Clean a Cast Iron Skillet Without Water

This is quick and simple. I don't know where I learned this trick, but it works so well I had to share it. It makes cleaning and treating your cast iron cookware simple without risking rust or removing the seasoning from the pan.

I start by wiping the big chunks out of the pan by hand. Then I use a board scraper (or a putty knife (I keep one with my camping gear just for this purpose)) to scrape the cooked on gunk out of the bottom and level the surface.

Then I pour about one tablespoon of kosher salt into the center of the pan. It acts as an abrasive.

I then dump some cooking oil into the salt, about one tablespoon. This is the lubricant that the abrasive (salt) moves around in.

The next step is to, using 3 or 4 paper towels (one at a time) go in circles around the pan from the center to the outside, rubbing hard on the bottom of the pan loosening the fried on gunk. Repeat as needed (usually takes 3 to 4 times) removing some of the salt each time.

Finally wipe the last of the salt out of the pan. Then use that lightly oiled paper tower to wipe down the outside of the pan to treat it as well.

You will be left with a perfectly coated cooking surface ready for use or storage. If you happen to miss some of the salt, that's no problem unless you are storing the cookware for 3 or more months.

Kegging 101

I wrote an overview of kegging for Dave. Here's a link.

Building a batbox for the zoo

I volunteer at the Brandywine Zoo and I was asked to build a batbox for an Earth Day project. I never got around to writing a blog entry for it.

After a great deal of research, I designed a small bachelor batbox for display. This is probably the smallest batbox you can build with any hope to have it lived in.

Putting up a bat roosting box can help replace lost or degraded habitat that has been contributing to the decline of bat populations throughout North America. 

Bat boxes located near a permanent source of water, especially a marsh, lake or river, are the most likely to attract bats. Bat houses should be hung roughly twelve to fifteen feet above the ground, sheltered as much as possible from the wind. Don't be discouraged if conditions for your bat house are not perfect. Even natural roosts are seldom ideal.

Bats sometimes move into newly erected bat boxes within hours, but more often, bats may not take up residence for as much as one to two years. If your bat box is not occupied by the end of the second year, try moving it to a warmer or cooler location. One trick recommended is to acquire bat guano and treat the landing area of the box with it to mask the unnatural odors from construction (paint, caulk, the wood itself).

Design

Outside dimensions of boxes should be about 1.5 feet tall and at least 12 inches wide with a 3-6”is landing area.

Roost partitions should be ¾” to 1”.

Ventilation slots should be ¼” to ½”

Construction

Half inch exterior grade plywood is best for fronts, backs and roofs, and roosting partitions.

1” board lumber is best for sides.

Prior to painting all seams should be caulked with latex caulk that remains flexible over time.

Paint exterior surfaces with two coats of exterior latex paint (dark brown, dark gray or dark green is best for Mid-Atlantic states).

Sun Exposure

Boxes should receive at least 6-7 hours of direct sun and be oriented southeast or southwest.

Easy 2’ x 2’ x ½” exterior grade (not pressure treated) plywood bat box cutting diagram.

Here's the layout on a 2' x 2' sheet of untreated plywood

Some detail of the measurements.

Marking grooves on the inside back of the box. These are for the bats to hold on to.

Cutting the grooves in to the board. I set the saw to less than 1/4". Cutting straight lines was NOT easy. The bats won't care and they are on the inside of the box where they can't be seen.

Edge on view of the grooves.

Applying caulk to hold the side spacers. The longer ones go down first. The shorter ones get caulked on top of the longer ones.

After stacking the front on top of the shorter strips, on top of the longer strips, on top of the back, nail the layers together from both front and back, with caulk in between each of the layers. After the caulk dries, Bevel the edge on a belt sander, planer or with a circular saw set to a 45 Degree angle.

I then attached the roof using caulk and the same finishing nails I used to attach the front and back.

A whole lotta making going unblogged.

Yes, I've gotten lazy. I will go back and see what projects from this year that I have pictures of and blog them. For today, I have one to add. How to clean a cast iron pan and I found a half finished entry on how to build a bachelor batbox. I'll see if I can finish that one as well.

Cheers!