Large Chambers Range -- Too Large for Doorways

gredmondson · Nov 4, 2016

Hi All,
Not long ago there was a post about a very large commercial Chambers range that was in a house for sale in Pennsylvania. One of my sons had just bought an older, large home in Chicago, and I sent him the photo of that Chambers range because I thought it matched his home.
He has found a similar range, maybe even a larger commercial model, in Bay City, MI, and he has made a deposit on it. Now he says that the range is 34" wide and there are two 30" doorways the range must go through to get to his kitchen. He has asked me if I know anyone around Bay City, MI, who can disassemble it enough to fit through those 30" doors.
I wonder if this range is truly 34 inches wide. I wonder if that could be the height. Do any of you know that? Can the range be disassembled at all easily to make it able to go through the doorways?
Does anyone know anything about this?
Thanks,
George

rp2813 · Nov 5, 2016

Beautiful Range!

George, I can't imagine that stove is 34" deep (from rear to front). Maybe there are vent fittings on the back that make it stick out that far from the wall, and are easily removed for transport. I'd ask the seller for clarification.

Chambers ovens "cook with the gas off" as in, when the oven reaches temperature, you shut it off. Whoever does the cooking in your son's family may have to get used to that routine if they're unfamiliar with Chambers ranges.

Ralph

gredmondson · Nov 5, 2016

Thanks, Ralph, for your comment!
M son did some further research, and the stove is actually 35 1/2 inches wide, but that includes knobs and the oven doors, which can be removed. I don't know if there is anything, like the back panel, in the back that can be removed.
The two 30" doorways it has to go through are in the house where it is now. It got in that house somehow!
I have been looking at restoring Chambers Stoves, and he may be in for quite a challenge and expense. There are people, though, who love those stoves.

rp2813 · Nov 5, 2016

Interesting George!

I guess Chambers was assuming that all kitchens have a 36" door to the outside or something.

There has been a beautiful Magic Chef 6-burner stove on CL for many months. It's in a shop in Sebastopol, but it's pricey. I think it's the exact stove I fell in love with when a friend of mine was refurbishing it, as he lived in an old farm house in Sebastopol for a number of years. It's not nearly the size of the Chambers, but it's larger than average.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/app/5857383008.html

gredmondson · Nov 5, 2016

That Magic Chef six burner is a beautiful stove. I love its style with the oven on the side, and another, I guess, below. I would enjoy seeing that in person. And, I would really like to see the Chambers in person.

toploader55 · Nov 6, 2016

I remember around 1967 some people built a house across the street from us. I was 12 then. After meeting their son, he invited me into the house and saw a Chambers Range for the first time. I thought to myself "How could they bring a crappy old stove like that with them ?"Then I noticed the burner design and saw the "Well". I had never seen a stove like that. They were Italian and after Famie made a pot of Red Sauce (Gravy) and tasted some of the food that was prepared on that range I was impressed.

Chambers Ranges are rare. People that own them are like a cult. I have never cooked on one, but you certainly don't bump into them very often.

The turning off the oven thing really intrigues me. How long can they maintain like 350 ?

Do you turn it off when baking pastry, bread or cakes ?

rp2813 · Nov 6, 2016

Eddie --

I know -- I can't believe a Thanksgiving turkey can be done without adding heat at some point. I'm sure whatever cooking guide was included with the original literature would cover that, but without it, I suppose you'd have to seek out a cult web site for information.

gyrafoam · Nov 6, 2016

It would be a shandeh

to have your heart set on a beautiful old stove like that only to find out the house was built around it. Like a giant O'keefe & Merritt.

The Chambers and my Bubbe's old Maytag Dutch Oven had a tremendous amount of steel-plating insulation to keep in the heat. While I don't have first-hand experience with the Chambers, I sure do remember how hot Bubbe's kitchen in Brooklyn stayed when that Dutch Oven was going for any length of time----- ESPECIALLY in the Summer.
They made the "goil" who cooked for them keep the swinging-door to the dining room shut and all the kitchen windows and back-door open just to keep the rest of the house full of cool air.

My parents house had a big Gas Garland stove and I never remember that making the kitchen unbearable. Much less insulation I suppose. That's another old stove they must have built the house around. I wonder if it's still there.

