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

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Craf.../dp/B0001IWZ8G

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

http://ask.metafilter.com/148245/Man...Cast-Iron-Pans

http://grannysvitalvittles.com/why-y...-iron-skillet/


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.

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

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Craf.../dp/B0001IWZ8G

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

http://ask.metafilter.com/148245/Man...Cast-Iron-Pans

http://grannysvitalvittles.com/why-y...-iron-skillet/


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.

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.

On 26/11/2013 14:27, Bob Minchin wrote:
Adam Funk wrote:
I'm thinking of getting a double-sided cast iron griddle like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Craf.../dp/B0001IWZ8G

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

http://ask.metafilter.com/148245/Man...Cast-Iron-Pans

http://grannysvitalvittles.com/why-y...-iron-skillet/


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.

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.

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.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 26/11/2013 14:27, Bob Minchin wrote:
Adam Funk wrote:
I'm thinking of getting a double-sided cast iron griddle like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Craf.../dp/B0001IWZ8G

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

http://ask.metafilter.com/148245/Man...Cast-Iron-Pans

http://grannysvitalvittles.com/why-y...-iron-skillet/


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.

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.

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.

All in all a PITA and the charge of even an hours work (jigging,set up
and machining time) send customers away....

That is quite true.

Colin Bignell

John Rumm wrote:
On 26/11/2013 14:27, Bob Minchin wrote:
Adam Funk wrote:
I'm thinking of getting a double-sided cast iron griddle like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Craf.../dp/B0001IWZ8G

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

http://ask.metafilter.com/148245/Man...Cast-Iron-Pans

http://grannysvitalvittles.com/why-y...-iron-skillet/


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.

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.

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.


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

"Adam Funk" wrote in message
...
I'm thinking of getting a double-sided cast iron griddle like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Craf.../dp/B0001IWZ8G

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

http://ask.metafilter.com/148245/Man...Cast-Iron-Pans

http://grannysvitalvittles.com/why-y...-iron-skillet/


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.

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.
http://www.answers.com/topic/chilled-iron
Best bet is an angle grinder with suitable disk.

On 26/11/2013 16:58, Tim+ wrote:
John Rumm wrote:
On 26/11/2013 14:27, Bob Minchin wrote:
Adam Funk wrote:
I'm thinking of getting a double-sided cast iron griddle like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Craf.../dp/B0001IWZ8G

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

http://ask.metafilter.com/148245/Man...Cast-Iron-Pans

http://grannysvitalvittles.com/why-y...-iron-skillet/


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.

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.

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.


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

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



--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On Wednesday, November 27, 2013 2:23:24 AM UTC+13, Adam Funk wrote:

Is this something that a machine shop in the UK could do easily &
perhaps cheaply?

I've used an angle grinder with a flap disk to make cast iron smooth.
The thing on the left is cast iron:
http://i41.tinypic.com/14izte9.jpg

John Rumm wrote:
On 26/11/2013 16:58, Tim+ wrote:
John Rumm wrote:
On 26/11/2013 14:27, Bob Minchin wrote:
Adam Funk wrote:
I'm thinking of getting a double-sided cast iron griddle like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Craf.../dp/B0001IWZ8G

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

http://ask.metafilter.com/148245/Man...Cast-Iron-Pans

http://grannysvitalvittles.com/why-y...-iron-skillet/


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.

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.

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.


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

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




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

Tim+ wrote:
John Rumm wrote:
On 26/11/2013 16:58, Tim+ wrote:
John Rumm wrote:
On 26/11/2013 14:27, Bob Minchin wrote:
Adam Funk wrote:
I'm thinking of getting a double-sided cast iron griddle like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Craf.../dp/B0001IWZ8G

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

http://ask.metafilter.com/148245/Man...Cast-Iron-Pans

http://grannysvitalvittles.com/why-y...-iron-skillet/


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.

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.

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.


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

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




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

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

On 26/11/2013 21:55, Tim+ wrote:
Tim+ wrote:
John Rumm wrote:
On 26/11/2013 16:58, Tim+ wrote:
John Rumm wrote:
On 26/11/2013 14:27, Bob Minchin wrote:
Adam Funk wrote:
I'm thinking of getting a double-sided cast iron griddle like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Craf.../dp/B0001IWZ8G

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

http://ask.metafilter.com/148245/Man...Cast-Iron-Pans

http://grannysvitalvittles.com/why-y...-iron-skillet/


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.

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.

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.


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

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




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

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

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...



--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

John Rumm wrote in
o.uk:

On 26/11/2013 21:55, Tim+ wrote:
Tim+ wrote:
John Rumm wrote:
On 26/11/2013 16:58, Tim+ wrote:
John Rumm wrote:
On 26/11/2013 14:27, Bob Minchin wrote:
Adam Funk wrote:
I'm thinking of getting a double-sided cast iron griddle like
this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Craft-Deluxe-Cast-
Griddle/dp/B00
01IWZ8G

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

http://ask.metafilter.com/148245/Man...Cast-Iron-Pans

http://grannysvitalvittles.com/why-y...-vintage-cast-
iron-
skillet/


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.

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.

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.


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

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




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

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

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...




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.


--

DerbyBorn

John Rumm wrote in
o.uk:

On 26/11/2013 21:55, Tim+ wrote:
Tim+ wrote:
John Rumm wrote:
On 26/11/2013 16:58, Tim+ wrote:
John Rumm wrote:
On 26/11/2013 14:27, Bob Minchin wrote:
Adam Funk wrote:
I'm thinking of getting a double-sided cast iron griddle like
this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Craft-Deluxe-Cast-
Griddle/dp/B00
01IWZ8G

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

http://ask.metafilter.com/148245/Man...Cast-Iron-Pans

http://grannysvitalvittles.com/why-y...-vintage-cast-
iron-
skillet/


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.

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.

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.


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

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




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

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

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...




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.


--

DerbyBorn

On 2013-11-26, Tim+ wrote:

John Rumm wrote:
On 26/11/2013 16:58, Tim+ wrote:
John Rumm wrote:

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.


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

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




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.

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.

On 2013-11-26, John Rumm wrote:

On 26/11/2013 21:55, Tim+ wrote:

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

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...

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).

On Tue, 26 Nov 2013 12:07:12 -0800 (PST), Matty F
wrote:

I've used an angle grinder with a flap disk to make cast iron smooth.

Wot e said.

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

On Tuesday, November 26, 2013 11:18:31 PM UTC, DerbyBorn wrote:
snip


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.

+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

On 2013-11-27, Thomas Prufer wrote:

On Tue, 26 Nov 2013 12:07:12 -0800 (PST), Matty F
wrote:

I've used an angle grinder with a flap disk to make cast iron smooth.

Wot e said.

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...

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

On 2013-11-26, John Rumm wrote:

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.

Interesting idea, thanks.

On 07/12/2013 19:53, Adam Funk wrote:

Interesting idea. I know I'm the only person here without an
angle-grinder

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


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

In article ,
says...

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


Heretic!

Apostate!

Burn him!


--
Sam