Bored guy projects...what have you started doing with you free time?

This boredom is killing me...So last week I decided to shop junk stores for rusty antique cast iron. Learned how to restore and season them. Then bought a cool thermaworks grill thermometer and smoker tube and have been crushing ribs, brisket and roasts on the grill Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login


Thanks,
PappyDewBoston

 

Food pics, please!

I suck @ seasoning CI. I've taken to buying Lodge pre-seasoned.

What's your recipe for rehabbing and seasoning?

T

 

Vinegar soak to remove rust. Baking soda bath to stop new rust. Wire brush drill bit to smooth iron. Crisco wipe down then on grill 1 hour at 500. Let cool. Repeat crisco wipe down and grill 5 times.


Thanks,
PappyDewBoston

 

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Thanks,
PappyDewBoston

 

Nice looking que!

Since I have worked from home for the last few years, my schedule changed little with COVID. Wife is working from home more, and so we try to go for a fun drive once or twice a week, either paved back roads in one of the sports cars or unpaved back roads in the truck.

This is the ghost town of New Harp, Texas.
We did not take the Cali! Was about 5 miles of unpaved roads to get there.

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T

 

Interesting looking place. Road trips are a great covid project. Beats painting the boiler room floor which I did last week.


Thanks,
PappyDewBoston

 

Love the before/after pic and the fruits of your labor even more.
Well done.

 

Not bored, but decided to work on my welding and build a grill. Its now painted but you get the gist.
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Wow that is impressive. Congrats. If I start buying welding equipment my wife may protest a bit.


Thanks,
PappyDewBoston

 

Cast iron rocks, and I DO keep at least a few pieces properly seasoned & they get quite a bit of use.

Otherwise? I'm lazy, and love enamel over cast iron - such as La Creuset. Similar heat retention, but no real worry about acidic foods eating down into the iron. Have a couple of REALLY old pieces, and the enamel is permanently stained, but? Can still fire it up on an open high flame, and doesn't seem to want to buckle, split, or chip.

 

This looks awesome [emoji1362][emoji16][emoji1360]

 

Le Creuset seems to be one of those cookware brands that has its own cult following, but people I have chatted with about it, seem to love it.

I lucked out, I married into most of our CI. [emoji2]
Wife's mother had ancient cast iron from Wagner, Erie. I think there may even be some Griswold in her horde...T

 

Last week's backroad jaunt in the truck.
Near the site of the Bloomfield ghost town (it was inundated when Lake Ray Roberts was formed).

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If you don't recognize the little guy, maybe this will jog your memory! [emoji6]


T

 

In my COVID time, I've been working on a number of projects, including a hardtop for my 360 Spider and "Health Checkup" tester for Bosch throttle bodies (TB), specifically, the models 0 280 750 XXX.

I've found precious little about these little buggers online. Bosch keeps the specifications of the internals pretty close but I've managed to tease out some important details on how the "Drive-by-Wire" circuit functions.

I suspect before a TB gets to the point where the ECU throws a code, the performance of the TB drops. This would lead to throttle lag and power problems. Being able to test the TB and get a health status might help find problems before they throw a code. In addition, being able to test a TB and get a definite pass/fail, would eliminate costly parts thrown at a problem. The TB's on a 360 are $1750 each at Ricambia. I'm guessing any Ferrari tech worth their salt would recommend replacing both TB's, which is logical since they should be a matched pairs. Ferrari loves replacing parts in pairs anyway.

That's the logic of this project.

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I've got the all important motor controller working and am able to move the throttle via software control. I know in the software exactly how much power is being used by the DC motor that controls the unit. The next step is to integrate the potentiometers into the program so that I can tell the throttle angle and error rate of those two components. To tie it together, the software will move the throttle and calculate the lag. A 2 line x 16 character display will report the progress of the test and the raw data recorded to an SD card for later analysis. Ideas being cooked are including a "drive file" that the software will run to see how the throttle reacts to a real world type situation.

A growth gadget would be a data recorder that fits between the TB and the connector to record the data from a real world drive.

An additional benefit of this tester is to source and qualify spare parts to rebuild TB's. The only obvious unique thing about the 360 TB is the vent that attaches next to the butterfly valve shaft cap. The body makes it expensive. The parts inside appear to be common among the 0 280 750 series. A similar sized TB for a production car runs about $175. Qualifying which parts from which mass produced TB's fit and spec in the 360 TB would make this possible.

So this is what I've been doing (partially) with my COVID staycation.

 

I really like my carbon steel pans. Have 2. Heat fast, act like cast iron, easy to clean and about half the weight. BTW, carbon steel pans are the restaurants workhorses. I like to sear my costco prime rib cap steaks one side 5-6 minutes then into a 500 degree oven to finish to med rare. Makes a nice crust on the meat.

 

Agree on carbon steel. Since I got my Lodge and then the Matfer carbon steel pan, the old CI skillets we inherited from the mother in law see less use. What's you recipe for seasoning the pans? The Lodge came seasoned; an still not happy with the seasoning I've put down on the Matfer...T

 

Online recipe...not mine...potato skins, oil and salt. cook till almost burned. works pretty good. can do again if necessary. mine are pretty well good now. Don't cook anything acidic like tomato sauce in them...takes it all off...ask my son how he knows! Online tutorial just goog it on utube.

 

That's what I did. Plus, lots of bacon! Need to repeat.
Doh! I've made that mistake before!
T

 

Oh, don't waste good bacon burning in the pan!

 

Not wasted. I cook the double cut stuff until extra crisp, the way the missus likes it...T

 

That video is the reason I got the Matfer. I've been sorely tempted to get one if those Blu Skillets, but at the price, it'd turn into a garage queen!
T

 

Mother of god those things are expensive! Can't see the value...other than bragging rights. At least my Ferrari is fast! Still, good looking pan. I always say buy the best and keep it....btw my two are also Matfer. One 11" and a smaller at hmmm 6-7'?

 

Bored Guy project? apparently, shopping for a carbon steel pan. The recommended Matfer Bourgeat got 7% one-star reviews on Amazon. I know, reviews and *******s, but 7% critical of QC and warping makes me disinclined to click buy.
Tom, was your experience favorable with the MB skillet?

Blu Skillet has a monthly lottery to buy their product. Very clever marketing.
https://bluskilletironware.com/lottery-page-1

 

I've been very happy with the Matfer. I got the 11 7/8" skillet 4 years ago after seeing the America's Test Kitchen video. I saw those same reviews. Not sure what to think. Maybe a lot of people abuse the heck out of their cookware and then are a bit ticked off when it warps?!? Mine is still level. I think if I were going to do it over, I'd do what Brett did and get a bigger one and a smaller one. Smaller for more everyday cooking jobs, and a bigger one when you need space, have guests, etc. Just make sure you season it well, and it's scrupulously dry before putting it away.

Yeah, the Blu Skillet lottery is pretty clever. I'm tempted, because they're so pretty!

T

 

Yeah, Blu Skillet is wacky, but cheaper than copper cookware!

Learned that the hard way. Expensive cookware is not always best. If you're wanting something cheap and good, look into Vollrath aluminum for everyday cooking. I have an omelet sized Vollrath. 8". Cost me less than 20 beans, bought it 2.5 years ago, and I use it nearly every day, and it's really stood up to the usage...T