In the old days appliances were expected to last so long nobody ever thought about having to replace them. Imagine!

I couldn't take the heat like that now. As it is I run my oven in the winter with the back-door open to a snow-storm.

firedome · Nov 6, 2016

Chambers, the Rolls Royce of Stoves:

We're on our 3rd, previously had a 1941 Model C and 1964 Model D, and right now have a 1955 Copper Chambers electric (they came either elec or gas) wall oven at our VT place, we also have the matching gas 24" cooktop, currently uninstalled. Chambers also had 33" and 42" gas or elec cooktops, those latter had a griddle/broiler in the center, and the Model D came either gas or elec as well. Chambers ovens were smallish compared to today. and were ultra-efficient way before their time, due to over 20 lbs of rock wool insulation, a heavy cast iron plate in the bottom of the oven which serves as a heat sink, and precision ground cast iron seals on both the door and around the oven opening, no door gaskets (!), the door being very tightly secured by a heavy spring-loaded mechanical latch. A typical Model B, C, or D (aka 9MH) weighs in excess of 400 lbs for a 39" range. I can't imagine the weight of one of their commercial ranges. NO range made today excepting maaaybe an Aga is of the quality of a vintage Chambers, IMO a Viking or Wolf &c are junk in comparison. Cooking on a Chambers is very different than on a conventional range due to it's extreme efficiency, and yes, you can fully cook a turkey by heating up to temp and turning off the gas.

joshm · Nov 8, 2016

I think that's an Imperial Model

And as I recall they are well over 800 lbs so he will need many strong hands to move! I have a Chambers I restored several years ago and use daily. The really are increadable to cook on and he will love that monster once he learns the in's and outs of it. There is a Chambers forum he should join as the message board offers tons of useful information from this of us on it. It sure was helpful to get my red one up and running anyway!

http://www.chamberstoves.net

toploader55 · Nov 8, 2016

Josh,

Your Range is Beautiful.

jamiel · Nov 8, 2016

Wonder if they ever made a stove with an oven pilot light? My grandmother had one of these in white which she got in about 1940 and remodeled a kitchen around in Des Plaines, IL in about 1970 (WoodMode cabinets, dark walnut/KA Superba d/w, GE refrigerator/Waste King disposer). She loved the kitchen except for the Armstrong Solarian floor which wouldn't release the asphalt scuffs from the driveway. It was not laid out nicely (corridor kitchen into the family room addition, so there was traffic) but she didn't skimp on the renovation with the high-end finishes and appliances which meant it aged nicely.

joshm · Nov 8, 2016

Oven pilot

Was developed in later models and currently there is a kit you can buy to add one to earlier models. I'm not sure why anyone would want one though as it just adds heat in the kitchen and burns fuel. I have turned the stovetop ones of mine off all together and just light everything by hand.

rp2813 · Nov 8, 2016

Like Eddie said, that red one is beautiful!

Long ago when we were looking for a vintage stove (we had a stove guy in town with a large shop full of beauties), we were smitten with a couple of Chambers he had, but they were too big. I've always liked them, as they are truly substantial stoves.

About a year ago, the house next door to a friend of mine was being flipped, and the original Chambers range was up for grabs. Her next door neighbor on the other side wanted the stove, and got her healthy son to haul it down to her place. Lo and behold, just like with George's son, the stove wouldn't fit through the door. Now the stove sits out in the elements in her back yard. It's a shame, as it was in working order. It appears to be a similar model to the red one, from the 1930s (see picture taken before it was extracted from its long time home).

supersuds · Nov 8, 2016

I'd put up with striking matches for a stove that gorgeous.

gredmondson · Nov 9, 2016

Man, that red Chambers is gorgeous, Joshm!
My son has not given up on getting that range, but he also has not figured out how to get it through the too small doorways.

davey7 · Nov 9, 2016

I live in a vintage building and my doors are narrower than standard and some fridges will simply not fit through, even with doors (both on the fridge and the house doors) removed. Your son may need to take doors off, remove door stops etc. I have an OkM and they got that in, so it's certainly possible, but may be difficult.

