Hi, I have an 18" Billman's that I need to season but it doesn't fit into our oven or BBQ, I am assuming that this can be done on an open bed of coals but am unsure how. Does anyone have a proven method of doing this to use as a guide please.

Thanks in advance Adam

I think we all used to season on an open fire before the concept of hooded BBQ’s came about.

All you need is a good bed of coals.  Start by doing the inside first with the oven upside down. 

Coat it as thinly as you can with a good oil.  Leave it on until it stops smoking.  Turn it over for the outside.  Same with the lid.

You should do it several times to get a good patina on it.

Will help to have a trivet or some sort of frame to keep it up out of the actual coals.

At the end of the day seasoning is just carbonising or burning on the oil or fat on the cast iron.

You also should look at letting the coals burn down so there is little or no smoke otherwise you will end up with a greasy mess on top of the smoke residue.

Let us know how you go.

They are nice big ovens, the Billmans 15”.

Thanks Derek will do.

I also have a Furphy that was my fathers and seems to have an old oil taste to any food that I cook in it, what can I do to clean and prepare it for re-seasoning? I have seen some people using molasses and water mix but that looks to only be for rust, is that correct? And if ok what it the ratio of water / molasses to use in that case.

Thanks for your help and sorry for bombarding you with questions.

Cheers Adam.

Questions are good mate. This old forum is very quiet these days.

That taste is usually a build up of old rancid fats and oils in the seasoning.  Yes, a molasses bath of 1 part molasses and 9 parts water will remove it.  Will also clean the oven up nicely as well.

It is a good idea to strip old ovens right back to remove the old build up of bits and pieces over the years.

I remember you posted a while ago that you had your Dad’s old Furphy ovens.  Good to see they are going to get some use.

Good luck with the clean up of the 2 camp ovens.
Let us know how you go with it, and maybe a photo.


Aart

Here’s the collection - a new set of Billmans (2 seasoned and 2 to go), a 15” furphy and a 20” furphy plus an old 10” Metters. Also have a 12” Chinese furphy that is in the molasses brew at the moment (going to try it out on that one before doing the other furphys).
Any idea of how long to leave in the molasses brew ? I have seen some post that they leave in for 2-3 days - is that correct?

The 2 Billmans that I have seasoned are still very slightly tacky inside - is this normal or should I have baked in oven longer, they had 1 coat with 60 mins cook time then 2 x extra coats with 30 mins each cook time.
I was going to just put both over coals on my cooking frame for anther 30 mins to be sure maybe?

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Nice collection.

You know after looking at all of them sitting together I still think old Max Billman used Furphy molds for his camp ovens.  They did make some Furphy's for a while in the late 90’s at Billmans when Furphy decided not to continue with them.  The ears and lid handle have been streamlined but everything else is nearly identical.

All very similar, did furphy ever make an 18” ?

The 15” ovens are the best size I recon.

The original Furphy’s were 10”, 12”, 15” and 20”.  When they bought the Kangaroo Stove Company they also got their camp ovens molds and made the 8” and 14”.

When the molds went to China they made 10”, 12”, 14” and 15”.

This is the old Furphy Brochure. Not in the best condition.  Best to save to your computer and then blow it up.

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Nice collection Adam.
Thanks for the photos mate.

Aart

This is the 15” over fire - first coat

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This is the 12” done in oven - I am worried about the colour not being a nice black colour

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Decided to put one of the smaller seasoned ovens on fire for a bit more baking and now looks to be OK - nice and black with no more tacky feel to them.
Just have to cook something now ….

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Lucky6 wrote on Jan 1^st, 2026 at 1:32pm:

Decided to put one of the smaller seasoned ovens on fire for a bit more baking and now looks to be OK - nice and black with no more tacky feel to them. Just have to cook something now ….

That looks really good Adam.
How many coats is that all up?

Aart

I have a nine inch Billmans and the same thing happened to it when seasoning.  Thought I had done something wrong and then back on the heat and now as black as anything.

That’s 3 Aart.

Thanks for you help Derek, sorry to bother you.

No bother at all.  This is shy we are here,  Cheers.

This all reminds me, I am mid-way through seasoning a carbon steel paella pan I was given for Christmas.

I suppose I should shake off the post-New Year's haze and finish it :)

The finished goods, thanks for the help.

Adam

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Give yourself a pat on the back mate.  That is all very well done.

Now go use them and let us all know how you go.   ;)