im coming to your place 4 tea furphy 

How much have things changed in only 2 generations.

Nobody but the old diehards seem to make jams, preserves and pickles these days. Baking ones own bread, cakes and biscuits is more a novelty than a regular practice for most households. And, how often do you hear of ritualistic weekly family gatherings where 3 generations sit down to eat a Sunday roast together?

The "I want it now" and "haven't got time" world that we live in, is eroding those time honoured practices and many more like them. It is a shame, but it is also a clear indication of where our children's lifestyles are likely to be another generation from now.

Now I'm back home from the Millmerran Camp Oven Cooking Festival I can tell you all how good it was and all the things I learnt. I thought I knew a bit about "Black Pots " but some of those old timers certainly showed me a thing or two.
It was hot, in the high 30's and the dust and flies would drive a man to drink so I did.
I had hoped to buy or swap a pot or two but the ones available were rubbish. The Millmerran souvenir Furphy's were a con, the lids were aluminium and did not even go close to fitting the supplied pots, the 12" pots were $135, with the souvenir lid $160. I don't know how many they had but they sold them all, not hard I suppose as there were over 1500 campervans and caravans on site plus tents and day visitors.
The queues at the food vendors would put off all those but the desperate, entertainment great, cooking displays great and the cooking contests with teams doing three course cook-offs brilliant.
More later, Poddy Dodger

Maybe I'm a little naive about these matters, but how compatible are the cast aluminium lids with the iron pots. Surely they'd have significantly different expansion and conductivity rates, thereby affecting the fit of the lid and the heat required top and bottom.

Any experience or ideas anyone?

PD,

At this point in time I too use the cheap imported co's and haven't had any problems with them. The last one that I bought is a 17" model without legs or a lip on the lid. I got it on Ebay for $30 and was able to pick it up. It needed a little filing around the lid to get a good fit, but it still cooks well and is ideal for baking in, as the base has an internal diameter of 36 cm. It is no Furphy or Metters, but it still serves a purpose, and at a bargain price too.