Those Elcheapo Charcoal Grilles

caseydog said:
Call Weber Customer Service with the numbers off the back of the grill. They can tell you exactly when it was made, and send you parts as needed.

CD
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I went out this morning and went over the grill.

First, I fixed the door. That didn't take long. A quick look showed that the pin at the bottom was bent, and a quick chat with MrsT revealed that "that probably happened when it rolled off the deck."

:eek:

Apparently, when I was at work a few years ago, it rolled off the deck during a storm, she muscled it back on, and never mentioned it.

Anyway, a hammer put that to rights and now the door is working, so since that's fixed, I called Weber.

The grill is no more than five years old, I'm sure, and the thingies, er, flavorizer bars, are warrantied for five years, but since I never registered it and no longer have a receipt, they couldn't help me out there. He wasn't, unfortunately, able to tell me how old the grill was.

No worries, I still ordered them, and a new ignition kit, and ol' Dave at Weber felt so bad for me, he threw in free shipping. :)

Thanks again for the nudge in the right direction. My brother is coming over next month, he likes working on things, I might let him hook up the igniter in exchange for a good grilled piece of chicken.
 
Interesting I find this thread as I plan to refurbish my smoker this weekend!

Link to smoker:
COS-244
At the time, I didn't consider it cheap at $200 but now that I know better, it is actually cheaply made with thin gauge steel and a low BTU rating. It lives outside all year round and I haven't been careful with it, so its developed rust in a few areas. The plan is to sand it down, grind the rusty bits to see if there's clean sheet metal below that, and then spray over the exterior with high temp Rustoleum.

From what everyone is saying, I probably shouldn't wash/degrease the interior of the smoker. Would it be sufficient to just scrape the interior and then maybe oil it and run a heat cycle through it to "cure" it?
 
FowlersFreeTime said:
Interesting I find this thread as I plan to refurbish my smoker this weekend!

Link to smoker:
COS-244
At the time, I didn't consider it cheap at $200 but now that I know better, it is actually cheaply made with thin gauge steel and a low BTU rating. It lives outside all year round and I haven't been careful with it, so its developed rust in a few areas. The plan is to sand it down, grind the rusty bits to see if there's clean sheet metal below that, and then spray over the exterior with high temp Rustoleum.

From what everyone is saying, I probably shouldn't wash/degrease the interior of the smoker. Would it be sufficient to just scrape the interior and then maybe oil it and run a heat cycle through it to "cure" it?
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$200 is not a lot for a dedicated smoker, but it will work. You don't need a lot of BTUs for low and slow smoking, and I know other people who get good results from a propane smoker.

Thin gauge steel means you will use more fuel, but it will still work. Repeated heating and weather (especially South Florida weather) are going to cause rust. It won't effect your cooking, but the smoker won't last as long. The high-temp Rustoleum will buy you some time, but not a lot.

Don't wash the inside. Just scrape it lightly with a wire brush to knock off any accumulation of soot that might fall on your food while cooking. As far as grease, if you get a significant layer at the bottom of the smoker, scrape it out with a putty knife so it doesn't catch on fire.

I don't know what you are using for smoke, but I assume it is wood chunks or chips. I prefer chunks for a longer, more consistent burn. And, do not soak your wood in water. Wet wood will give you a thick, white, nasty smoke. Always use dry, seasoned wood.

CD
 
Hey CD, low & slow is definitely my usual method. I use wood chips, they go in an iron receptacle above the propane burner. As for the thin gauge steel, the heat retention isn't a problem in Florida, but the rust sure is! Thank you for the tips. I'm just hoping to make this smoker last another year or two, then maybe I'll upgrade to an offset charcoal smoker.
 
The first offset smoker I bought was one of those "Home Improvement Store" erector set specials. Really thin gauge steel. I went through several of them over a few years. The last one I bought (which will be the last one I'll have to buy) is a Horizon Classic 16. 1/4" steel. Cost about $1000.00. I had spent more on those cheap offsets until I got this one. I've had it for over 10 years now. Since I got the large Egg, I only use it for large loads, where I can fill it up. We make Andouille sausage and tasso about twice a year and use the Horizon to smoke the load. I use 1/2 splits of pecan for fuel. Both the Horizon and Egg will be passed on.
 
