We needed a small iron griddle for our induction cooker. Fancy ones go for up to $175. This is a $20 eight-inch griddle from Lodge, a Tennessee company. But there is a reason it was so inexpensive; the finish quality was very poor. Luckily I have some metalworking skills.
Cast iron is made by pouring molten iron into a sand mold; afterward, you can see the texture of the sand. A bit of post-casting machining makes for a nicer finish, and also in my experience, easier cooking and cleaning. Here are the steps I took to upgrade this $20 pan. The descriptions are on each picture as you scroll through.
This morning I used it for the first time, and it worked beautifully! The extra effort was definitely worth it.
georgewiman 