Smoke Tabs??

[Troy_Hockensmith]

Now here is a nice example of an old one I call a transition Skillet. There has been disscussions time an again on the origination of the smoke ring. For the members you can go into the member side and look back to the first newsletter for WAGS and read the article I wrote.

What do you think the purpose of the tabs on the underside of this skillet are?  

I haven't strirred this pot in awhile and I think we have seen enough new faces to poke the bear again.  ;)

[Scott Sanders]

Intresting skillet bottom.........I don't know Troy, maybe they should be called "heat tabs" instead.  Or maybe "leveling tabs" to make the skillet sit level and not rock on the gate mark.  Go ahaead...POKE THAT BEAR... ;D ;D

Scott

[Roger Barfield]

I would say they were to make the skillet sit level over the gate mark and makings.    I've seen them with 3 and 4 tabs and even a broken ring of tabs that went all the way around the bottom like heat ring/smoke ring/ fire ring/leveling ring, or whatever you like to call it. ;D

[Roger Barfield]

Here's a photo of the one I was talking about, it was busted up in shipping.  I copied this photo from a thread I had started about it on the dark side a while back.

[Troy_Hockensmith]

Roger,
 I guess you could call those outside heat tabs and the one I posted inside heat tabs.

[C. B. Williams]

One other possibility is to keep the skillet from sliding away from an 'open' eye, when cooking on a wood stove without the eye in place. Maybe retainer tabs. ?? Not based on any knowledge, just a thought.

[Dwayne Henson]

The leveling makes sense to me. I did see a restored train in Alamosa, CO, that had the original coal cook stove, and some cast iron cookware. The skillets Heat rings actually fit tight inside the stove's eyes. The gentleman giving the tour said they were made that way to keep them from sliding off, going around those mountain curves. So retaining tabs may be accurate as well.

[Greg Stahl]

The leveling makes sense to me. I did see a restored train in Alamosa, CO, that had the original coal cook stove, and some cast iron cookware. The skillets Heat rings actually fit tight inside the stove's eyes. The gentleman giving the tour said they were made that way to keep them from sliding off, going around those mountain curves. So retaining tabs may be accurate as well.

That was the first thing I thought they were used for too

[bassmstr28]

My cast iron stove has one of the burners that has three pieces to it. So they come out and you can fit different size objects in it. Say a small pan with those tabs like Troys. My stove is in storage it is a beauty Crawford Royal but I found this pic online you can see the burner on the back left.

[C. B. Williams]

Hmmm, my thought might have some merit.

[C. Perry Rapier]

Hmmm, my thought might have some merit.

Looks like you're right on the money C.B.

Lets call them stabilizers or outriggers?  ;)

I think a ships stove would use the same kind of skillet.

[Roger Barfield]

I bet they were intended to both make it sit level on a flat surface and also to fit in the eye of a wood stove.  Take a look at the HF and co skillet I posted on the eye candy section.  It's marked size 8 and 9, so it would fit those size stove eyes as well, but it has a solid ring around the bottom to make it sit flat.  Where's Joel when you need a short, concise, answer  ;D

[C. Perry Rapier]

I bet they were intended to both make it sit level on a flat surface and also to fit in the eye of a wood stove.  Take a look at the HF and co skillet I posted on the eye candy section.  It's marked size 8 and 9, so it would fit those size stove eyes as well, but it has a solid ring around the bottom to make it sit flat.  Where's Joel when you need a short, concise, answer  ;D

ROGER, a "short concise answer", from Joel.  ;D Never let it be said that our Joel is short winded. This topic always was/is interesting though. And what about where the whole bottom goes down into the eye of the stove, as in the old teapots, them ain't goin nowhere.  ;)

[Troy_Hockensmith]

You know, I'm not saying some were not for that. THink of the eccentric,removing the eye and allowing offset space.

But if putting them in the opening was a rings purpose how do you explain the larger skillets (Say 10 and above) having them because there is no hole that size  on any stove I know of although I am not an expert but have seen a stove or two. It's a well known fact that there are few if any 12 and above without a heat ring. Also consider the larger skillets are more apt to get hotter in a small area and remain cooler around the outside which makes them more apt to warp and require a leveler to make it keep from rocking. ......I'm just saying. I really don't know though.

[Troy_Hockensmith]

Another thought. If you look at the picture Roger posted I don; tsee where those tads would do anthing for retaining. The pan would just fall into the hole or eye and the tabs would serve no purpose for retention on that skillet.

[Dwayne Henson]

Roger's  look like their purpose was for leveling.

[bassmstr28]

Actually rogers skillet would be retained on a old cook stove because when you remove those burners there is a lip under there that holds the burner in place as it would a pan. But I also am stumped on the larger sizes. Has anyone ever seen a old cast iron stove for say a Restuarant or Hotel. Maybe those eyes are bigger?

[Dwayne Henson]

Good point Jerry

[Troy_Hockensmith]

Roger,
 What is the measurment of that skillet. Was it a 9? If I recall that skillet was bigger than any eye on any stove I've ever seen. But again, I certainly am no expert.

[Roger Barfield]

I don't have it to measure since the post office kept it when they payed me the damage claim.  It was a #10 though.