Before & After Erie Series 2

[Frank Dimos]

Taken me awhile to get back here. Here' s the Erie I did this fall.

Before

[Frank Dimos]

After

[Frank Dimos]

After-2

[Trevor Lawrence]

Very Nice Frank. Looks Great!

[Terry Wharton]

Fantastic job Frank!

It's great when you can find an early piece preserved in accumulated crud, and someone hasn't tried "refinishing" it with power tools, etc. - realized they weren't getting anywere and abandoned the attempt - but has inflicted irreparable damage.

What a classic.

[Frank Dimos]

Me too. Recently found a curved/straight logo no 9 wagner with heat ring and thin wall construction (logo puts it between 1920 and 1925 I think, based on placement) in the same condition. Came out great!

[David Whitten]

Great Find and Great work!  I love the ERIE pans and am lucky to own 3 of them!  I need to learn how to clean up the old iron like you do Frank!

[C. Perry Rapier]

Great Find and Great work!  I love the ERIE pans and am lucky to own 3 of them!  I need to learn how to clean up the old iron like you do Frank!

David you can do the same quality work with what you learn from right here on this forum. I have seen newbies who did not know anything about cleaning a piece of cast iron and now they turn out great looking pieces all the time. When you are ready David jump right in. There is EVERYTHING you need to know on our cleaning section. And of course feel free to ask away when you have questions.  :)

[David Whitten]

Thanks Perry!  I need to read it all again and figure out the lye question with a 6 year old in the house.  I'll clean the basement in January and start setting up some basics!

[Frank Dimos]

Perry's right. I'd never cleaned a single piece before this year. Did my first ones this summer. Started with a little no 3 unmarked volrath with heat ring that the folks here identified for me--great little piece to learn on. Moved on to very common Griswolds and Wagners (3's and 5's) as I learned more. Finally graduated to some better things like the Erie. I learn something every time I do it. And the folks here have been great in pointing me in the right direction, especially Cheryl who really took the time to help get me started.

Other than the charger, most of what I use is just pick-up parts--SS skillets I find at garage sales for a dollar as the anodes, battery jumper cables (also from garage sales) for connectors, a cheap plastic tub for the container (but I'm upgrading this winter  ;) ), just a 5 gallon bucket for the lye bath). It's all pretty haphazzard, but it works.

[Trevor Lawrence]

Did you do straight electro?

[Frank Dimos]

At first I did.  Took too long to remove the gunk, then the rust. Now, I soak them in lye in a 5 gallon bucket to remove the gunk first, then I do the standard electro as described in several places on the site. In the fall, I'd have 2-4 skillets soaking at a time. I only electro one at a time.