Craig, my expectation is to budget around a grand for a good smoker in a few years like that. My vertical smoker can't do huge briskets, nor can it do "cold" smoke as would be nice for fish. I do, however, make a nice smoked fish dip with kingfish or almaco (whatever I can catch), but that fish is usually done at 200 degrees for an hour or less.
 
FowlersFreeTime said:
Craig, my expectation is to budget around a grand for a good smoker in a few years like that. My vertical smoker can't do huge briskets, nor can it do "cold" smoke as would be nice for fish. I do, however, make a nice smoked fish dip with kingfish or almaco (whatever I can catch), but that fish is usually done at 200 degrees for an hour or less.
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I could do a beef shoulder clod in the Horizon (think brisket on steroids). However a 30 pound suckling pig won't fit. For that I'd need a Caja China. I have yet to try smoking fish in the Egg, but I do love smoked Amber Jack, which is a cousin of the almaco. I'm an avid underwater hunter and my wife and I used to do a bit of spearfishing. I couldn't begin to guess at the number of Caribbean lobster we've caught. Do you have access to Restaurant Depot?
 
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CraigC said:
I could do a beef shoulder clod in the Horizon (think brisket on steroids). However a 30 pound suckling pig won't fit. For that I'd need a Caja China. I have yet to try smoking fish in the Egg, but I do love smoked Amber Jack, which is a cousin of the almaco. I'm an avid underwater hunter and my wife and I used to do a bit of spearfishing. I couldn't begin to guess at the number of Caribbean lobster we've caught. Do you have access to Restaurant Depot?
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Amberjack and Almaco are so close that many newbie fishermen confuse them (been there done that), but both smoke well as the meat is a nice firm texture and stands up to grilling or smoking without flaking through the grates lol. I enjoy the occasional fishing trip out of Dania or Pompano Beach, so perhaps I'll post some fish recipes soon.

I think I've driven by Restaurant Depot, but never stopped in. Is it open to the public or just for commercial purchases?
 
FowlersFreeTime said:
Amberjack and Almaco are so close that many newbie fishermen confuse them (been there done that), but both smoke well as the meat is a nice firm texture and stands up to grilling or smoking without flaking through the grates lol. I enjoy the occasional fishing trip out of Dania or Pompano Beach, so perhaps I'll post some fish recipes soon.

I think I've driven by Restaurant Depot, but never stopped in. Is it open to the public or just for commercial purchases?
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It isn't open to the public, but if you have access to a Florida resale certificate, you can join, doesn't matter what kind of business. I used to drive a 24 passenger dive boat out of Port Everglades in the mid '80's. This is a thread I started Sea Stories
 
CraigC said:
It isn't open to the public, but if you have access to a Florida resale certificate, you can join, doesn't matter what kind of business. I used to drive a 24 passenger dive boat out of Port Everglades in the mid '80's. This is a thread I started Sea Stories
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I'm thinking your Florida Resale Certificate is like our Texas State Sales Tax Permit. So, would my photography business sales tax permit work, as far as you know?

Do you pay sales tax when you shop at RD? It would be illegal for me to NOT pay sales tax on anything other than qualified photographic equipment.

CD
 
Just like our grocery stores, no tax on food items. Unlike our grocery stores, they don't charge tax on things like soft drinks. I don't know if your out of state equivalent to our resale cert is acceptable.
 
CraigC said:
Just like our grocery stores, no tax on food items. Unlike our grocery stores, they don't charge tax on things like soft drinks. I don't know if your out of state equivalent to our resale cert is acceptable.
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We have Restaurant Depot stores in Dallas, so it wouldn't be out of State. I just never looked into the rules. Good point on food not being taxable, at least raw/fresh foods and most groceries. I didn't think of that.

CD
 
caseydog said:
You can buy ten grills over the next ten years, or buy one Weber Kettle for the rest of your life. I bought my Kettle in 1995, and still use it. My Weber gas grill is a 2001 model. My grills are outside 24/7/365.

My story is not unusual.

As for cleaning, just brush out the coal dust, and scrape out any grease buildup. The grease can catch on fire and ruin your day.

CD
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Love my Weber’s. Got two 2 22 inch grills and a Smokey Joe for camping / tailgating. I can’t tell you how old my first one is but I’ve replaced the grates several times.
 
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