Rust not a problem yet...
how has the exterior held up so far?? rust on the firebox yet?? sadly this is the one aesthetic thing that makes me want an insulated box. however it may be nothing to concern myself with. the BSS and the Workhorse pits are on my radar but may pop for the extra $$ to get a BigPhil backyard model as it's essentially the same thing as the BSS but with the insulated box and other options available.
I don't have my cover yet, but am soon to order one.
I live in the New Orleans area and we DO generally get a lot of rain here.
So far, rust has not been much a problem. Ever since I got it, I tend to fire it up every couple weeks or so, except for the Xmas holidays when I was out of town.
My fire box and whole thing...I looked the other day when I got home and there is a touch of rust here and there, nothing bad mind you. Any I've seen in the past, I take care of when I fire it up and it gets heated, I bought a bunch of cheap cans of Pam like oil spray and I spray that on there and it cleans up nicely and re-seasons itself.
I bought it with the linseed oil coating.
I'm not sure what having an insulated firebox would do to prevent surface rust? I mean, the outside of the insulated firebox is still made of steel which would rust, right?
Are you talking interior? I've not had any rust inside the firebox or cook chamber, it is only appeared on the exterior...and again, because I don't have a cover yet.
And so far, I don't think having a non-insulated firebox has bothered me much...but then again, I live in the south where it rarely gets that cold outdoors....and I find with the thing being almost 1/2 thick steel...it comes up to temperature and stays there pretty well.
But again, not sure how having an insulated firebox would in any way prevent surface rust?
HTH,
cayenne