Author Topic: I’m starting in on the 3-burner Griswold hot plate - questions galore (Read 2451 times)

Spurgeon Hendrick · « **on:** March 22, 2019, 04:34:12 PM »

I apologize, in advance, for the number of questions I will be posting in this thread as I work on this hot plate.

I bought some Evapo-Rust today, so I will be using it on the smaller parts. (The burners are soaking now).

I removed the nameplate from the front, gave it a light scrubbing with regular Dawn and a soft sponge. (Picture below). My first impression was that it wasn’t brass,m (although I had seen pictures in other threads). Then I scrubbed it, not too aggressively with a #0000 steel wool pad and Bar Keepra friend (a liquid version in a pump bottle). That cleaned it some, but it still didn’t look brass. I was starting to think it was a steel plate. The. I put it in some BarKeepers Friend to see if that was rust and not dirt/tarnish I was seeing. As soon as I put it in there, the color popped out (I’m guessing it has more to do with seeing it through a clear liquid against a black background, than anything the BKF is doing.).

Anyway ... how should I clean this nameplate? Is it okay to keep it in the BKF for awhile? Will that actually do anything to help?

Thanks for any suggestions!

Spurgeon Hendrick · « **Reply #1 on:** March 22, 2019, 05:23:01 PM »

I just took the nameplate out of the Evaporust to check on it ... and realized why it looks so bright in the solution. ... the solution has a color to it. Duh. I still don’t know what is going on here. In one light it looks like gray metal and in another light it looks like really dull brass.

Spurgeon Hendrick · « **Reply #2 on:** March 22, 2019, 05:43:55 PM »

I just took the “703” plate off. Now I know what the black enamel looked like when it was new. Check out the underside of the plate and the section it was screwed to.

Cheryl Watson · « **Reply #3 on:** March 22, 2019, 08:45:52 PM »

Spurgeon, Evaporust will only 'work' on Ferrous Metals.

Brass is non-Ferrous.

It will not harm non ferrous though... the strong detergents in the solution might help loosen 'crud'.. IMO...

Cheryl Watson · « **Reply #4 on:** March 22, 2019, 08:54:26 PM »

To determine what metal that nameplate is, dust off your magnet.

Does a Magnet stick to the nameplate?

Spurgeon Hendrick · « **Reply #5 on:** March 22, 2019, 10:19:16 PM »

HO ... LY .... MO ... LY!! Cheryl, I know you love Wvapo-Rust ... I am now a true believer! Wow. That’s all I can say. Wow. Just wow.

Take a look at what it did to the rust on this burner. (All three actually.) I put them in a bucket of EvapoRust when I got home about 3 or 4:00. Took them out at 9:30. All I really need to do was rinse them off, but I washed them with some Dawn and a sponge. Couldn’t find a good before picture, so I blew up the picture I took of the stove when I bought it and zoomed in on one burner. Hope you can see the difference!

Cheryl, thank you for the info on Evaporust. and, yes, the plate sticks to a magnet. See pic below. The “703” plate is definitely a gray metal and the Griswold plate has a pale, yellowish-looking tint. Maybe it was plated?

Cheryl Watson · « **Reply #6 on:** March 22, 2019, 11:00:43 PM »

I'd soak everything a bit longer... 12-24 hours is a normal range... most of my items it is 24 hours.... every once in a while I need to push to 48 hours.. :)

I do believe that name plate is nickel plated... and nickle plated CI especially loves the Evapo..!

Mothers aluminum polish for that Name Plate, and after buffing with cotton cloth, THEN pull out the 0000 steel wool for the final step. :)

Spurgeon Hendrick · « **Reply #7 on:** March 29, 2019, 09:20:57 AM »

Next two questions ...

- High gloss or semi-gloss?

- what color should I the burners and grills?

Here are a few pictures of the legs. The area at the top of the legs, which was not exposed to the atmosphere, appears to be pretty dang shiny. Is that a high gloss?

Also, the grills and burners are ready for paint. In searching around the forums and internet, I’ve seen some that looks like they were restored using a silver paint and in some pictures it looks like a light gray. Does anybody know what it looked like originally?

Side note: I just removed the legs this morning. I’m putting them in Evaporust first, to get the rust off, and then probably into the lye to remove the paint. Also, the body of the hot plate is now in my e-tank (or at least half of it is. Sure hope the paint will cover up the dark line that I’m sure will be there after I flip it around and finish it.

Spurgeon Hendrick · « **Reply #8 on:** March 29, 2019, 09:54:52 AM »

Can you tell which one I polished with Mother’s?

Spurgeon Hendrick · « **Reply #9 on:** April 12, 2019, 01:26:54 PM »

Here is the body of the hot plate after doing both ends in the e-tank.

Question: can I paint over the flash rust? If not, what’s the best way to get it off? I don’t have anything big enough to submerge it in Evaporust or vinegar.

I’m thinking of scrubbing it all over (dry) with a steel brush and then washing it down with mineral spirits ... but I figure it will flash rust again before I start painting. (And frankly, i’m tired of scrubbing this thing!!

