Jump to content
Complete France Forum

BREAD-OVEN DOOR


marianne

Recommended Posts

Can anyone tell me where I may either find, or have made for me a small bread-oven door for my 1786 stone cottage. I live in the South West of the Dordogne so can easily travel to Departments 24, 33 and 47. I am fed up with staring at a roughly semi-circular hole beneath the chimney-breat, where what should be an attractive feature is currently a means of entrance and egress for families of mice and birds.

I welcome your help,

 

Marianne.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you want a traditional cast iron door, you can normally find them at the brocantes in the summer, may even find one in an antique / brocante shop. The traditional and original doors areexpensive though - a french friend sold three this summer for over €700, so might be worth considering a repro. Wehave one, but it's not for sale!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Prior to cast iron - which I understand is normal - it would have probably been made from stone.

Could also be made of fired clay, as certain type (refracterie) are used to line furnaces which work at far higher temps than bread ovens.

Cast iron was used and manufactured well before the industrial revolution: smiths "Welded" iron by heating and beating, forcing the metal together. They discovered forms of steel by accident and tended to combine iron and steel for swords and other weapons, by forging. Same with gun barrels.

A  working replacement could be economically made from oxy-cut/plasma cut plate and decorated to synthesise cast decorative effects. Any competent metal shop should be able to assist.

If, as Chris suggests, it is purely decorative, then use wood, until you are able to find a suitable replacement. All depends on the size and shape, as I understand (from looking at various old castings in France; OK, I'm sad!), that like the UK, casting tended to be a local business with architectural iron work such as gutters and downpipes etc being the work of local foundries and usually have the foundry's name in the casting, thus there may not be precise standard sizes. Old manhole covers are the historical clue, as in the UK!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Thank you to Clair and to all the others who have replied to my message. Clair has suggested that I contact Godins for their catalogue, which I will do. However, in view of the slightly irregular shape of the stone aperture it may be that I may have to opt for a wooden door(s) which can be planed to fit if necessary

 As the bread-oven is very unlikely to be functional, a wooden door would be perfectly acceptable in this instance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Marianne, why don't you do a drawing of what you would like and take it to your local Blacksmiths/Metal Fabricators and ask him to make it for you. That way it can be made to both fit it's location and blend in, style-wise, with other features of the room.

Just a thought.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Gluestick"]

A  working replacement could be economically made from oxy-cut/plasma cut plate and decorated to synthesise cast decorative effects. Any competent metal shop should be able to assist.

[/quote]

Sorry to bug you Mr Bear, but. err.........that's what I said earlier.[8-)]

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Gluestick"][quote user="Gluestick"]

A  working replacement could be economically made from oxy-cut/plasma cut plate and decorated to synthesise cast decorative effects. Any competent metal shop should be able to assist.

[/quote]

Sorry to bug you Mr Bear, but. err.........that's what I said earlier.[8-)]

 

[/quote]

Ooop's, and I'm the bloke who moans about people doing exactly that....................... Sorry................................[8-)]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Bugbear"][quote user="Gluestick"][quote user="Gluestick"]

A  working replacement could be economically made from oxy-cut/plasma cut plate and decorated to synthesise cast decorative effects. Any competent metal shop should be able to assist.

[/quote]

Sorry to bug you Mr Bear, but. err.........that's what I said earlier.[8-)]

 

[/quote]

Ooop's, and I'm the bloke who moans about people doing exactly that....................... Sorry................................[8-)]

[/quote]

Hey Bugbear! Since you're handing out apologies d'ya fancy going back to Afys thread?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Chris Head"]

Hey Bugbear! Since you're handing out apologies d'ya fancy going back to Afys thread?

 

[/quote]

Slight difference here Chris, not sure if you can spot it, but Gluestick was, polite and he didn't use any offensive words. Now, when I get yours, you'll get mine, capish !!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...