Alan Zoff Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 I have given our trusty Stoves electric cooker an overhaul and it looks and operates like new. Now, after 15 years since it was purchased, I thought it was time to tackle a design fault. Better late than never as they say.It has been a good servant, requiring only the occasional bulb replacement. But from the start there was a rather obvious design problem that I immediately reported to Stoves - who were not the least bit interested. It concerns the grill heating element in the roof of the top oven. It is completely unprotected but placed just out of sight of the user. Which means that if you reach in to remove a pan or adjust positioning, it is very easy to burn your arm. We should know better after 15 years but still fall into the trap occasionally. And it hurts.My plan is to screw a barrier to the front of the oven roof, just inside the door, to act as a guard. There is plenty of room to do this, both inside the oven and in the cavity beneath the ceramic hob (to take screws). Whatever material I use will of course get hot but hopefully not quite as hot as the element itself. The main idea is that, as it will be plainly visible, we are more likely to avoid touching the guard than has been the case with the "hidden" element. Well that's the theory.I could just use some metal angle bracket which will withstand the 220C max temperature of the oven. However, steel will presumably heat up quickly and I wondered if someone could suggest a better alternative. Obviously it needs to be able to withstand the oven temperature. It may be that whatever material is used will eventually get to the same temperature and it makes no real difference - but I am no physicist and someone out there no doubt has a better understanding and will hopefully put me straight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 After 15 years, how about wearing an Oven Glove? [Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Zoff Posted December 14, 2009 Author Share Posted December 14, 2009 Funnily enough, we thought of that one, and even invested in an extra long glove. But I am still interested in a better solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 [quote user="Alan Zoff"] It may be that whatever material is used will eventually get to the same temperature and it makes no real difference [/quote]Well you did answer your own question Alan and a good glove will protect you from all the other hot parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 [quote user="Alan Zoff"] It may be that whatever material is used will eventually get to the same temperature and it makes no real difference - but I am no physicist and someone out there no doubt has a better understanding and will hopefully put me straight.[/quote]How about some of those tiles from the bottom of the Space Shuttle? They'll still get hot for sure but will cool off in less than a second! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Have you found a way to solve the problem I wonder? If you have, I wondered about using the product below from Lakeland over the metal. I wear oven gloves, but prefer shorter length, and find these have saved me a number of burns. [:)]Oven Shelf GuardsPack of silicone oven shelf guards.Who hasn't accidentally caught themselves on a hot oven shelf? The first of their kind, these heat-resistant silicone strips simply slide onto the front edge of the shelf, acting as a barrier between you and the hot rack. What a clever idea.(Not suitable for use in ovens that are constantly heated.) dishwasher safe Ref 1091336cm (14") L.Pack of 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Zoff Posted December 14, 2009 Author Share Posted December 14, 2009 Thanks Garden GirlI had been giving it more thought - funny how you can do that when you have written the problem down - and come up with a "solution" using a length of folded Teflon sheet which I am going to screw to the oven roof in front of the element. If that doesn't work, I will give the Lakeland guards a try. Sound perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Sounds a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 [quote user="Alan Zoff"] Thanks Garden GirlI had been giving it more thought - funny how you can do that when you have written the problem down - and come up with a "solution" using a length of folded Teflon sheet which I am going to screw to the oven roof in front of the element. If that doesn't work, I will give the Lakeland guards a try. Sound perfect.[/quote]Back to the physics lesson, think of a teflon frying pan, it is able to fry your food because it has reached the same temprature as the base material.If your oven is vitrified steel it is going to be pretty hard to drill holes in, problably require a cobalt drill and use a wet sponge around the drill to keep the tip cool and slow speed.No thanks for me, probably because I don't come up with the answers you want to hear or the answers you didn't want to hear [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Zoff Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 Thanks Theiere for the physics lesson and drilling tips.I have picked up 2 of the Shelfguard thingies recommended by Garden Girl but made by Toastabags rather than Lakeland. Seem same things though and only a £1 for 2.I don't claim to understand why but the blurb says that although they reach the same temperature as the oven, the "lower conductivity" of the material means it doesn't burn skin the same as a hot metal rack. Which is why it protects from burns on the edge of the oven rack, and is doing the same job with the element. I didn't even have to drill the oven as I found that by slipping the guard over a rod, I could clip that to the side channel. Job done and works a treat.It's nice when something works out. Apologies for boring you all with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Glad you've got it sorted Alan. If I need more in future I'll look for Toastabags! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Glad it worked too. I could see the job escalating to major work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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