got a Q

[blksabbath]

I've been looking for a little while and couldn't pull the trigger.  Then a free one popped up one CL in rough shape about 5 minutes from my house.  The woman said it worked great then started getting harder to cook on, then was kind of abandoned on the exposed deck.

The grill itself disintegrated when I picked it up so I need a new one.  The gas tube and all that just look like they are covered in the remains of the grill.  I'll post some pics tomorrow.

[Bob BQ]

@blksabbath , so that's why I haven't gotten a response to my email asking if it's still available...

Congrats, Dan!

[blksabbath]

Aside from the grate that fell into pile of chunks and dust, i cleaned about 3lbs of hamburger/brat/hotdog ash out.  It lit without problems, but i think the burner tube and venturi need to be cleaned.  Otherwise I need a new grate and i'm cooking with gas.

[jamesnomore]

nice Q, I used a very small philips screw driver like the kind you'd fix your glasses with and poked out all of the holes with mine and it's perfect. just make sure you don't bend the metal...

[OoPEZoO]

I've had to clean the tiny holes in my burner tube probably once a year ever since I picked up my Q.  They are unprotected, and seem to get clogged up pretty easily with stuff falling/dripping down from the cooking grate.  I just use a thick sewing needle.  It takes a few seconds and I'm good to go for another year

[bbquy]

I've had to clean the tiny holes in my burner tube probably once a year ever since I picked up my Q.  They are unprotected, and seem to get clogged up pretty easily with stuff falling/dripping down from the cooking grate.  I just use a thick sewing needle.  It takes a few seconds and I'm good to go for another year

I was using a paperclip, it worked but frustrating! I am going to try the sewing needle this weekend. Great idea! Thanks

[blksabbath]

So I took the burner tube out, cleaned it out, poked a little wire thru all 10,000 holes, and then put it all back together.  I put on a fresh propane tank and fired it up.  Not much really changed....the flame control barely changes anything.  I'm wondering if the regulator assembly is mucked up.  How high do the flames get when it's on Hi?  The flames are blue, no yellow, just kind of wimpy.

[1buckie]

Not exactly sure how these things are configured, but you might try this:

  Shut everything off, wait a minute,  turn on the tank, then open up up gar feed on the Q (this is the part I'm not sure of, are there two separate "open" knobs / controls?) , if that's the case, the safety valve reads it as a gas leak & goes into extremely low flow mode........you need top sort of build up a head of steam, so to speak, before full slow works right.....or, it's just still too crusty?

[blksabbath]

I get what you are saying, but unfortunately it runs on a little disposable tank (the gas starter on a performer platinum).  The only control is a knob on the regulator that goes from OFF to HI/Start to Low.

[OoPEZoO]

That pic you posted of the burner tube flames doesn't look much different than my Q.  Thats kind of one thing I really liked about the Q, it is incredibly efficient.  Mine is an older model and the cooking grate is seriously heavy duty cast iron.  The new ones don't feel anywhere near as heavy.  The reason I mention this is that it takes a while for my Q to heat up due to the thermal mass.......BUT, once its hot, it stays hot.

I'll see if I can snap a shot of mine at low, medium, and high flame tonight.

[blksabbath]

Tried it out last night and was very impressed.  I let it heat up for about 15 minutes and it was plenty hot.

[blksabbath]

I need to get a stand for it, and more patio space.

[MeatAndPotatos]

If you or anyone else needs to clean the hole. perhaps run to like harbor freight, or a place with cheap welding supply and pick up a file meant for an oxy torch.

Basically small round files meant for cleaning the slag that can build up on the tip of a gas torch. usually an array of sizes, just make sure not to get carried away.

[bbquy]

Great idea!!! Thank you!

[huntergreen]

some great ideas for cleaning.