kingjman
Full Fledged Farker
So last fall Mom tells me uncle is moving to a condo, that night wife says "Wonder what they're gonna do with that grill?" ....next day he gifts it to me. :grin:
It's a 30 year old 16x32 he brought back on one of his many trips to visit his brother in Texas.
Once I get it home, I start researching and find this:
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3855659
I sign up so I can see the pics, and start lurking.
Uncles isn't as rough as some of the other restores I've seen, but still a project. I get it home, and contemplate cooking on it that day. I wanna fire it up. ...I know if I do, I might just keep using it, and delay the restore. Wife is really in the mood for some grilled dogs that morning....well, that settles that...no way my first cook is gonna be hotdogs! I start planning, and hacking away.(as I grill her dogs on kettle)
Day 1...
Uncle had done a few mods...Made a grate he could slide, some heavy duty coal grates, and cut a couple access holes in original expanded metal grate to add coals.
Before I work on the actual restore, I start planning so I have options once it's ready. I don't like the expanded metal grate, his custom square grate is better, but I don't care for all the pinch points(tried it anyways). ....I have a few other options already. I had recently bought some cast iron grates for my GMG, along with a pair of Grill Grates. Both were very close to fitting the LT.
Here's what I came up with so all grates are usable....
Welded some 1/2 inch rod to slide uncles in case I like it, and some "drop in" rods to adapt my other grates....
CI grates:
CI with GGs:
GMGDB grates will also work:
Handle was rotted...and welded crooked from the factory as seen here, and first pic.
Cut off nubs, sanded, and drilled.
Drilled and tapped some leftover 1/2 rod....nice and straight now.
Front shelf was sagging quite a bit after 30 years...quick fix..
I also don't like the sharp expanded metal edges on front shelf...
Winter is creeping up fast! As much as I wanna use it, I don't wanna rush....so I focus on sanding, wire wheel, and wire brush as I get time.
I did consider hiring a sandblaster, and got a quote for $150.... but decided I didn't want to hire it out. I wanted the pride of doing this myself.
I eventually get it decent by spring...
Also replaced the lid Therm, and access door hardware with SS washers, and nuts.
Spring is here, and finally warm enough to paint! I settle on some red devil cast iron stove brush on paint...I like the sheen, and seems durable. ...didn't care for the flat black hi temp Rust-Oleum.
A little more wire brushing, and I burn a hot fire, let it cool, then wipe it down one more time with a mean greenie 3m pad. Wipe with denatured alcohol til my rags stay clean. I then brush on 3 thin coats, and do a proper burn in to cure the paint as instructed. I also pay attention to my grate temps during the cure as I'm getting anxious to cook on it!
Lower wood rack alone was a chore to clean up and paint, but turned out decent...
Front shelf won't snag anymore..welded, sanded, and smoothed out.
I'm sure uncles coal grates work great for grilling...
....not so easy to feed a fire tho...I came up with this lower coal rack...comparison:
....much easier to maintain a fire.
She's Ready!
Time for fire!
Time to eat!
No trophy's with this, but I enjoyed!
Awesome morning to wake up at 1am and smoke a full packer..
Watched the sunrise as I fed only wood chunks to the LT, and made wife some bacon on GMG
...and when she arrived home.
It's a 30 year old 16x32 he brought back on one of his many trips to visit his brother in Texas.
Once I get it home, I start researching and find this:
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3855659
I sign up so I can see the pics, and start lurking.
Uncles isn't as rough as some of the other restores I've seen, but still a project. I get it home, and contemplate cooking on it that day. I wanna fire it up. ...I know if I do, I might just keep using it, and delay the restore. Wife is really in the mood for some grilled dogs that morning....well, that settles that...no way my first cook is gonna be hotdogs! I start planning, and hacking away.(as I grill her dogs on kettle)
Day 1...
Uncle had done a few mods...Made a grate he could slide, some heavy duty coal grates, and cut a couple access holes in original expanded metal grate to add coals.
Before I work on the actual restore, I start planning so I have options once it's ready. I don't like the expanded metal grate, his custom square grate is better, but I don't care for all the pinch points(tried it anyways). ....I have a few other options already. I had recently bought some cast iron grates for my GMG, along with a pair of Grill Grates. Both were very close to fitting the LT.
Here's what I came up with so all grates are usable....
Welded some 1/2 inch rod to slide uncles in case I like it, and some "drop in" rods to adapt my other grates....
CI grates:
CI with GGs:
GMGDB grates will also work:
Handle was rotted...and welded crooked from the factory as seen here, and first pic.
Cut off nubs, sanded, and drilled.
Drilled and tapped some leftover 1/2 rod....nice and straight now.
Front shelf was sagging quite a bit after 30 years...quick fix..
I also don't like the sharp expanded metal edges on front shelf...
Winter is creeping up fast! As much as I wanna use it, I don't wanna rush....so I focus on sanding, wire wheel, and wire brush as I get time.
I did consider hiring a sandblaster, and got a quote for $150.... but decided I didn't want to hire it out. I wanted the pride of doing this myself.
I eventually get it decent by spring...
Also replaced the lid Therm, and access door hardware with SS washers, and nuts.
Spring is here, and finally warm enough to paint! I settle on some red devil cast iron stove brush on paint...I like the sheen, and seems durable. ...didn't care for the flat black hi temp Rust-Oleum.
A little more wire brushing, and I burn a hot fire, let it cool, then wipe it down one more time with a mean greenie 3m pad. Wipe with denatured alcohol til my rags stay clean. I then brush on 3 thin coats, and do a proper burn in to cure the paint as instructed. I also pay attention to my grate temps during the cure as I'm getting anxious to cook on it!
Lower wood rack alone was a chore to clean up and paint, but turned out decent...
Front shelf won't snag anymore..welded, sanded, and smoothed out.
I'm sure uncles coal grates work great for grilling...
....not so easy to feed a fire tho...I came up with this lower coal rack...comparison:
....much easier to maintain a fire.
She's Ready!
Time for fire!
Time to eat!
No trophy's with this, but I enjoyed!
Awesome morning to wake up at 1am and smoke a full packer..
Watched the sunrise as I fed only wood chunks to the LT, and made wife some bacon on GMG
...and when she arrived home.
