Recent diagnosis: Castironitis-terminal

Mike_S

New member
Hey folks! Glad I found this site! I'm not new to cast iron (been using them for years, had to convert my wife away from Teflon demon) but I was recently infected with castironitis while camping. A new friend (as in 2 days new) I met at a Christian retreat gave me a dutch oven, lid lifter, tongs, and a charcoal chimney, taught me to cook a couple of things, and I'm hooked.

My interest lies mainly in cooking so I was absolutely delighted to learn than old unmarked cast iron can be of better quality than the best stuff being made today.

I'm a bit of salvage/restoration hobbyist. Any hints or tricks of the trade for getting better results when putting cast iron cookware in the old electrolysis tank?

I think my motto will be: Buy it cheap, clean it up, cook for life!
 
I recommend spending as much time as you can reading the Cast Iron Restoration section of this site. (www.castironcollector.com/restore.php) I have learned so much in the past few months from this site it is just amazing. I started by reading that section a couple of times and buying almost all the yard sale cast iron I could find. It was almost always under $8 but also needed cleaning. I set up a lye bath and an electrolysis tank per the instructions. It works great and i have bought, cleaned and restored over 50 pieces so far.

I need to start selling the stuff I do not intend to use but that isn't nearly as much fun as the searching and restoring.

Happy hunting

Jack
 
Thanks Jack! I'm thinking back to the cheap iron/bargains that I have passed on because of the things that I didn't know and kicking myself.

I'm going to do more reading today on lye baths to try to ease my mind about disposal. We live in a pristine little valley in southeast missouri with a crystal clear, spring fed creek running through the farm. We get our wonderful tasting water from a deep drilled well and use a septic system. I don't want to overreact, but I don't mind being overly cautious about the lye.

I have read everything on the site about electrolysis that I could find (until I fell asleep last night) but didn't find anything about the most effective type of metal for the sacrificial diode. Any ideas or is it not all that important?

Mike
 
I use old cookie sheets - just make sure they are magnetic, no aluminum and no stainless. If you use a piece of 1/8" sheet metal it will last a long time. Just scrape off the crud occasionally.

Lye is used to unclog home plumbing. Some recommend diluting it and disposing of it by flushing it down the toilet. I suppose that is ok if it is sufficiently diluted. I haven't disposed of any so far. I just add water when needed and more lye when the mixture gets weak. At any rate I would be very cautious about putting it in a septic system. It may kill the beneficial bacteria.

Jack
 
I'm in Missouri myself Mike, the northwest. I almost bought 5 acres just south of Mountain View about 5 years back, but fate is a fickle creature. You're not kidding about the water down there, I'm hoping to get my canoe on the Current River next month. Feed your disease, there is still a lot of good iron out there to get for a song.
 
Cool good to see a lot of fellow Missourians on here. I've floated the current quite a few times. Loved it. Also like the elk and little and regular nianguas. I think I spelled that wrong. Anyways I'm just south of Kc. I just joined because I have around 12 pieces of CI and wanted to talk with some people about it. I'm starting to thin out my newer pieces and concentrating on older collectible pieces.
 
Chase I'll be down your way Monday, I have a doctor appointment in Liberty then Uncle Joe and I are running down to a flea market near Harrisonville. I'd found my #7 smooth bottom Wagner there, and left behind quite a few decent deals.
 
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