frying pan help

[sapper1]

After the Welsh group weekend recently I have bought an 8 inch frying pan with an 18 inch handle.The pan itself is just the right size for my needs but the handle is waaaaay to long,the handle and pan are both mild steel and quite thick.
What I need to do is shorten the handle or remove it completely and use something like a trangia pot holder,any suggestions and advice very welcome.

 

[Wayland]

Without seeing it I'd guess a hack saw or an angle grinder is the place to start.

Otherwise what about making the handle foldable?

 

[sapper1]

Cutting the handle off is no problem,its wether to take it off completely and what to replace it with thats got me thinking.
A folding handle sounds good,is it just cut it to length and fit a hinge?Or is there some way of locking it open,the handle is just flat mild steel 1.5 inches wide and 3 mm thick.

 

[Tadpole]

Cutting the handle off is no problem,its wether to take it off completely and what to replace it with thats got me thinking.
A folding handle sounds good,is it just cut it to length and fit a hinge?Or is there some way of locking it open,the handle is just flat mild steel 1.5 inches wide and 3 mm thick.

cut the handle down to about 6 inches. (hacksaw will do the job) Drill four holes two in the handle two in the off cut. two bolts and two wingnuts later and you have a two length frying pan handle, six inch or twelve inch.

 

[Mesquite]

As Gary Said, hacksaw or angle grinder is the only way to reduce it.

As for it's length after you've cut it down how about finding some metal pipe that can slip over the remaining stump with a fixing bolt that can be undone to remove the pipe when you don't need it.

 

[sapper1]

Many thanks to Wayland and Tadpole.
I think for ease of manufacture it's going to be tadpoles suggestion.

Just seen Mesquites post another good idea , a metal tube must have lots of other uses in the woods.
Now I'm undecided again.

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Any chance of a picture?

If you can you could cut it dill two hole and make a removable handle using two bots with wing nuts?

 

[Shambling Shaman]

cut the handle down to about 6 inches. (hacksaw will do the job) Drill four holes two in the handle two in the off cut. two bolts and two wingnuts later and you have a two length frying pan handle, six inch or twelve inch.

Dame this dial up speed..........

 

[sapper1]

Broadband aint that much better mate.

 

[Shambling Shaman]

As a foot note you could make a wooden handle using the same method,
The handle could also be the hearth wood for you bow drill??

 

[scanker]

What about somehow replacing the handle with a short tube section (tapering ideally), so you just cut a stick to fit when you need it? Admittedly you'll have to use a fairly controlled fire so as not to burn the handle away, but it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[g4ghb]

Sounds silly - but we are assuming it is cast in one piece..... - if not it will have a screw or two somwhere that connects the two together......

I think a pic (or link to a similar) is needed mate

 

[sapper1]

Cant post pics yet,the handle is held onto the pan by two rivets .I'll try to find a link and post it.

 

[Mesquite]

.....- if not it will have a screw or two somwhere that connects the two together......

Very true Graham though I'd suspect it would be rivets raher than screws holding the handle to the pan. But the rivets could be ground off and replaced with some bolts.

As they say....good thinking batman

 

[sapper1]

http://www.justpans.co.uk/mauviel-black-iron-frying-p-239.html
the pan is very similar to this one.
I think grinding the rivets out and replacing them with bolts and wing nuts looks pretty good so far,that way the handle wouldn't need to be cut.

 

[Tadpole]

Very true Graham though I'd suspect it would be rivets raher than screws holding the handle to the pan. But the rivets could be ground off and replaced with some bolts.

As they say....good thinking batman

I'm sure that you could do the same, even if it is spot welded, drill out the spot welds and use machine screws. You might have to be a tad careful as the heating may distort the machine screws or the nuts

 

[g4ghb]

http://www.justpans.co.uk/mauviel-black-iron-frying-p-239.html
the pan is very similar to this one.
I think grinding the rivets out and replacing them with bolts and wing nuts looks pretty good so far,that way the handle wouldn't need to be cut.

Wot! - I was on the right lines wonders never cease!

I would do just that mate drill . grind off the rivets and replace with nuts and bolts. If it were me I'd go to the extent of drilling the holes in the pan out a little to allow a larger bolt then tapping the handle to suit the bolt. That alone should be strong enough and if you then add wing nuts on top it will be as safe as houses - we don't want to be wasting that lovely bacon do we

 

[sapper1]

Thanks for all the helpful replies,and they all were,I'm going to grind the rivets out and replace them with bolts and wing nuts.This way it's secure and will dismantle to fit in my rucksack.

 

[stijnb]

weld a small pipe on the pan so you can stick use a branch as a handle.....

 

[ForgeCorvus]

Thanks for all the helpful replies,and they all were,I'm going to grind the rivets out and replace them with bolts and wing nuts.This way it's secure and will dismantle to fit in my rucksack.

Grind the rivet heads flat (not completely flush), centre punch and then drill (under size drill as a pilot, then one just larger then your machine screws).
That way you won't damage the pan or the handle.

Thats how I was taught to remove rivets by my boss's dad when I was an apprentice blacksmith (Old Jack was in his late 80's and had started in a forge at 13....so he knew a thing or two )