Old Camp Ovens

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Stickbow Hunter
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Old Camp Ovens

#1 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Sat Jan 10, 2015 5:25 pm

Sleepy asked in another thread about the old camp ovens Jude and I collect and clean up and use to cook with. I will post some photos up of a couple and tell what is involved in cleaning them and also a bit of history about them.

This first old oven is a Carron which was made in Scotland and could be up to 150 years old. This is what it looked like when we got it.
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This is what it looked like once we cleaned it up.
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A little damper cooked in it.
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I have been cleaning our rusty old ovens in a mix of 1 part molasses to approx 8 parts water. It normally takes from four days to a week to get all the rust off - depends on how badly rusted the oven is. I use a wire brush in a drill to help remove the loose rust. This is what the ovens look like when all the rust is removed.
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After this stage they must be dried, wiped over with the oil of your choice (we use organic Coconut Oil) and put them in a hooded BBQ at 250 degrees C or over coals so the oil burns on and turns black. This is done a couple of times to seal off the surface of the camp ovens. This not only stops them rusting but it also stops food sticking to them. This process is called seasoning.

Cont.......

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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#2 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Sat Jan 10, 2015 5:57 pm

This is a rather big oven we got last year. It is a 17" Harding oven which was made in Ballart Vic. It was probably made in the 1980's. The foundry opened around 1923 and closed in 1999. They made their first camp ovens in 1968. I like the Harding ovens as they are nice and robust.

This is what our oven looked like when we got it.
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This was it all cleaned up and ready for a little Christmas get together with a few of our neighbours. It's the oven on the left.
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It is a bit of work cleaning up the old ovens but well worth it as the tucker just taste better cooked in them IMO. These are a few photos of the feed we cooked up.
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Before we cooked the roasts above we cooked our Christmas Fruit Cake in the smaller 15" camp oven. It turned out great. We were wrapped as we hadn't tried a fruit cake in the camp oven before.
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I know its brief but I hope it answers at least some of your questions sleepy. :biggrin:

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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#3 Post by bigbob » Sat Jan 10, 2015 6:28 pm

Geez all that terrific looking tucker is making me hungry Jeff! Must say you did a top job refurbishing them too. Molasses eh, who would have thought!
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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#4 Post by Gringa Bows » Sat Jan 10, 2015 8:52 pm

Had tea not long ago and i still drool over the camp oven food,you did a great job of cleaning them up mate :wink:

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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#5 Post by Curvemeister » Sat Jan 10, 2015 11:37 pm

Awesome stuff , a huge difference when they are all cleaned up , amazing how the age of them , like that Carron one seems to disappear once they have a nice sheen to them .

Without knowing the history of it you mentioned , you could be mistaken into thinking it is only as old as the harding .

Where did you get the Alloy windshield Jeff ? is it a home made job ? I wouldn't mind haven't one of tem in the kit bag myself , very handy for the portable gas burner cookers when out on the road.
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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#6 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Sun Jan 11, 2015 12:24 pm

Thanks fellas. I like restoring them back to good working condition again. If only they could tell stories.

We just got an old Carron recently that the old couple we got it from had had it for the whole of their 54 years of marriage and the lady's mum had it before her and the grandmother before her. Over 100 years in the family!!! It is a beautiful old oven. It could easily be 120 - 150 years old also.
Curvemeister wrote:Where did you get the Alloy windshield Jeff ?
From this place mate. http://www.2daloo.com/gasguards.html They are the best quality ones I have seen and are made from gal steel. They are actually made for around gas stoves etc. We had a standard one that we used for our smaller ovens. The one in the photo above was a custom made one we had them make for our bigger ovens. A couple of friends and us got three made up that were 100mm higher. They do work great as there always seems to be a wind blowing from somewhere when out camping. :biggrin:

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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#7 Post by UPTHETOP » Mon Jan 12, 2015 7:39 pm

Not an oven Jeff but the horse lovers think this one is the go. Just like the picky but don't know how practical it would be.

Cheers Wayno
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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#8 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Mon Jan 12, 2015 8:05 pm

I have seen a number of similar ones Wayno. Some have folding legs so they compact more for travelling. They are handy with ovens that have had their legs cut off.

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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#9 Post by Sleepy » Wed Jan 14, 2015 1:05 pm

:) Thanks Jeff & good on you for posting this!

And sorry for me taking so long to comment on it; I had a quick squiz at it when you first put it up, but have been a bit busy the last few days and I wanted to do a proper job in replying to it. Now I've got the time, so here goes:

It was the photo's of that Carron you posted in your WTB Old Camp Ovens thread that first piqued my interest in seeing and learning a bit more about them and what you've been doing with them.

I really like the decorative castings/ironwork on the lid; what a bonny-looking thing it is! (you'll note, not just an accurate description of it's aesthetic qualities there, but origin-appropriate too! :) ).

It's a bit of a pity that there wasn't a younger generation family member interested in the Carron you recently bought from that old couple to keep it's history going as a family heirloom, but these things happen, and at least it's gone to a good home where it's been restored to fully working order again and onsold to someone else who appreciates it.

