Disneyland Dad
Found some matches.
Hi all,
This is my first post. Ken, aka Disneyland Dad, from the Central Coast of California, near the Santa Maria BBQ region. I read a couple of imperial kamado restorations, which gave me the confidence to try my own out. Mind you, I'm the guy that usually hires out anything requiring a hammer.
I found this gem on the FaceBook marketplace, listed for $300. I watched as it went down to $200. I offered $100, and the owner quickly said no. I got it. After a couple of weeks, it remained unsold and marked down to $150. After a week, I offered $100, and they accepted. I went to Nipomo and picked it up, the owner was very friendly, but after having it for several years, he wanted nothing to do it with his several Santa-Maria oak pit bbq's.
I went to Ace Hardware and bought 500-degree spray paint for engines, sanding paper, and sander. I also bought a fireplace rope as a sealer. I spent several hours sanding down the black metal parts. Ace was kind enough to help me remove the caster wheels. The nuts were in a hard spot, and I couldn't get them off otherwise.
I spent that day and the next spraying the metal pieces and the black trim and the body. I used blue painter's tape to keep within the lines! All-in-all maybe 6 hours of work.
I ordered the caster wheels online and went with the 3-inch diameter for $60 for the set. Smaller grey-colored wheels were selling for $20. I am thrilled with the upgrade. I always wanted to do so for my pick up truck, so when I had the opportunity to do so for just $40, I couldn't resist!
I replaced the grill with a Weber 18-inch grill with the sides that open to add charcoal. I still have the original and will use it to hold the pizza stone I intend to use a heat deflector.
So to back up a couple of steps, I have mulled over buying a modern-day ceramic grill. The price of the grill and the 1/2-inch lip I have at the entrance of my garage gave me nightmares of a Humpty-dumpty catastrophe! But the Imperial Kamodo's design seems like the perfect solution to my allay my fears. With a low center of gravity, a large metal frame, and low cost gave me the confidence to give it a shot. I love that the ring holder is larger than grill, and not fitted to match perfectly with the base. I can grip the ring with one hand, use the other to secure the base, and gently lift it over the lip of the garage. (This was another reason to justify the upgraded caster wheels, I said to my wife.)
In fact, after my first grill, it was easy to move the still-warm kamado back into the garage. I don't think I could have done this with a ring that fits perfectly with the egg. Without further delay, here are the pictures:
This is my first post. Ken, aka Disneyland Dad, from the Central Coast of California, near the Santa Maria BBQ region. I read a couple of imperial kamado restorations, which gave me the confidence to try my own out. Mind you, I'm the guy that usually hires out anything requiring a hammer.
I found this gem on the FaceBook marketplace, listed for $300. I watched as it went down to $200. I offered $100, and the owner quickly said no. I got it. After a couple of weeks, it remained unsold and marked down to $150. After a week, I offered $100, and they accepted. I went to Nipomo and picked it up, the owner was very friendly, but after having it for several years, he wanted nothing to do it with his several Santa-Maria oak pit bbq's.
I went to Ace Hardware and bought 500-degree spray paint for engines, sanding paper, and sander. I also bought a fireplace rope as a sealer. I spent several hours sanding down the black metal parts. Ace was kind enough to help me remove the caster wheels. The nuts were in a hard spot, and I couldn't get them off otherwise.
I spent that day and the next spraying the metal pieces and the black trim and the body. I used blue painter's tape to keep within the lines! All-in-all maybe 6 hours of work.
I ordered the caster wheels online and went with the 3-inch diameter for $60 for the set. Smaller grey-colored wheels were selling for $20. I am thrilled with the upgrade. I always wanted to do so for my pick up truck, so when I had the opportunity to do so for just $40, I couldn't resist!
I replaced the grill with a Weber 18-inch grill with the sides that open to add charcoal. I still have the original and will use it to hold the pizza stone I intend to use a heat deflector.
So to back up a couple of steps, I have mulled over buying a modern-day ceramic grill. The price of the grill and the 1/2-inch lip I have at the entrance of my garage gave me nightmares of a Humpty-dumpty catastrophe! But the Imperial Kamodo's design seems like the perfect solution to my allay my fears. With a low center of gravity, a large metal frame, and low cost gave me the confidence to give it a shot. I love that the ring holder is larger than grill, and not fitted to match perfectly with the base. I can grip the ring with one hand, use the other to secure the base, and gently lift it over the lip of the garage. (This was another reason to justify the upgraded caster wheels, I said to my wife.)
In fact, after my first grill, it was easy to move the still-warm kamado back into the garage. I don't think I could have done this with a ring that fits perfectly with the egg. Without further delay, here are the pictures:
