Kettle pick up part 2

[avega2792]

I was really happy to pick this up today. I'm always finding myself in need of a table while cooking on the kettle so this will probably be my new goto cooker. Cleaned up pretty nice thanks to the WKC tutorial. This makes 5 kettles after joining WKC in July with only 1!

[Shanks Kop]

I've never been that partial to blue (maybe linked to my favourite Football/Soccer team), but these are slowly starting to win over my affections.

Good find

[captjoe06]

I love those little OTPs they're light enough to toss in the back of your pickup truck by yourself easily.

[baglorious]

Good find!  Love the blue, and the tabletop looks good too.  Did you give it a sanding, or were you able to clean it that well without?  (Or did it come that way?)

I've got one of those, and captjoe06 is right.  Nice and lightweight.  A grate basic performer-style that really... is all you need.  It was my only Weber for years.

The one thing you might consider (and that I've considered but haven't done) is trying to treat the tabletop with some kind of acrylic or lacquer.  As soon as you put something greasy on it... it stains.  And on mine, at least, the stain doesn't just wipe off.  It seems to be instantly imparted into whatever tiny gaps exist on the surface.  I followed the WKC tutorial (or thereabouts) and was thrilled after 'restoring' my trusty old OTP to new looking condition.  However, to my immediate disappointment (after sanding the tabletop to 'like new' appearance) occurred a day after my first cook.  I simply placed the grate on the table as I was accessing the unspent charcoal... and boom.  Instant stains, and the top looked crappy again.

After I sanded, I used 303 Protectant (as recommended in another post), but it didn't keep the stains from imparting to the top.  I went to true value and looked at various spray-on acrylics... and just didn't end up bothering.  Now my top looks crummy again, but oh well.  Its a cooker, not a looker.  (But I wish it were bit more of a looker too.)

SO, consider perhaps figuring something out to keep yours so pretty!  I wonder if a can of clear acrylic spray would be the ticket?