So what's the deal with "Metters" brand camp ovens - what's so good about them? Why so highly prized?

Any other brands to be looking out for?

And thanks too for the info on restoring it (if people are interested, there's a wee bit more detail on this in the http://www.ozbow.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=14189 thread - mainly to do with use of a flapper to clean up the bottom).

I'd really like to restore my grandad's old tools (e.g. got some cold chisels that have surface rust on them due to dew managing to creep into the shed and get onto them) - anything to watch out for in using a molasses bath to clean them up (e.g. keep the wood handles out of the mixture)? I get the impression the molasses bath is safe to use on any metal - is this true?

Got to agree with the other guys, those photo's of the food's making me hungry too!

'Love the one of the damper; 'notice how not only has it got butter on it (as opposed to margarine), but golden syrup too! Now there's something I haven't seen at the table for ages, let alone on a restaurant menu. YUM!

And are those pizza trays with holes drilled in them keeping the food off the camp-oven floor? To keep the food from stewing in it's own juices I presume, and to get a nice crispy finish on the bottom without having to be turned during cooking?

'Think I might have to invite Jeff & Jude to come visit next time they're down my way and I'll show them around my neck of the woods a bit; 'condition being they cook up some camp-oven food while they're here!

Cheers all!

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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#10 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Fri Jan 23, 2015 12:46 pm

Sorry for the late reply Sleepy.
Sleepy wrote:It was the photo's of that Carron you posted in your WTB Old Camp Ovens thread that first piqued my interest in seeing and learning a bit more about them and what you've been doing with them.
And thanks too for the info on restoring it (if people are interested, there's a wee bit more detail on this in the viewtopic.php?f=36&t=14189 thread - mainly to do with use of a flapper to clean up the bottom).
I had forgotten I had posted that information and photos previously. :oops: One thing I will correct (I have removed it from the linked thread also) is I no longer touch any of my camp ovens with a flapper disc. This is because I have found that if you are not really careful you can grind the natural cast finish on the ovens. I find the wire brush in a drill works best for removing any rust as it doesn't harm the natural cast finish on the ovens.
Sleepy wrote:I'd really like to restore my grandad's old tools (e.g. got some cold chisels that have surface rust on them due to dew managing to creep into the shed and get onto them) - anything to watch out for in using a molasses bath to clean them up (e.g. keep the wood handles out of the mixture)? I get the impression the molasses bath is safe to use on any metal - is this true?
The molasses is safe to use on steel and cast iron but not sure about other metals. I certainly wouldn't place the wooden handles of any tools in the molasses bath.
Sleepy wrote:So what's the deal with "Metters" brand camp ovens - what's so good about them? Why so highly prized? Any other brands to be looking out for?
Like many of the old ovens the attraction with Metters ovens is that they are old and Aussie made. From memory I think they were made from the late 1800's to around 1950. They were well made ovens. We have a few of them now.

There are many old Aussie made ovens. Some are very nicely cast and others are really "rough as guts". To me Furphy ovens are in this second group yet they seem to be one of the most sort after ovens. Barring a 14" we have a full set of Furphy ovens. We never intended to do this but we just happen to come across them at reasonable prices. The smallest is 8" and the largest 20".
This is the 8" Furphy
This is the 8" Furphy
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The 8" inside a 20" Furphy
The 8" inside a 20" Furphy
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The 20" Furphy when we got it - all 33kgs of it!
The 20" Furphy when we got it - all 33kgs of it!
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Some other Aussie made ovens are, Albion, Bundaberg Foundry (known as the Railway or Main Roads ovens), Carmichael, E & G Foundry, Harding, Norval, R M Williams, Scandia, Simpson, Walton and there are others. There are some nice old unnamed ovens as well. This is an old unnamed oven that was owned by an old bridge builder in Western QLD. Even though it hasn't got a brand name on it I think it is a beautiful old oven.
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Sleepy wrote:And are those pizza trays with holes drilled in them keeping the food off the camp-oven floor? To keep the food from stewing in it's own juices I presume, and to get a nice crispy finish on the bottom without having to be turned during cooking?
Yeah mate just used as trivets. As well as the above they can help to stop burning the bottom of foods if you have a few too many coals underneath.

I hope that gives you a bit more info.

Jeff

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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#11 Post by matt61 » Fri Jan 23, 2015 4:11 pm

Any chance of getting the recipe for the fruit cake, it looks scrumptious. :smile:
thanks Matt

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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#12 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Fri Jan 23, 2015 4:32 pm

matt61 wrote:Any chance of getting the recipe for the fruit cake, it looks scrumptious. :smile:
thanks Matt
No probs mate. It was delicious too! :biggrin:

Condensed milk fruit cake

Ingredients

1 kg packet mixed fruit
250 gms butter
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup water
1 can sweetened condensed milk (400gms)
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 tablespoons sherry or brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cloves

