Sunshine powers up a dip tank and re-seasons Dutch ovens



 Recently I had the task to clean years of built-up gunk and rust from 4 cast Iron Dutch Ovens then re-season them. I volunteered the service for family members and a local Nevada State Park, Spring Mountain Ranch. My daughter found a "good deal" at a yard sale and the Ranch had been given a couple of ovens that an organization didn't want anymore. Guess they didn't want to clean the layers of build-up.

 



I started to grind, and grind, wearing down several grinding wheels

and brushes that attached to my electric drill. I was also spending way too much time and expense on these black pots. I was sure my drill was going to burn up any minute.

 

 

 

I remembered reading about "dip tanks" that would gradually lift off crud and rust. I watched a few youtube videos to get a refresher. This would require a large plastic tank, a manual automotive battery charger, some metal pieces, some clamps, wire and a box of

 Arm and Hammer laundry booster.

 

I hooked up my battery charger, then thought solar might work. Attached a little 50 watt panel I use for my landscape lighting and it gently bubbled the rust away from the lid that was hanging in the solution.
Ok, but kinda slow.

Next day I dug out an old 90 watt BP panel I used to have hooked up to the yard lights. Wow! It bubbled and scrubbed like crazy.
I tested voltage: 18.5 volts, 5.5 amps. We were cooking!

Next, clean and scrub in hot soapy water to get any remaining stuff off. We went right down to the metal. Rinse and rinse and scrub with hot clean water. Now to re-season.

Get the cast iron hot, Crisco every crack, wipe off with lint free towel, then into the Sun Oven.
Ya, you heard me, Sun Oven as in solar cooker!

For many years now I have seasoned my cast iron cookware using only the power of the sun. And it does a great job. Gets past 350 F in the winter and higher than 450 F if I need it in the summer.

Oil again while hot, wipe off then back in the Sun Oven for another hour or two. It works on all cast iron cookware that needs seasoning!

 

Ya, I love my Sun Oven!

 

PLEASE NOTE: Dip tanks produce
flammable hydrogen gas.

Learn exactly what to do and

BE SAFE!!