Another note: the legs have been in the lye bucket for a couple of weeks and the dang enamel is still stubborn as hell. I’m going to have to use methylene chloride in those.

Cheryl Watson · « **Reply #10 on:** April 13, 2019, 03:32:55 PM »

Hmmm... haven't tried this yet, but it looks like this might be custom made for this type of job!

https://evapo-rust.com/rust-block/

I'd that body down one last time with Barkeepers friend, rinse and then hit it with the Rust Block.

Bet those legs need some Zip Strip with M/C...

Put the legs in a plastic box, coat them well, snap the lid on... walk away and let it work. (I have just about every size of plastic Sterlite storage boxes 'known to exist'...) ;D ;D

Spurgeon Hendrick · « **Reply #11 on:** April 13, 2019, 09:34:13 PM »

Thank you, Cheryl! That looks interesting.

Definitely methylene chloride on the legs.

I was hoping to start painting this weekend, but the pollen is still so high, i’m Going to wait. I wanted to hang it outside to paint it, but if I did that right now, before the black paint could dry, the hot plate would be yellow, not black.

Cheryl Watson · « **Reply #12 on:** April 13, 2019, 10:15:13 PM »

Yellow and Green... tree pollen is .... yucks!!
(Back on all my Meds for the next few weeks... :'( :'( )

Russell Ware · « **Reply #13 on:** April 14, 2019, 09:07:35 AM »

For that flash rust you might want to try using 90% isopropyl alcohol and a rag or cotton swab. Just like cleaning the tape head capstan and pinch roller on an 8-track tape or cassette player, even a VCR for that matter. Don't forget those tapes were magnetic because they were coated with ferric oxide.
90% alcohol will evaporate more quickly than the 50% or 70% solutions.

Spurgeon Hendrick · « **Reply #14 on:** May 21, 2019, 02:54:54 PM »

Well, I’m gaining on it. Here’s what I have stripped and ready for paint (where needed). I finally got all of the rust off of the body of the hot plate. It took another round in the electro and a whole lot of scrubbing. After the last scrubbing I wiped it down with odorless mineral spirits. That might have been a mistake. Now it kinda looks like it has an oily sheen to it. (Not a great picture of it leaning up against my bookcase, but hopefully you can see it well enough.)

All I have left is to clean two of the grates a little better, strip the gas pipe (that goes across the front), the arm supports for the pipe, and the “703” nameplate.

After those are done, I will start painting. I found a semi-gloss black (rated up to 1200 degrees) and a silver (also rated to 1200). The one on the right is called “Cast Coat Aluminum” but it is only rated to 500, so I think I’m going with the silver.

The plane is to use the black paint on the frame/legs and the silver on the burners and the grates. (Although, I’m starting to change my mind on the grates. I might paint them black.

Spurgeon Hendrick · « **Reply #15 on:** May 21, 2019, 03:00:14 PM »

By the way, the legs were a pain to strip. I don’t know how many coats of enamel Griswold put on them, but it took three rounds of paint stripper to get it off. Ugh.

Spurgeon Hendrick · « **Reply #16 on:** May 22, 2019, 09:00:48 PM »

Can somebody tell me what the heck is going on with this pipe? I just took it out of my e-tank. (I can only do one end at a time.) and the paint came off easily ... but the clean end looks like it might be plated. Whatever it is, it sure is shiny!

Cheryl Watson · « **Reply #17 on:** May 23, 2019, 12:22:32 AM »

Hey! Those cans of spray paint... look like my 'paint' cupboard! I think I have a few more Dupli Colors ...

Because 6-7 years ago.. silly me thought I would like to restore a 'hot plate'.... well...

I have learned enough to know that I will continue to defer that project!! ;D ;D ;D

Now that pipe looks 'too' pretty! Wonder if it was plated?

If so, I'd go with the original... can always paint later... JMO..

(Because we never know what has been done to it between Original Mfg. and now)

All the other parts are looking fabulous!

Keep us posted!

(been mucking around in the Garage and Shed with final cleanouts! )

Spurgeon Hendrick · « **Reply #18 on:** May 27, 2019, 01:27:58 PM »

Not quite done, but done enough that I’m gonna cook on it this afternoon. I still need to scrub the grates. The grate in the middle is fairly done, but I haven’t done much on the other two. I found a semi-glass clear enamel, rated up to 2000 degrees, but my local Home Depot doesn’t have it in stock. They have a couple of cans at one about an hour from me, but that will have to wait. (i’m Going to leave the burners and the grates the way they are and protect them from rust with the clear enamel.)

I hooked it up to my propane tank and, with a frustrating thirty minutes of making adjustments, I have three nice, blue flames!

Russell Ware · « **Reply #19 on:** May 27, 2019, 03:01:46 PM »

Great restoration. It really looks sharp.

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Author Topic: I’m starting in on the 3-burner Griswold hot plate - questions galore (Read 2451 times)