Refurbing my Kamado

[thillin]

About 6 months or so ago, I scored a vintage Kamado on Craigslist. Due to the move and then the layoff, it's been on hold. Now that I'm working again, I started the refurb. It's a little rough, but going to shine. I removed the bands and intake vent and started sanding them down. I had to cut the rusted bolts off. I picked up ss nuts and bolts to replace. The bands, intake and nest will be painted black this week. I figured I'd post pics along the way. Biggest thing will be having to order a new firebox from Kamado King in CA. Shipping will probably kill me. But when done, I should have a like new cooker for around $200 or so invested, instead of $700.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a294/thillin/kamado.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a294/thillin/kamado2.jpg

Here's a pic of the firering that should be resting on top of the firebox. A clay firegrate will sit on top of the clay firebox when redone.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a294/thillin/kamado3.jpg

I'll add more pics as I progress. Any suggestions on final color? I would love black with red/orange/white flames, but I'm not artistic enough.

[Pyle's BBQ]

Get an estimate and get it professionally painted. It seems that it would not take that much time or paint. Post on craigslist and see if anyone will barter for a paint job. Q for flames.

[Plowboy]

Nice. I keep trying to find one of these old cookers. Good luck.

[swamprb]

Show me a pic of the condition of the firebox. If it is at all salvageable, I suggest using either the Furnace cement or the Epoxy or both, before getting a new one! Also something you might consider is a BGE firebox, have it delivered to a dealer with their order and save $$$ on shipping.
I love Kamado's and just this weekend 2 showed up on CL, but they want more than I'm willing to pay. I've rebuilt a few and my 30+ IK is still going strong. PM me if I can help! Here is a pic of one I repaired and sold before I could paint it.
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/swamprb/Kamado2.jpg
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/swamprb/Kamado1JPG.jpg

I would suggest using BGE parts if at all possible.

Here is my Imperial Kamado Modern style Large with BGE spring assist hinge and Stainless steel draft door. The Kamado draft is steel and WILL RUST and they are @ the same price.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/swamprb/100_1395-1.jpg
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/swamprb/100_1392-1.jpg

Check out the Repair link at the Imperial Kamado site:
http://imperialkamado.com/i_faq.htm#Repair%20of%20your%20Kamado:

Go through the entire site and click on any highlighted words and you will get all the info to make that baby a peice of art once again!

Brian

[thirdeye]

Get an estimate and get it professionally painted. It seems that it would not take that much time or paint. Post on craigslist and see if anyone will barter for a paint job. Q for flames.

Good idea. A buddy doing a remodel has a side entry door, an old metal type fire door. He took it to an auto paint shop and for $35 they did an outstanding job.

[thillin]

Swamprb, I have no firebox at all. I'm going to try to keep the original draft door for now. It's in pretty good shape. I will go with the stainless one when needed. Does a large BGE firebox fit a #5 Kamado? I told Thirdeye that I was going to check with a BGE retailer this week. I also need the daisy wheel topper. Might check with Tony since he got his for $22.

[swamprb]

My neighbor has one like yours, when I found mine 15 years ago he told me Imperial Kamado was out of business, they were sold by Pachinko Palace for years and when they went t*ts up, he replaced his broken top and rusted out draft door with a BGE one. I was at a comp in Seattle a few years ago and DrBBQ, Chris Lilly and Jim Minion were cooking together and Ray hipped me to the BGE and told me the Imperial Kamado was sold online, so I checked them out and saw how many of the ones that crossed my path were rusted out I went with the BGE parts. The spring assist hinge is the biggest plus if you are going to cook with a K or Egg, the pivot lock hinges are a PITA!!
The IK has a slide damper top and the BGE has the slide with a daisy wheel, again I'd go with the BGE. Even if you order a firebox from Kamado King they are not a sure fit, he also sells K parts on E-bay. If you can find a BGE dealer nearby take the bottom with you and try a firebox from a display model and have them order and have it come to the store and save some $hipping. Last week on the BGE forum thenakedwhiz posted an original Pachinko Palace Kamado cookbook on Adobe, see if you can look it up, there is some very important directions in it, remember this is for low smoking, high heat is the downfall of clay K's! If you can't find it let me know and I'll make a copy of mine and send it to you
Keep me posted!

Brian

[vr6Cop]

Brian, the light green and terra cotta that you posted pics of above looks just like a cooker I bought a couple of years ago that was advertised as an "original terra cotta BGE." But it looks exactly like yours IK, including the slide top. I guess I actually have an IK.