58limited · Nov 19, 2016

I have the same model Chambers stove, called an Imperial. My Imperial Chambers is in pieces so I cannot get accurate measurements but there is a a flue on the back that might add to the depth. As I recall, the cook surface is more like 28" deep not counting the flue or the handles. Getting it through a 30" door will be a challenge but it might be possible.

sudsmaster · Nov 20, 2016

If the Chambers is anything like old Wedgewood stoves I've handled, they are build like old cars, bolted together. If necessary, the back splash, top, doors, sides, even the front panel can be unbolted from the rest and brought in piece by piece. It's not difficult.

gredmondson · Nov 23, 2016

UPDATE: I do not know how, but my son did get a man who restores ranges to move that stove to his shop in Michigan where he will restore it. I am looking forward to seeing it when it is completed--maybe in six months.

mikael3 · Nov 25, 2016

One thing I have always wondered about a Chambers is how hot the burners get. I think the published power is 9k BTUs, a shockingly low number. But I have read that users say the design of the daisy burner gives a hotter heat than the published number implies. Does anyone here have an opinion on this?

My neighbor has a fantastic old Chambers in excellent condition, but it is her second house so the unit is not hooked up. I don’t know her well, which is the only reason I haven’t invited myself in to cook in her kitchen!!

Anyway, that Imperial is amazing. I would love to have one of those.

gredmondson · Nov 25, 2016

Years ago, 1983, I bought a Chambers cooktop with the daisy burners (this model did not have to griddle). I think the 9,000 BTUs are well spaced in that four little circles configuration, and it may be more than 9,000 BTUs on another brand.

Lately, I have cooked on a newer Samsung 30" gas range , and every burner has a a different BTU rating. The biggest one gives a lot of heat, but turned on high, it needs a big pot or pan!

joshm · Nov 26, 2016

My burners

Are plenty hot for my needs. I'd offer as functional as anything modern I have cooked on anyway at least with the types of cookwear I use. I use straight and porcelain coated cast iron and the aluminum cookwear Chambrs supplied with the stoves.

gredmondson · Nov 26, 2016

joshm,
I did not know Chambers supplied aluminum cookware with their stoves. How did you get yours? That might be a nice gift for my son.
George

joshm · Nov 27, 2016

George My pots

Were able to be bought in a variety of options from Chambers for the deep well or "thermowell" as it's called. A large single, sets of both double and triple pots, fryer, double boiler, a MUCH desired and as the owner of one I'll offer very useful "thermobaker" that turns the well into a small functioning oven with gas on as well as a great overnight oatmeal maker, potato cooker, etc with just the retained heat from the pilot. If you do look at one of these be sure to look for one with the rack as its often lost. All of these items either need have come with the stove you find when you buy it or found as you can online via eBay or from a vintage stove part dealer. They latch shut on the sides to allow you to have the ability to pull them up and out of the very hot well from the lid handles. This gentleman Mattera stove works only with Chambers and I can offer though not cheap he is well stocked on parts as well as pans etc. I'll attach a link as it'll come in handy if your son needs a part. I will also add some pictures I collected when looking for mine so you can see what to be on the hunt for after you figure out how to ask him what was included with his stove without letting him in on your xmas plans! I'll warn you some of these can be a pretty penny. Complete sets of say the triple pots will cost far more then when you see just one offered for sale and the thermobaker can be as much as several hundred dollars as its in high demand from owners who know what they can do with them. One last thing to mention. Chambers partnered with LISK roasting pans and LISK pans were designed expressly for use in Chambers oven. All size LISK roasters will fit his ovens and they are more common then the Chambers parts though I'll suggest to be sure it has not only the lid and base pan but the drip tray insert as these can go missing. Really nice to have a set in several sizes and with thanksgiving just over I bet some can be had on Ebay also as more seem to go up for sale this time of year. One final thing in my rant here! There is also a cookbook and service manual to walk someone through how to cook with and use these stoves as well as the pots and pans. If he doesn't have one its a great thing to have. Even if his model isn't identical it will still apply and give him some helpful tips. A new one thats been nicely bound can be had over at the Chambers forum I posted the link to in my earlier reply with my stove pictures. Need to know anything further just ask as I love to see another Chambers brought back to life!

http://www.matterastoveworks.com/sale.html