Attempting to restore a Smokey Joe

[rookiedad]

the great thing about webers is that even in the condition it was in it was still 100% usable. the project looks fun but if you didn't want to do it you could have hosed it off, maybe put a new grill in it and began cooking. many webers are still in operation in much worse condition than that one.

 

[BeerBQ]

the great thing about webers is that even in the condition it was in it was still 100% usable. the project looks fun but if you didn't want to do it you could have hosed it off, maybe put a new grill in it and began cooking. many webers are still in operation in much worse condition than that one.

I have no doubt I could've cooked right away. It just needed a new grate and a coal grate and it was good to go.

 

[BeerBQ]

I got some more work done today. The legs are completely free of the hardware that attached them to the body. They are in a liquid to get rid of the rust (Krud Kutters) to soak for a while.

The rust keeping everything together


To get them of I took a grinder down the middle of the slot all the way through the head and washer. They came off pretty easily after that with needle nosed pliers.


Pan. I'm working it with some steel wool which seems to be working, but it looks like there are stains on it that won't come off. Is there anything I can do with that?

Handles sanded up and ready for oil

 

[el_matt]

Looking good so far. Make sure you don't soak your vents in oven cleaner. Oven cleaner will start to dissolve the aluminum vents, don't ask me how I know.

Matt

 

[BeerBQ]

Looking good so far. Make sure you don't soak your vents in oven cleaner. Oven cleaner will start to dissolve the aluminum vents, don't ask me how I know.

Matt

I won't ask. But I will ask if anything could make them better after a soak...
I let them sit a little too long and noticed the metal got kind of rough and lost some of its shine. Steel wool has helped a bit.

Sad to say, but your post came a bit too late. However, the soak did get rid of the gunk that had built up...