AUSTRALIA'S ORIGINAL AND BEST CAMP OVEN AND OUTDOOR COOKING CAMPING AND LIFESTYLE FORUM

Jan 15^th, 2009 at 3:25pm

VicStar Offline
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Springfield Lakes, Qld, Queensland, Australia

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I am really showing my ignorance, but is there any reference on the site to the different brands of COs? I would also be interested in the history of the CO - particularly in Australia - and what the "collectable" types are. Apologies if this is represented somewhere but I could not find it.

My life is a performance for which I was never given the chance to rehearse.

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Reply #1 - Jan 15^th, 2009 at 4:02pm

Cactus Offline
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Far from a silly question VS,
I think manufacture maybe more to the point and the way I see it some old ovens where manufactured by the better known makers of a similar patten and thus where unbranded. (Aussie ovens copyed of over seas makers)Example a lot of ovens look like Meters but have no name.
Our early sellers came from all over the world so who really knows every now and then something different comes along.(I would just like to be there when it does)
PD can you help?
Muzz

Have Camp Oven will travel

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Reply #2 - Jan 15^th, 2009 at 4:41pm

Saltbush Bill Offline
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Hi VicStar ........there is a heap of stuff on this site in referance to different old ovens, types, history, Brandnames ect...........and a lot of photos of them.......Ya just have to search around a bit.......Im sure i still havnt found it all yet either and ive been looking through this site for ages now .......even though i only joined up a while ago.
Cheers SBB
PS I think there was some talk of a reference page being set up not long ago.......Photos ect.

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Reply #3 - Jan 15^th, 2009 at 4:45pm

poddy dodger Offline
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G'day VS . They're all collectable and to me a collectable oven is any pot that is old. The first things I look for are the "seven" ears, the notch in the centre of the lid handle and the spru or gate mark on the underside of the pot, if its got a name the price becomes secondary as castironitis kicks in.
Not much to distinguish old unnamed pots, it's not often you find one that is different, I still buy 'em though if the price is right and often they are good quality. It's a nice surprise when you're cleaning up an old oven and you find a makers mark.
Carrons, Etnas and Sheldons were all made in the UK and are identical in looks to our old ovens which I reckon were copied from them.
I particularly like named Australian ovens like Albions, Metters and the newer Billmans and my favourite, the Hardings , as I've said before I reckon they're all better than the over rated Furphy's (helmet on, incoming fire).
Astroboy has some nice Australian ovens, he might come in on this.

pd

When I die I hope my missus doesn't sell my camp ovens for what I told her I paid for them. pd

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Reply #4 - Jan 15^th, 2009 at 4:53pm

Saltbush Bill Offline
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How about a couple of photos of a Harding PD...............Ive never seen one Cry

Ive got to agree with you on the Furphys......the casting on my two is as rough as guts. Maybe the really early Furphys where better.......Ive never seen one in the flesh to know.
SBB

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Reply #5 - Jan 16^th, 2009 at 8:24am

hotshins Offline
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There is a challenge here for the members of COCIA to record (for posperity) the ovens used in shaping the country.

Derek - a library page would be appropriate, with identifying marks and features catalogued for each oven (e.g. leg length/height of dome) to accompany good photos.

Are we up to the challenge.

H

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Reply #6 - Jan 16^th, 2009 at 9:48am

Little_Kopit Offline
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VS, you've gone out and bought what you could find easily.

Recently outlets have opened up in Oz for ovens currently made elsewhere in the world, especially in the N. American market.

I've seen the Lodge, which are N. American made for sale at UK and other EU sites.

Camp Chef is also in current production for via a N. American company in name and management, but the contract in Asia for the manufacturing.

Both can be bought in Australia. both are of good repute over here. Over here, you find it, the lids will match the pots well, in 99% of the sources. But it still pays for any buyer to check each oven.

Also, I know of folks down there who have bought from Mrs. Mik's (Julie) RVing Outpost http://www.rvingoutpost.com/ & from Cabelas, http://www.cabelas.com

Also in Australia you have a very high quality producer by all I have heard and seen here, Billmans. http://www.billmansfoundry.com.au/index.htm

All that is what you can get that's being made now and is fairly easy to find.

Older, out of production ovens are things we all (well, almost all) lust for. Were I in your shoes, I think I'd follow what Sundryed and Poddy Dodger did, make a trip down to Castlemaine for self and friends and pick up what you see and like (having alerted them to your interests maybe).

Cool

Billmans4_P1010188.JPG (60 KB | )

My Photo Album, featuring Labrador 2006

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Reply #7 - Jan 16^th, 2009 at 10:40am

BillyBushCook Offline
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SBB
A couple of 17" Hardings & a 15" old school Furphy.

Note the handle on the lid of that Furphy, it looks as if it is one of the Furphy lids that were cast in the Billmans Foundry.

by the way this thread should be under the "Camp Ovens & Camp Oven Equipment" section.
Mick.

Live while your'e alive, you can sleep when your'e dead.

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Reply #8 - Jan 16^th, 2009 at 10:54am

hotshins Offline
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I do like the look of the Hardings, and now fully appreciate their appeal for PD.

Never run accross one in my travels, much to my (now) dissapointment

H

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Reply #9 - Jan 16^th, 2009 at 11:41am

poddy dodger Offline
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Thanks BBC, gee there's some nice iron in those pics, several thousand $$$ worth at a rough guess. Up until now I'd never seen a 17" Harding, now I gotta have one.
I have an similar Furphy to the one in the pic and agree, it was cast by Billmans under licence to Furphy who were discontinuing making camp ovens about ten or so years ago. It is unusual in that the well fitting lid has a 12mm flange that comes down the outside of the pot making it almost air tight.

pd

When I die I hope my missus doesn't sell my camp ovens for what I told her I paid for them. pd

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