Method

1. Prepare a 22cm square or round cake tin. Grease the base and sides and line with the whole tin with cake baking paper.
2. Cut the paper to fit the base and then cut strips to line the sides of the tin. Grease the paper with butter. Put prepared tin to one side until you are ready to mix the cake.
3. Put mixed fruit, butter soda and water into a saucepan and bring to the boil and then allow to cool.
4. Add condensed milk, vinegar, sherry/brandy and vanilla essence.
5. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and ground cloves and gradually add to the fruit mixture.
6. Put into the greased paper lined tin and bake at 150º for 2 hours.
7. Check after 90 minutes that the top isn’t burning. If the fruit is starting to look dark brown or even black, cover the top of the cake with a double sheet of baking paper (we didn't find this necessary).
8. Check with a skewer or very thin bladed knife. If the blade/skewer comes out clean the cake is cooked.
Note: We pre heated the camp oven and put coals underneath and on top of the oven and it took 2 hrs 25mins to cook.
9. When cooked, leave the cake to cool in the tin before turning it out.

NOTE: We used Port when the recipe said sherry or brandy. We don't like glazed cherries so we picked them out of the dried fruit and substituted them with Cranberries.

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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#13 Post by matt61 » Fri Jan 23, 2015 7:50 pm

Thanks very much Jeff
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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#14 Post by Gringa Bows » Sat Jan 24, 2015 10:41 am

A Mummy Furphy and its baby :lol:

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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#15 Post by Sleepy » Tue Jan 27, 2015 10:25 pm

Stickbow Hunter wrote:Sorry for the late reply Sleepy.
Nah, no worries - it's taken me a few days to spot it and reply! :-)

Thanks for bunging up the response; there's a fair bit you've had to write for it and a fair few questions answered in it.

So thanks for doing that - a while back I was thinking of getting a camp oven from Aussie Disposals/one of the outdoor stores, but got put off as I don't get much opportunity to use one and didn't think it worth it for the price I'd have to pay for one..... but that's changed as a result of this thread; I think I'll pick up a camp oven next time I spot one in a Salvo's/Op shop for a few bucks and give it your resto treatment.

Any tips on what features make for a good 'un versus a not-so-good one (for cooking that is)? Aesthetics are nice to have, and they will play a part in my choice if I come across two good, but different ones, but first and foremost I want it to be well designed and to perform well.

Cheers all!

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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#16 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Mon Feb 02, 2015 4:07 pm

Sleepy wrote:Any tips on what features make for a good 'un versus a not-so-good one (for cooking that is)? Aesthetics are nice to have, and they will play a part in my choice if I come across two good, but different ones, but first and foremost I want it to be well designed and to perform well.
Make sure the oven has a good fitting lid. Quite often the lids can have a buckle in them and can be rocked up and down on the base - not good. A lot of the new Chinese ovens have this problem. A little movement is quite common and acceptable though.

I like my ovens to have long legs on them to allow the coals to breath when they are placed under the oven. You can use a trivet such as Wayno posted a photo of above if the oven doesn't have legs.

An oven with a reasonably thick wall of around 5mm will help maintain a more even heat.

When buying second hand really check the oven over well looking for any hair line cracks. They can be very difficult to see. If you find any don't buy it as more often than not these cracks will grow with use leading to the oven breaking.

I would buy an old Aussie made oven over a newer Asian made one any day.

Hope that helps.

Jeff

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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#17 Post by Sleepy » Thu Feb 05, 2015 8:53 am

Yep! Thanks Jeff; some great tips there for someone who knows very little about the subject like me.

I'll start keeping an eye out in the op shops and flea markets from now on. And so the search begins......

... If I do manage to lay my hands on one I'll post a few pics of the resto process and the finished item.....

.... But in the meantime I'll get my hands on some molasses. That way if the search goes on a lot longer than I'd expected, I can always bung it on some hot buttered damper to keep me going :)

Cheers!

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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#18 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Thu Feb 05, 2015 10:53 am

Sleepy wrote:... If I do manage to lay my hands on one I'll post a few pics of the resto process and the finished item.....
All the best with your search and I hope you find a good one. For some reason there seems to be quite a few that pop up over in WA so keep an eye out. Please do post some photos of the oven when you get one.

Jeff

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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#19 Post by TEX » Thu Oct 01, 2015 7:34 pm

Hello stick bow hunter

They turned out great.
Have you ever tried using vinegar to remove rust.
I am soaking some old vintage car parts in some at the moment. It's my first try at it.
So far it's working ok.
Regards Mark

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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#20 Post by Gringa Bows » Thu Oct 01, 2015 8:09 pm

Bloody ell what are you into now Johno

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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#21 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Thu Oct 01, 2015 8:20 pm

TEX wrote:Have you ever tried using vinegar to remove rust.
Have heard of people using vinegar Mark but haven't tried it myself. I am about to give electrolysis a go as I have seen great results from people using this method.

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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#22 Post by Gringa Bows » Thu Oct 01, 2015 9:34 pm

oh yeah wrong Tex

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Re: Old Camp Ovens

#23 Post by Outbackdad » Mon May 09, 2016 7:30 am

May be of interest to some.

At Millmerran. Qld

More information here.
http://acof.com.au/
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