I've been procrastinating the refurb on it b/c of the interior parts. It's wider than my large BGE, but not quite as tall. What size BGE fire box and ring did you use on the one above to refurbish it? I guess a spring-assist band is in order, too.

It has a hairline crack that you can see light through running down the body, so I bought furnace cement for it. Now I just need to get off my tush and git'r dun.

[swamprb]

Brian, the light green and terra cotta that you posted pics of above looks just like a cooker I bought a couple of years ago that was advertised as an "original terra cotta BGE." But it looks exactly like yours IK, including the slide top. I guess I actually have an IK.

I've been procrastinating the refurb on it b/c of the interior parts. It's wider than my large BGE, but not quite as tall. What size BGE fire box and ring did you use on the one above to refurbish it? I guess a spring-assist band is in order, too.

It has a hairline crack that you can see light through running down the body, so I bought furnace cement for it. Now I just need to get off my tush and git'r dun.

If it had the slide top like the one I have pictured, and it says Taiwan on it and in the history of the Kamado, there were a few different Kamados made by others, like China Pot, Komodo, Big Green Egg and others, and every single Kamado that I see on craigslist all claim to be a Big Green Egg! Take this ad for instance, this was one of 2 I saw this past week

http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/for/339903408.html

When I was rebuilding the firebox, it didn't fit quite right and the ring was too small, I looked at my neighbors and his fit the same way, so I E-mailed the original owner of Imperial Kamado and asked him about it, gave him measurements and he replied that without seeing it himself he could not verify if it was a "genuine IK" but offered me solutions to rectify the situation. He was able to tell me the Modern style is an IK and that he was very pleased to know that it was still being used. You could spend hours on the Imperial Kamado site, because of all the links and history behind them.

[swamprb]

Ty and Adrian- Here is the Pachinko Palace Kamado Manual and cookbook that thenakedwhiz posted on the BGE forum last week, it got a lot of chuckles from the group! I have the same booklet, It's the 1976 Pre BGE Owners manual, check it out!

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/infocentral.htm

Brian

[tony76248]

Ty,

I just used latex paint on mine. It seems to be holding up just fine. I did use high temp caulk around the draft door.

Just check out komodoking.com or go to ebay, that is where you will save the most on shipping. I also went to the Grille Shoppe Belknap, they have lots of parts in stock and you can check for interchangable parts. The have the BGE and the Primo. Call me when you get the chance.

Tony

[thillin]

I checked on some BGE replacement parts today. Actually the store owner wants an unfurbished Kamado for a store display. Told me he'd make me a deal if I traded mine in on a BGE. I'm mulling it over. I'm waiting to hear back with specific numbers. If that doesn't pan out, he can get me parts from his wholesaler when he makes one of his 2 weekly runs. This will save me a ton on shipping.

[swamprb]

If you can swing it you'll be happier with the BGE! You can do so much more with it than a Kamado and the support from here and the BGE forum is fantastic! The guy that is selling the IK here in Seattle mailed me after I asked for info and he sent a pic and it's Black and pretty nice looking, but he's leaning towards getting a BGE just for the fact there's no support for the Kamado.
Brian

[tony76248]

Ty,

Let me know how that works out. I would like a large BGE, see if you can work me a deal with that guy. These things are the bomb when cooking chicken. My only problem is I would like a little more room than I have with the #3/medium.

Why do you think he wants the un-restored unit?

Also, You can get away with not installing an original firebox in yours. That is probably the only part that you can get creative with, without it affecting the way the cooker operates. The draft door and exhaust cover and ceramic interior are what really make this thing what it is. Steady high heat or low heat which is extremely controllable is what this thing is all about...in my opinion.

Tony

[tony76248]

If you can swing it you'll be happier with the BGE! You can do so much more with it than a Kamado and the support from here and the BGE forum is fantastic! The guy that is selling the IK here in Seattle mailed me after I asked for info and he sent a pic and it's Black and pretty nice looking, but he's leaning towards getting a BGE just for the fact there's no support for the Kamado.
Brian

I don't see the difference between the two. Other than the accesories and the forum. In the restoration of my Komodo, I was able to determine that they were nearly identical. IMHO the BGE accessories are of higher quality though. I can see going with a Primo Oval over both of these due to the overall cooking area and the ability to do indirect cooking.