Vent code

[ramsfan]

Does anyone know approximately the year Weber changed the wording on the vent dampers from "Bar-B-Que Kettle" to the word "Weber" w/raised letters? I'm thinking it was sometime in the mid-late 1970's? 

[1buckie]

Look back at this other thread ~~~>

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/trading-post/old-blackie-from-late-60's-early-70's-$12/
 
( I can't get the link to work right, it will just go to "Trading Post"...
but your post on, currently, page 2 )

Tells the tale....
It went Bar-B-Q-Kettle, then Weber, line ingraved, Then Weber, raised

Somewhere in the mid 70's ....?

Look at Craig's ( husker_red )  comments in the last 1/2 of the thread & it tells most all of what you need to know.....

[ramsfan]

Thanks for the info. I saw that thread earlier. Read it from start to finish hoping to find something to narrow it down to an approximate year? I know Weber went through three different designs on the vents during the 1970's. The best I can narrow it down is somewhere around 1975 - 1977?

[Heyjude]

That's the thing about Weber. No one knows exact dates on almost everything..

[zavod44]

They didn't go direct to the raised Weber. there was a flat Weber word in the same shape as the later raised Weber word.

Brian

[1buckie]

They didn't go direct to the raised Weber. there was a flat Weber word in the same shape as the later raised Weber word.

Brian

Yeah, that's what I can see just from looking at the ones piled up around the yard

From Above: "It went Bar-B-Q-Kettle, then Weber, line engraved, Then Weber, raised"

So, the one in question would be 1975 ~ 1976 ?

[Craig]

I just pulled out my Weber geek flag, so here it goes..I'd say the non raised/engraved WEBER logo with the tall/elongated "b" in WEBER came about in 1975-76 and was used through 1977. Up until ealier this year, I thought that the raised logo didn't appear until 1979, but I have accquired a 22.5 Copper Mist/Brown kettle that has the raised logo, but no letter/date code. There's pics of the vent in the date code thread. So the raised logo vents sans date code must have come out in very late/Christmastime '77 or just for 1978. As evident from seeing kettles known to be from or puchased new in 1977 to have the engraved logo. As time goes on, we're gathering more knowledge on how to determine the age of a kettle from 1968-78, at least narrowing them down to a window of years from first 1968-1970 PATENT PENDING's (thought to be 1970 only previously)to the 1971-1974-75 pantent numbered B-B-BQ-K's to the 1975-76-77 engraved logo kettles, to the 1978-1979 RAISED logo vent kettles (Previously thought to not exist until 1979 and later) There's also visual evidence that when Weber first updated the lid vent in the mid 1970s to the engraved logo they left the turn tab small and rounded like the old BBQK's however, they retooled the bowl vents from the single rounded mini turn tab to the wide dual tabs that are still made today for the WSM and as replacement vent parts. This is also when Weber would have retooled the wheels to the modern OTS/OTG style whitewalls. 2-3 years later (when changed to raised vent logo), Weber must have thought the lid vent should have the same style wide turn tab as to match the bowl vents. I'd love to put together a section on here explaining what we know about this decade and the others before and since of the Weber kettle. Given everyones collections, we can get visuals from each period to illustrate our points.


Craig

[1buckie]

Yeah, we ought to get it all argued out & disscussed all around, then put together a "Just Information" timeline thingiemabob......

That's the thing about Weber. No one knows exact dates on almost everything..

I've asked Weber, point blank, "Is there a history book, museum, record of information on this stuff ?"

No answer....

They did answer on the corn racks, wok & skewer setups though, semi-accurately....

[Craig]

Yeah, according to Weber's facebook page, the kettles were only made in Arlington Heights from 1960-1974, pretty sure the '79 kettles still say Arlington Heights, ILL. My '95 says Palatine, ILL It's not worth asking someone there unless it's one of George's kids that have been there forever. It's up to us to do the investigating and research which for me is a labor of love.

Craig

[1buckie]

I'm still thinking though, that as this info is grouped up, we ought to publish it clearly, without "comments" in between, so people can check in as to what they're looking at / for
can be determined quickly, easily......?

[Craig]

I agree! Just an article/section thats not in forum mode discussing the details and changes to the kettles over the years. With visual aids and color options. It should also serve as a buyers guide of sorts to a kettle collector. To determine age and if all parts are authentic. A "things to look for" when determining the age of the grill your looking into. 

Craig

[1buckie]

There is already this:

http://weberkettleclub.com/determine-age-of-old-grill/

But it could be way more extensive & the reason I was suggesting lose the comments is not to balk at or prevent anyone's input, but to only put up the info AFTER the speculation is over...........

Here's another one that just cropped up, with a bunch of info, almost settled up....

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/trading-post/metal-top-handle!/

[Troy]

guys if you find new facts, please tell me so i can update the determine the age page.

[1buckie]

guys if you find new facts, please tell me so i can update the determine the age page.

In what form should we pass the info along?
I'm kind of keeping track of the threads that get involved in info filtering & deciphering, would that help?

Or definitive statements, or....?

What's best for you?

[Troy]

the best way, in my opinion, is to start a thread titled "proposed change to weber age guide" where you can present the facts.

you're more than welcome to email me too - but i'm a big fan of community involvement and engagement.

While i did gather a lot of the data in that guide myself, there's no way I could have done it without everyone here (aside from the patent research)