I have a cast 10" cast iron skillet which has warped on the bottom. So now it doesn't sit flat on the burner, rather it rocks back and forth. I was thinking of taking it to a local machinist to see if they could grind the bottom flat but thought I would check here to see if that would be OK or maybe someone could suggest a better method for flattening a skillet.
I suspect this will be very difficult to fix, to my mind grinding the bottom flat could alter the heat distribution due to the variable thickness of the base?
The only way I can logically see is heating the skillet to the original casting temperature but that would possible need a foundry and someone with expertise in this area... a big ask?
Googling around shows several other possible solutions but none fill me with confidence although someone else may know better, I have no first hand experience.
I’ve not found a way to make one flat again. The machining will create a thin spot that will be very prone to warping again due to uneaten heating. I have a couple of ideas I’d like to try but certainly wouldn’t want to with anything I want to keep.
Large Big Green Egg, Weber Performer Deluxe, Weber Smokey Joe Silver, Fireboard Drive, 3 DigiQs, lots of Thermapens, and too much other stuff to mention.
Is there something about it that makes it valuable; is it an old Griswold, or a new Smithey etc?
If it’s an old Griswold, nope. Like Oak Smoke wrote, if you grind, you’ll create a thin spot. You can’t hammer it, cast iron is brittle and will crack. And if you heat it white hot, you change the nature of the casting and it won’t heat evenly (I looked that up).
If it’s a newer fancy expensive skillet, contact the manufacturer. They may cover it. It’s worth a shot.
If it’s a newer cheap skillet, like a Lodge, just get another one at a garage sale. They’re all over everywhere, usually in the $5-10 range, and I’ve seen them recently. It shouldn’t take more than a couple weeks to find one, especially now that spring is here.
ETA: Even collectible old cast iron can be found cheap at garage and estate sales. It just takes time and patience.
Mosca is right. I own exactly one piece of CI that was bought retail. The rest are garage sales, thrift shops, estate sales, eBay, and antique malls. You can bargain at these places! You know, “I can’t give that but I’ll give this for it” deal. You’ll save a fortune! Did I mention pawn shops?
Depending how badly it rocks, that would now be a grill only pan for me.
or it would be a deep dish pizza pan where maybe a little unevenness isn’t such a big deal
Pit Barrel Cooker
Weber Master-Touch
Blackstone Omnivore 4 Burner Griddle
Thermoworks: Signals, Billows, Thermopens, Thermopops, Nodes, bunch of silicone stuff, and more!
OnlyFire Rotisserie w/ Basket attachment for the Weber
Vortex for the Weber
Both of Meathead's books!
Way too many BBQ related accessories, tools, and doo-dads!
Thinner pans could potentially do this over time. I had a friend give me some of his cast iron pans that he used exclusively on camping trips. Sometimes he’d put them directly on the coals or logs and cook. Sometimes he’d use one on those campfire tripods over the fire.
it’s a good use of the cheaper CI skillets, especially if you don’t want to use your expensive CI like that.
It is a lot of fun cooking over a fire that’s for sure!
I don’t know if a machine shop would grind a pan for you and anyway, that’ll make it thinner and probably prone to warping even worse.
LSG Adjustable Grill/Smoker, MAK Pellet Grill, Large BGE with Several Attachments from the Ceramic Grill Store, Weber Genesis E335 Gasser, Cast Iron Pans & Griddle, Grill Grates, Mostly Thermoworks Thermometers, Anova SV Stick, BBQ Guru Controller and Fan
MAK 2 Star pellet
Big Green Egg
Fuego gasser
Pitboss ceramic griddle
Eastman Outdoors wok burner
Ooni 16 pizza oven
Cast iron chimenea with pizza steel
Breeo smokeless fire pit, with Titan rotisserie and Titan Santa Maria style adjustable grate
Oklahoma Joe Bronco
Last year I had an older, unmarked skillet crack. Pitched it.
I did buy a cracked comal, made in Mexico. Filled crack with high heat cylinder head epoxy. Still alive.
Warped, use on grill or open fire.
My concern is that grinding the bottom flat would create uneven thickness and probably lead to additional warping. There is nothing special about this skillet other than the reason I purchased it 40 years ago. Actually purchased 2 and still have both. Sentimental value and even though they are no name, plain Jane skillets I will never get rid of nor stop using them.
I get it, I have one like that, too. Every now and then I get it out and make something with it, and when I do I feel like I’m part of something a little larger than just the here and now. And that’s why I keep it.
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