, I had to adjust the orifice enough to just keep it burning. Once I finally got it adjusted to the recommended 3/8" flame, it burnt nicely. After 20 minutes, temp was 350. After 35 minutes, it was up to 450!!! I (again) barely bumped the stat, and it shut down, so that one must just need adjustment. Hip-hip, HOORAY!!! To have had BOTH those repaired would've been more than the cost of the stove!! The pilot tubes are either plugged or turned off, so I couldn't adjust/address the bypass flame. I'll get the safety pilots installed, and then go from there.
BTW, Don Mattera, Al and 58limited--are the back holes on your smaller oven burner NOT drilled all the way through? That's the way they appear on our smaller burner. I jabbed @ them with an icepick, etc, and the were flat out s-o-l-i-d cast iron. All the rest of the holes on BOTH burners were fine--I mean some junk in them that I had to poke out, but FAR from 'solid'. IF you get a chance, could you have a gander at it & let me know?
I am just SO PUMPED that the T-stats work!!! ;D ;D ;D Now I can start removing the top/well/broiler & tearing this baby down for total restore.
I'll send burner pics, once da Monkey shows me how to turn off the flash on the digital camera.
DOUBLE CHEERS! Chuckie ----------------------------------------- So as I told Dwayner, the stats may NOT work, but actually only ONE of the originals is currently installed, read earlier post above about over tightening and cracking the valve. I worked on the GD rods that hook up for the handles today. The top three on the right were "Ez-peezy" as DW likes to say, so I thought "PHOOEY!, no problemo"!!! And the STOVE FROM HELL proved to STILL be alive and well as I spent almost 2.5 hours on the top LAST two, and STILL don't have them hooked up!!! I shall NEVER, EVER be so glad to get a stove outta my garage as I am this beast!!!!!! And y'all wanna know WHY I'm outta the restoration biz???!!!! Chuckie
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Post by mach12 on Jul 19, 2019 9:07:32 GMT -5
That's really interesting that it's a NG stove but doesn't have the pin and has the long caps. I wonder whether that's SOP for an Imperial. I saw the earlier posts where you did the test drive hooked to NG and it looked happy. Scratching my head here for sure.
They made a giant improvement when they went to the B style handles for the gas valves. And the way the front and side panels are removed and reinstalled as well. On the regular A's the front cover has to be loosened and pulled away from the stove body to get the side panels off and some stoves seem worse than others about letting the front edge of the side panel come out from under the front panel. The first Chambers I disassembled was an A and it took some doing to get it apart without chipping the enamel. Then I got the blue 90C and man was that a pleasure to work on. If I hadn't done the A first I wouldn't have appreciated it though. After I did the first A I was prepared for the next one and it went smooth as silk so I guess a little hands-on goes a long way. You and Dwayner will probably glide right through the next Imperial you do.
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Post by dwayner2 on Jul 19, 2019 22:22:58 GMT -5
What? Another Imperial??? Where?
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Post by Chuckie on Jul 19, 2019 23:25:41 GMT -5
What? Another Imperial??? Where? UHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, not " no" but H-E-L-L NO!!!!! Chuckie
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Post by mach12 on Jul 21, 2019 0:52:25 GMT -5
What? Another Imperial??? Where? UHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, not " no" but H-E-L-L NO!!!!! Chuckie Famous last words!
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Post by Chuckie on Jul 28, 2019 12:34:10 GMT -5
OK, gang, pix as promised!! Really the only thing left to do is calibrate the ovens, and TRY to figure out getting the griddle to "look right". See, it had PART of the old nickel still on it. The chroming guy said that IF he was to put it in his vat and CLEAN it, the solution would attack the now BARE metal FIRST, and basically "destroy it" before it took off the remaining nickel. I have a friend who does commercial sandblasting, and he did it for me "gratis", and said "that's as good as you're EVER gonna GET it"!! I have ANOTHER friend w/a machine shop in town that has one of those mini blaster boxes, where you put the part in, put your hands in these large rubber gloves, turn on the air, and blast it with I believe he uses pulverized walnut shells or something weird! May give it a try in there as well... Anyhow, here's pix below, and one shows the griddle. ENJOY, so G-L-A-D to have it where it is NOW!!! Here we cut a board to sub as a shelf, and painted it copper color. DON'T think I'll go w/a copper shelf now, after seeing this!! May put a copper BORDER around it, but not TOTALLY copper!! Note the discolored griddle I was speaking of... Another "total" view, with the pot dwayner found. Stove colour is ACTUALLY more like the POT colour--almost EXACT match--just the lighting in garage plays tricks w/the eyes:
Restored ovens open & ready for duty!! Note the purdy handles too!!!
