No so long after I stopped being a lurker here and started posting in the forum I began trying to help others find kettles. Even if they were 200 miles away and I had no chance of getting them or even being willing to make the drive, I still enjoyed the hunt. I figured if nothing else I would get a little kettle karma and make some new friends. Then out of no where
@bladz offers to send me this Lime SJ for the low price of shipping cost after his sister picked it up. Now at the time I had never even had an interaction with bladz and the offer completely caught me off guard. As a new Weber addict I was absolutely interested so long as the shipping was reasonable (I thought it would be much more than it really was for just an SJ). Then a completely different member
@JEBIV graciously offered to pay shipping. All I can say to both of you is THANK YOU. I genuinely appreciate it and if I ever find myself not appreciating this kettle any longer I will do my best to find another new WKC member to pass it on to.
If it wasn't for members like this being welcoming and helpful I can't say that I would be nearly as active as I have been here. Rather than lurking, I am checking this place out at least a few times a day and doing my best to be a good WKC member. Since bladz made that offer he has become a friend who I message at least a few times a week and honestly that has been worth far more than a Lime SJ could ever be. I haven't gotten to know JEBIV all that much yet, but I hope one day I get the chance to because he seems to be just as good a grill fella as anyone could be. There have also been a handful of other members here who I also genuinely appreciate. They have been helpful in my builds and restores when I call, text, or message on the forum. Others have just been great to talk kettles, grilling, or hunt kettles/parts with.
Now that he sappy stuff is out of the way it is PICTURE TIME!
This little gem had been a little abused is all I can say. Filthy, a little rusty, and wasn't even given the dignity of a proper charcoal grate (they had some kinda metal basket in there?). Bladz removed the "charcoal grate" and rusty top grate and expertly packed this thing up and shipped it south. Then I got to work...