October 2012 - New Stove at the lodge

New Stove at the Lodge!

Over the last several months, the old Garland stove at Emigrant Gap Lodge lost one oven thermostat and lost the heat shield, thermal coupler and metal drip pan in the other oven, making it virtually useless for baking.  After checking with commercial range repair shops from Sacramento to Reno and trying to order vintage parts, we determined that it would be less expensive to purchase another used commercial stove than to attempt to repair the old one. 

First, we looked at a 1950's Wolf stove on the Summit that had already been converted to propane, but once the owner finally hooked it up to propane for us to see it, we decided that it would be too much of a fixer to take on. 

Next, we found a newer Southbend in San Francisco.  Unfortunately, it was set for natural gas and was in a walk-up victorian.  Even with these two obstacles, it looked to be in working condition and the owner advised it would be ready to go when I came to pick it up. 

However, when I arrived at the house, it was still connected to gas and had to be moved through the kitchen doorway, through a narrow hallway, onto a small front landing and down a staircase.  The owner, a few of his construction guys and I wrangled it into my truck, then Jim and I took it up to the Gap.  

With the help of our dear neighbors, their piano mover, our construction guy and Jim, we got it into the lodge.  These commercial stoves weigh a ton.  From there, I had to order the propane conversion kit. I also had to clean years of cooking grease from the burners and the griddle/ broiler (the ovens were pretty clean). 

Finally I was able to schedule a repair visit with our friends at Amerigas.  After about 5 hours of work, the repair tech advised that two of the gauges for the griddle/broiler would not fully turn off and needed to be replaced and that one of the ovens needed a new heat controller. We were able to trade the gauges with the garland but I will need to order the controller for the oven this week.  

For now, the new stove is working, one oven is working and oven 2 will be working in the near future. The old stove will be donated to Habitat for Humanity in Grass Valley or to the Salvation Army in Reno.  

Here are some pictures of the kitchen as it is now.  We still have some cabinetry to add above the old reach in ice box and we need to do lots of painting and trim work - but the kitchen is once more fully functional - ready for turkey and pies for Thanksgiving!