Hot Pan Stand

2361 Views 16 Replies 8 Participants Last post by PhilBa, Jan 2, 2020

PhilBa

Discussion Starter · Dec 31, 2019

4

One of the things that sucks about getting old is you start to loose your strength. In the kitchen, trying to hold a full pot of hot food and pour it into a bowl or bowls can be a challenge. So I created this stand to rest a hot, heavy pan on while scooping and scraping it out. Works great. Has two orientations - low or high depending on what you are filling. This is basically the prototype but it works so well, it might be the final one.

Cut it on my AL extrusion CNC machine from a 6" x 10.5" scrap piece of plywood with a 1/8" downcut spiral bit. Sized the mortises to the actual width of the wood +.2mm (10 mils or so) for a reasonably tight fit and hand trimmed the corners with a chisel. I didn't put a finish on it but probably will if I don't make a second one.

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DesertRatTom

· #2 · Dec 31, 2019

That's a great little item you created. I'm about as strong as I ever was (lol) but pots, pans and bowls have doubled or trippled in weight over the past few years. I think this goes on my "to make" list.

Reactions: 3

thomas1389

· #3 · Dec 31, 2019

Just a thought... Balancing a heavy larger sized pan on the stand in its vertical (upright) position makes me think it looks kind of tippy. No??

PhilBa

Discussion Starter · #4 · Dec 31, 2019

thomas1389 said:
Just a thought... Balancing a heavy larger sized pan on the stand in its vertical (upright) position makes me think it looks kind of tippy. No??

Not if you have your hand on the handle. It's meant to the support the weight while you empty it out, not balance.

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Knothead47

· #5 · Dec 31, 2019

Just eat out of the pan. I like the idea. Get it patented and made from a synthetic material.
Kids are getting stronger these days. Used to take two adults to carry $20 worth of groceries. Now a 9 year old can do it.

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DesertRatTom

· #6 · Jan 1, 2020 (Edited)

Tippy? Make the base legs a little wider. Finish with something easily cleaned and a couple of layers thick because something is probably going to drip onto it, at least in my kitchen it would.

I think you could also place smaller pans on top of it, or a featured item or centerpiece at a family gathering. I like it.

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lbloom3

· #7 · Jan 1, 2020

I like it--so practical to hold the weight of the pot and allow you to empty the contents easily. Takes all the strain off of the wrists. Thanks for the drawings, too!

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sreilly

· #8 · Jan 1, 2020

You're onto something with this idea. Wrist has a tendency to get weaker with age and this design can certainly aid with that. If you want just a bit more versatile make one of the vertical (higher positioning) bases wider which would give you 3 different heights instead of two. Just keep your center where it is now. Actually you could make that off centre and have 4 different heights. Just thinking out loud. Really like the concept Phil.

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JOAT

· #9 · Jan 1, 2020

thomas1389 said:
Just a thought... Balancing a heavy larger sized pan on the stand in its vertical (upright) position makes me think it looks kind of tippy. No??

I'm thinking that if I tried one, no matter how careful I was, sooner or later the pot would spill. My method is, have the pot on a flat surface, then use a ladle to dip the contents out.

PhilBa

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jan 1, 2020 (Edited)

sreilly said:
You're onto something with this idea. Wrist has a tendency to get weaker with age and this design can certainly aid with that. If you want just a bit more versatile make one of the vertical (higher positioning) bases wider which would give you 3 different heights instead of two. Just keep your center where it is now. Actually you could make that off centre and have 4 different heights. Just thinking out loud. Really like the concept Phil.

Thanks. I played around with all the bowls and pans we have in our kitchen (and we have a lot). The two heights, approx 3.5" and 5.25", seemed to cover the range. I'm always up to revisiting a design though.

PhilBa

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jan 1, 2020

JOAT said:
I'm thinking that if I tried one, no matter how careful I was, sooner or later the pot would spill. My method is, have the pot on a flat surface, then use a ladle to dip the contents out.

Then you definitely shouldn't use one.

PhilBa

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jan 1, 2020 (Edited)

DesertRatTom said:
Tippy? Make the base legs a little wider. Finish with something easily cleaned and a couple of layers thick because something is probably going to drip onto it, at least in my kitchen it would.

I think you could also place smaller pans on top of it, or a featured item or centerpiece at a family gathering. I like it.

It's actually surprisingly stable. That's why I showed the pan balancing. Not at all tippy. Also, the base size is a trade-off - it needs to be stable but also able to get close to the "target" bowl or what ever. I'm sure it could be tweaked a bit more. Agreed about the finish point! I've already had to clean it.

Here's a little more interesting version. Takes more material. I thought the single connector wouldn't be strong but it seems pretty good. I like the more solid look of this though and with a bit more work on the curves could be considered "artistic" (or maybe autistic, whadoino).

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PhilBa

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jan 1, 2020

Knothead47 said:
Just eat out of the pan. I like the idea. Get it patented and made from a synthetic material.
Kids are getting stronger these days. Used to take two adults to carry $20 worth of groceries. Now a 9 year old can do it.

LOL. Don't tell my wife!

Patents - ya had to go an push my buttons. I have a number of patents and am quite familiar with the process. Incredibly expensive to obtain but the money leak doesn't stop there. You have to actually defend your patent when someone infringes. And all those Chinese are a long way from US courts so compensation is never going to happen. The best case scenario is to sell the patent to some corporation that can defend it. I don't need the money and especially don't need the headaches of dealing with corporate weasels. So, I'm happy just placing this in the public domain. If someone can make a little coin on it, they have my blessing.

JOAT

· #14 · Jan 1, 2020

3

PhilBa said:
Then you definitely shouldn't use one.

Definitely. My solution is. Keep It Simple Stupid. So, first I'll get #1, then build #2, and then do it as in #3. Ta da.

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Marco

· #15 · Jan 1, 2020

Smart!

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Knothead47

· #16 · Jan 2, 2020

Have it made in China and bypass the patent process.

PhilBa

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jan 2, 2020

Knothead47 said:
Have it made in China and bypass the patent process.

Yeah, and probably bypass any profits as they will steal the design. But, someone else is going to have to do it because I'm not into this to make money.

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