Closer view of the reporcelained top/grates, and you can see the coppered handles as well, and see "actual" stove colour as pot is same colour:
Coupla handle closeups:
Interior of the thermowell:
Griddle looks FINE on the BOTTOM side!!
Another griddle top "closer" so you can see, along w/the bottle of bubbly dwayner bought for when it's T-TOTALLY done!!! Note the discoloration, even though it has been commercially sandblasted. Maybe seasoning it will even it all out?....
S-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O my Chambers Comrades, here is the Imperial some EIGHTY FOUR MONTHS later, in all her soon-to-be GLORY!!! Toying w/a coupla shelf ideas, will post when I get it done!! CHEERS! Chuckie
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Post by cinnabar on Jul 28, 2019 16:23:05 GMT -5
ok , I'm drooling with stove envy. Looks fab and can hardly wait to hear about the cooking adventures.
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Post by karitx on Jul 28, 2019 20:41:19 GMT -5
Oh my goodness - that is a sight to behold! I am soooo jealous! Of the finished product, not the expense or the process!
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Post by chipperhiker on Jul 31, 2019 22:25:57 GMT -5
Wow, Chuckie. Just WOW! That stove is a thing of beauty. You guys have done an amazing job, and I am in love with the color. I can't wait to see pictures of him or her installed and actually cooking again for the first time in... how many years???
Congratulations!
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Post by chamberinmycottage on Aug 3, 2019 1:01:08 GMT -5
Wow! I just joined and I am amazed at the work put into restoring this piece. I'm looking at purchasing a copper unit and I'm almost scared of the work to keep it up. I'm a handy girl but what you all have done is amazing!!! Kudos to you!!
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Post by Chuckie on Aug 3, 2019 15:08:13 GMT -5
Wow! I just joined and I am amazed at the work put into restoring this piece. I'm looking at purchasing a copper unit and I'm almost scared of the work to keep it up. I'm a handy girl but what you all have done is amazing!!! Kudos to you!! THANKS, BUT the credit goes to dwayner, HE'S the genius behind the getting-her-back-together!!!! Good luck on your copper Chambers, they look GREAT, but I agree, I'd be afraid of the work to MAINTAIN it!! Jeff of Independence Porcelain Enamel has developed an enamel colour that looks JUST LIKE copper, BUT with the ease of cleaning it like porcelain has!! Good luck on your acquisition, keep us posted, and remember, we L-O-V-E pictures!!! CHEERS! Chuckie
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Post by Chuckie on May 25, 2021 18:27:09 GMT -5
IF I may be so bold---and IF you've all nothing ELSE better to do---P-L-E-A-S-E offer up a few Ave's, entreaties, Shemas, benediction, etc, et al for my B.I.L.'s crew tomorrow, as they are moving "the monster" out to her NEW home!! That would be Monkey's Mom's old place. They are FAR from finished, BUT the cabinets/island etc that are to be installed SOON will interfere with the installation if it's not placed NOW. I'd be MUCH more comfortable if dwayner were here, but--hey--it am what it am!!! I told said B.I.L. that it WILL have to be rolled in/out a few more times to finish plumbing/tweaking it, and the contractor indicated that would NOT be a problem once placed.
Thanks for any good karma you can send our way!!! Stay tuned...
CHEERS! Chuckie
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Post by nana on May 25, 2021 20:36:46 GMT -5
Consider it sent!
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Post by lukethedrifter on May 26, 2021 8:41:27 GMT -5
Good luck!
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Post by karitx on May 26, 2021 14:45:21 GMT -5
Best of luck!
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Post by pooka on May 26, 2021 15:43:30 GMT -5
So the long & winding road is almost at an end huh. It's been a bumpy ride. Knock wood it ends well. I'm sending my best thoughts & wishes your way.
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