Rebuilt ovens

[VanMan812]

Recently I rebuilt 2 Middleby Marshall revolving ovens and I thought you guys might like to see some pics.

These ovens, located at a state university, were about 3-4 years overdue for being rebuilt. Tuition costs are 80k/yr but apparently there isn’t any money in the budget to rebuild ovens....

The last time these were rebuilt, 2008ish, I was the grunt on the job helping two other guys. This time around I was the lead tech and one of the two guys working with me was the lead tech back in 2008 when we last did them. It was kind of neat to see where my career started and where it has come, just on this one job.

Both ovens were from 1966. The bakery oven has 5 decks and the main kitchen oven has 8. Big and old but not the biggest nor the oldest ovens I’ve rebuilt.


















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[VTP99]

Nice job !
Here in Cleveland some company was manufacturing that style oven. I didn't even know Middlebe made such a thing.
I'm thinking that's where this company might have gotten the idea.

[VanMan812]

Nice job !
Here in Cleveland some company was manufacturing that style oven. I didn't even know Middlebe made such a thing.
I'm thinking that's where this company might have gotten the idea.

That looks similar to a Picard (I think) that I looked at a couple months ago.

Middleby hasn’t made revolving ovens in many many years. From what I understand Cutler bought that division from Middleby in the 70’s.


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[ECtofix]

Awesome work, VanMan!

I've only done that ONCE - some twenty years ago...when I was only a novice, fresh-out-of-the-military forty-year-old who still had some spring in my step. Me and a bit older senior tech, who'd select ME to help (thank you very much, Harold Briggs).

FOUR straight DAYS dedicated to working on that ONE oven at a VA hospital.

Besides us tearing everything down inside the oven....brainstorming ways to press the failed brass bearings out...shopping locally for hardware to formulate some makeshift ways to do so...getting dirty enough to require lining my van's seats with cardboard before climbing in each day...and the many, MANY, MANY other detailed problems which ensued to thwart our progress toward finishing that job ridiculous job - I r-e-a-l-l-y don't remember much else about it.

I DO know that I'm happy to say that I've never had to do THAT again!

[VanMan812]

Awesome work, VanMan!

I've only done that ONCE - some twenty years ago...when I was only a novice, fresh-out-of-the-military forty-year-old who still had some spring in my step. Me and a bit older senior tech, who'd select ME to help (thank you very much, Harold Briggs).

FOUR straight DAYS dedicated to working on that ONE oven at a VA hospital.

Besides us tearing everything down inside the oven....brainstorming ways to press the failed brass bearings out...shopping locally for hardware to formulate some makeshift ways to do so...getting dirty enough to require lining my van's seats with cardboard before climbing in each day...and the many, MANY, MANY other detailed problems which ensued to thwart our progress toward finishing that job ridiculous job - I r-e-a-l-l-y don't remember much else about it.

I DO know that I'm happy to say that I've never had to do THAT again!

Thanks ECtofix!

Yes, it’s a DIRTY job but somebody has to do it! It’s all of that bearing dust that does it. It’s so fine, almost like soot, that it makes a terrible mess. The little oven unbolted fine but the big one did not. We had to grind those big 1-1/4” diameter bolts off. That made the mess pretty much unbearable.

I really did enjoy the job, despite the dirt.

[Velociraptor]

Nice pictures.

I got to do this with a crew on a Hobart (maybe it was Baxter) early on in my career. Definitely not an easy or clean task. I distinctly remember the rebuild was so expensive because it was a kosher oven, so they never took it down for maintenance. They complained about noise for months. The noise stopped, and shortly after the carosel stopped turning.

I liked the Lucks brand units better though, at least, for the little that I ever worked on these.

[EjBreeze]

Were parts still available or did you need to have some fabricated? Also did you make the money you thought you were going to make when you started? I find taking on a job like this you run into many overlooked problems. Like a money pit.

[VanMan812]

Were parts still available or did you need to have some fabricated? Also did you make the money you thought you were going to make when you started? I find taking on a job like this you run into many overlooked problems. Like a money pit.

Yes, all of the parts are still available. NA


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[VanMan812]

Were parts still available or did you need to have some fabricated? Also did you make the money you thought you were going to make when you started? I find taking on a job like this you run into many overlooked problems. Like a money pit.

I’ve done ovens like this a few times and have learned how to quote them to make money. This particular set of ovens went pretty smoothly so yes, we made some money.

I know what you mean though. Some jobs turn bad in a hurry and once your in that hole it’s hard to climb out. And how bout when I do end up in those situations I always find myself saying “how could you have overlooked this?!”


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[EjBreeze]

Yep. Though this type of oven is long gone in my neck of the woods. Revent and Baxter has most of the institutional feeders here. Dang I probably wood have lost money just bidding to haul that thing away

[pctech]

the oven in the first few pictures i suspect is not orginal as the tiles around the base do not match the floor tiles normaly they do but you can also see the pride that went in to installing that oven as well.
to days ovens wont last as long i bet on it