# Cast Iron Stand or Cabinet



## vilasman (Mar 22, 2008)

If you were going to make a stand or a cabinent to store/ hold your cast iron pieces would you make it of iron or wood? Wood wont scratch it, iron can take the pan while it was still hot.


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## Michael in FtW (Mar 22, 2008)

vilasman said:


> If you were going to make a stand or a cabinent to store/ hold your cast iron pieces would you make it of iron or wood? Wood wont scratch it, iron can take the pan while it was still hot.


 
LOL - Wood. 

How often do you store your "other" cookware while still hot off the stove?


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## DrThunder88 (Mar 23, 2008)

I agree with Michael.  Anything hot enough to scorch wood is not being put anywhere near away.

Are you looking to make something more like a trivet where the pan goes between cooking stages or something within which to actually store the pans when they aren't being used?


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## vilasman (Mar 23, 2008)

Well, he does make a great point about heat, and I hae a rack of trivets I dont think any of them are big enough to take the pizza pan.

My thought about that was this. I have a 4 burner stove. Lets say I was using one pan to make eggs and another to make pancakes, one to make grits, one to make gravy, and i got through making the pancakes, but needed the burner to make something else. You could sit the pan on a trivet to the side, (note to self, duh) but... in my little kitchen, there are often times more things that need to be cooked than there are burners to cook them and I am not ready to go to a 6 burner yet. Counter space can also be at a premium, and I have a fear of taking a scorching hot pan from the kitchen to the dining room to sit it on a trivet on the buffet or the table.... fear of the heat radiating down through the trivet and leaving little black semi circles on what ever is beneath.

Or it could be the wok, that I just remembered I was drying on a burner... as I am writing this, and need to move because I now need to make eggs for wife on a flat skillet. Or the pizza pan and the griddle that I leave in the oven, and my wife never remembers are in the oven when she goes to bake something, and they need to come out and land somewhere. Or finally when you are seasoning your pans and they really need to come out of the oven so some more can go in.

There are work arounds for each situation. But I guess my main goal is have something in a corner in the kitchen that i dont have to bend over and dig through to get my pan of choice. I probably wouldn't leave the pizza pan and griddle in the oven if I had a place to put it, and the griddle would probably come out hot.

It needs to be strong, not too ugly and rather big cause I have about 10 cast iron pieces.

I almost had the idea to get a nice sized tree trunk and carve it out of that... but I dont think it would work with wife. Wife is going to want something that looked like it would be in Martha's kitchen


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## vilasman (Mar 23, 2008)

As for my other cookware, it would probably go in the sink, if it was empty. This may be bad form, but generally stuff that I cook in SS or Anolon, there's usually something left in the pot after you have served the plates. With CI usually it's all on the plates. And I think it was you guys who taught me, with CI get the food off the pan and at least start to clean it while it was still hot.

With SS, who cares the dishwasher will get it clean. With Anolon, who cares, it will peel off/out pretty much whenever you get around to cleaning it.


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## GotGarlic (Mar 23, 2008)

How about something like this: Amazon.com: Innova Classicor Wrought-Iron Oval Pot Rack: Kitchen & Dining HTH.


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## Wart (Mar 23, 2008)

When I get back I may clean up my 'bench' and take/post a picture.

I built a bench from 2x4s and 2x6es ripped to 1.5x3 and 1.5x5 (you can tell its made of structural wood it just doesn't _look_ like framing).

The bottom front and sides are 2x4, the back sides are 2x5 which holds an upper shelf. the shelves are 3/4 inch plywood. The back is peg board. The overhead shelf has hooks for holding pans and pieces. This wood is urethaned.

The counter top is raw piney wood so it can have hot pans set on it, if needed. The top also has a hinged section over a compartment containing a small trash can. The bench is next to the cutting board, when there is cutting fodder to be gotten rid of its a flip of the top and bench knife and the cuttings are gone.

If I had to build another bench I would build it slightly different, not much.

Thing is, unless the iron stacks neatly room runs out quickly. OTOH last time I did a quick count of iron pieces I came up with 23 (not counting lids, and the waffle iron as one). I have probably twice that number in the garage. Dutch ovens are real estate hogs as is the 14 inch round griddle. Storing a 12 inch skillet isn't a sweetheart either.

The next plan is to take some 3/4 or 1 inch cherry wood plank, make it pretty, drill 3/8 holes for dowel rod and screwing it to a wall.


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## Wart (Mar 23, 2008)

GotGarlic said:


> How about something like this: Amazon.com: Innova Classicor Wrought-Iron Oval Pot Rack: Kitchen & Dining HTH.




Problem with hanging racks is shadows. One of my 'pathologies' is I HATE shadows. I work with my hands and so many places are not set up to work.

I have duel receptacle flood lights over both the sink and cutting board/ counter top work areas.


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## GotGarlic (Mar 23, 2008)

If there's some sort of stone dealer near you, maybe you could get some scraps of granite or marble and use them as a sort of trivet inside a wood cabinet.


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## vilasman (Mar 23, 2008)

The granite /marble is giving me ideas


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## Fisher's Mom (Mar 23, 2008)

I'm partial to wood because it's quieter. But iron with a lovely granite top would be beautiful. Be careful about marble if that is what you select. It's easier to chip and fracture than granite.


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## Michael in FtW (Mar 23, 2008)

Now that I _think_ I know what you're looking for ...

Look for something called a Baker's Rack (here are several models you can get ideas from ... and some come in corner models, too). They also make corner Cookware Racks. You can also make your own from readily available wire-rack parts (shelves and posts). And, for organizing your lids - the first 3 on this page should give you some ideas. 

If you are good with woodworking, and have the tools, you can make any of these from wood. I would use 1x2 or 2x2 legs, 1x2 or 1/2x2 slats for the shelves and 1x1 or 1x2 pieces of dowl for the shelf spacers ... it just depends on what you want.

Something to consider - solid wood shelves will retain the pan heat (think about the function of the sizzle platter) better than slat wood shelves (air ventilation between the slats), which will retain more pan heat than metal wire shelves (metal will wick away some of the heat - plus has more air circulation than wood slats).


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## Robo410 (Mar 23, 2008)

bakers rack works well for what you're thinking. open metal shelving and some hanging space...many are very classy.


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## Caine (Mar 28, 2008)

JUst set the pan you want out of your way in the sink. Most sinks are either porcelain coated cast iron or stainless steel, so a hot pan ain't gonna hurt it. Just make sure to do the dishes BEFORE you start cooking!


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