How to balance gimballed oven

[Cardo]

Ok, this may be a dumb question, but...

I recently "fixed" our Plastimo oven so it uses the gimbals that it came with, instead of the bodge job the previous owner had done. The previous mounts weren't in the right place, so he'd "attached" a large weight to the back of the oven to balance this out.

As it turns out, I now require the item he used as the weight for its original purpose, so I replaced the bodges mounts with the proper mounts. This also entailed moved the brackets, etc. to get the oven sitting in the right place.

Problem now is the oven doesn't seem to sit flat?? It tilts backwards by a few degrees, to the point where it is quite obvious. Mrs doesn't like it, makes the oil all go to the back of the pan!

So, anyone know any tips to fix this? I can't just move the mounts around, as they screw into existing threads on the sides of the oven.

Why is none of this stuff as easy as it should be?!

 

[sailorman]

affix some lead under the base to adjust

 

[alahol2]

When in port we have a small slide bolt bolted to the bottom of the oven that fixes the oven horizontal. If using at sea the bolt is open and it doesn't really matter if the oven is slightly non-horizontal because it's swinging around anyway.

 

[Tranona]

When in port we have a small slide bolt bolted to the bottom of the oven that fixes the oven horizontal. If using at sea the bolt is open and it doesn't really matter if the oven is slightly non-horizontal because it's swinging around anyway.

+1 Except I use a cabin hook rather than a bolt but principle the same.

 

[ffiill]

Problem with an oven is its centre of gravity is not in middle of object so unless the gimbal mounts are properly offset the oven top does not assume a horizontal to earth position-which is why if you are a perfectionist you will have to weight the oven to correct the sloping top!
My oven can hang on the gimbals or drop back into a non gimbaled position and so I rarely use the gimbals.

 

[alahol2]

Problem with an oven is its centre of gravity is not in middle of object so unless the gimbal mounts are properly offset the oven top does not assume a horizontal to earth position-which is why if you are a perfectionist you will have to weight the oven to correct the sloping top!

I think the oven, when gimballed, probably should tilt slightly backward. When you open the oven door it will tilt forward and could dump its contents on your feet otherwise. Oven socks anyone?

 

[Cardo]

I think the oven, when gimballed, probably should tilt slightly backward. When you open the oven door it will tilt forward and could dump its contents on your feet otherwise. Oven socks anyone?

Good point. I just opened the oven door and the oven tilted slightly forward. It's not dangerous in neither position as it stands. How the oven was previously, when the door was opened the thing tilted forward rather alarmingly.

I think I shall leave it as it is when it's free to move, and add a hook thingy to fix it in place when we're flat.

Thanks for the replies, all.

 

[VicS]

Good point. I just opened the oven door and the oven tilted slightly forward. It's not dangerous in neither position as it stands. How the oven was previously, when the door was opened the thing tilted forward rather alarmingly.

I think I shall leave it as it is when it's free to move, and add a hook thingy to fix it in place when we're flat.

Thanks for the replies, all.

FWIW we almost never let the oven swing on its gimbals ... even at sea!

 

[sailorman]

FWIW we almost never let the oven swing on its gimbals ... even at sea!

He asked the wrong question in the OP :sleeping:

 

[Leighb]

FWIW we almost never let the oven swing on its gimbals ... even at sea!

Presumably you stow the kettle away then, otherwise they tend to get messily airborne! We lock our cooker in harbour which is the only time we use the oven, but have it free at sea.

However when cooking breakfast I find it is better to be gimballed as then I can control where the fat is by tilting the cooker with my knee.

 

[Lucky Duck]

Apart from one exception when going through the overfalls just off Orfordness in some rather rough conditions, I found that the pan clamps sucessfuly keep the kettle in situ when underway.

 

[VicS]

Presumably you stow the kettle away then, otherwise they tend to get messily airborne! We lock our cooker in harbour which is the only time we use the oven, but have it free at sea.

However when cooking breakfast I find it is better to be gimballed as then I can control where the fat is by tilting the cooker with my knee.

I dont remember doing anything special with the kettle. The hob had a decent fiddle rail, but no pan clamps, and we used to wire things to the fiddle if necessary. The coffee pot was the most unseaworthy bit of kit of all. That definitely had to be tied down when in use..... It was easier to use instant coffee at sea but the skipper liked real coffee with his breakfast

 

[sailorman]

I dont remember doing anything special with the kettle. The hob had a decent fiddle rail, but no pan clamps, and we used to wire things to the fiddle if necessary. The coffee pot was the most unseaworthy bit of kit of all. That definitely had to be tied down when in use..... It was easier to use instant coffee at sea but the skipper liked real coffee with his breakfast

One only has "real" coffee o/b. that instant muck is nothing like coffee YUK