My new 18.5" kettle! It is so big! Lol

[AZ_MIKEY]

So last week I was surfing the local CL and came across an ad for a 18" weber charcoal grill. I figured probably just another black one but better open it and look at it. So looking at the ad and it is pictures of a used 26.75" kettle newer style with the lid bail. Sellers pics follow.



So I contact the seller immediately and set up a time to go look at it and pretty much pick it up. Price $60. I go after work and the seller flakes out which sucks cause I want it badly and they are only 2.5 miles from me and I can just sense the kettle is close and needs saved. So I continue to try and recontact seller well low and behold sellers mother contacts me at about 11pm that night and says if still interested call her the next day. Next day contact sellers mother and set time with address in hand this time. Get there after work look at the kettle and it is in rough rough shape. The pictures they posted were pics from when her daughter and ex son in law picked it up from an estate sale 3 years ago. So the bads, the top vent was almost taco'd, the front leg is flattened and bent at about a 30° angle forward, the one touch cleaner is nowhere to found no handle or cleaning blades there are scratches all over it, the lid bale is missing a nut to hold it and has caused the other side to bend at the bowl and crack the porcelain, the bowl is filled with a grease+BBQ sauce+ash concrete mixture and the ash pot is to, the ash ring is out of round and the slit which the one touch handle goes through is bent closed. So I negotiated down to $50. Following pics are after I picked it up I straightened the leg up and pushed the top vent flat to take these.









Its at this point I start to clean it by using a plastic chisel to get to the charcoal grate so I can get to the bottom of the bowl. And rattling things around I find the one touch cleaning blades.




So I spent about 9 hours of cleaning and repairing this kettle. I had to chisel out most of the gunk. The charcoal grate had stalagmites coming off it as did the cooking grate. I used a combo of chiselling, oven cleaner, dish soap and the hotsy at work to steam it and more chiselling and oven cleaner then finally barkeepers friend to finish it off. I pounded a piece of copper through the front leg and worked some body workers hammers and spoons on it to get it round and straight. Rework the ash ring to get it right. Then the top vent I got reshaped but it was extremely loose so it ends up I replace the rivet temporarily with and automotive one. I will be replacing it with the correct semi tubular brazier oval head rivet when my hardware supplier at work gets them to me. I fabricated a one touch handle out of some round stock from door lock rod material I have a work it came out great. Also used some stainless scrap to fabricate a stainless washer for the bottom of the one touch system. It came a out really good I am happy with the end result. I need to do more work on the one touch system as it is really tight. So finish pics follow.





I also had to straighten out the leg sockets as the were pushed up into the bowl. I will post a few more pics of it cleaned up and its first cook as soon as I get ahold of those pics.

Thanks for looking at my 18"

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[Jeff]

wow....I dont think Ive seen too many grills look like that in the inside.  That kettle was truly abused.  You put alot of time into it to get it looking nice again.  Load that baby up with some meat and break it back in right!  Nice work!

[AZ_MIKEY]

Here are a few more pics.

The rivet in the vent.


And a thermometer through it.

Close up of the area that was bent on and flattened on the front leg. It is not perfect but will do. I also flared out the top of all the legs so the would fit very tightly.

and the ash ring reshaped and cleaned.

and a couple group shots of my kettles that are clean and presentable at the time. There are others that would like to have got in on the photo op but could not make it due to many different reasons.






then the line up out on my small little patio/pit.


The pups got in on the photo ops

And a few more



I will hopefully get some pics from my buddy of the first cook on it as he took pics while I cooked. We done a whole mess of food on it for the Sunday night football game. On the menu was ABT's, Moinks, jerk wings, and tater tots all done on the kettle. Along with some good beer to wash it all down and the hard work put into this kettle to bring it back to glory. This is by far my favorite "18.5" kettle now...... lol seriously I am glad I have a 26er now in the family.

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[AZ_MIKEY]

Food pics only 2 my buddy didn't take to many good ones. He was to busy stuffing his face, drinking beer and watching the game.

So one with a flash and one with out.



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[G$]

When I saw it, I knew it was ROUGH.  I also knew you would fix it right up.  You exceeded my expectations!  Well done Michael!

[Duke]

Impressive Mike! That has to be the dirtiest grill I have ever seen for it's age! However, the description you gave is exactly what I look for. The finished job is excellent and the grilled delicacies were the icing on Kettle.

[With a K]

Nice grab on the 18 XL, or mini 26!

[HankB]

It's a shame to see how neglected it was but it is clearly in better hands now. Nice work on the restoration. Except for a few scratches I'm sure it's a good looker as well as a great cooker! I just did the first cook on my new 26 yesterday and it's heart warming to see that grate filled up.

[Ted B]

Very nice on the cleanup. You have a great looking crew there ready for some grilling. Way to rescue an abused 26er. You have skills beyond me. I'd have to be buying new parts right about now. Just not that handy over here.

[Bbqmiller]

Wow - it doesn't look like same grill. Great job - can't believe it only took 4 years for the kettle to end up like that.

[AZ_MIKEY]

Wow - it doesn't look like same grill. Great job - can't believe it only took 4 years for the kettle to end up like that.

That's what I was thinking this kettle got severely abused in a short amount of time. The peoples house confirmed that they treat everything with no respect. Million dollar house in a gated community and trashed with junk all over the yard. Not really use full junk eirher.

[Peaspurple]

WOW! AZ. That is a hell of a find. Cleaned wonderful. Love the group shot.

[Chasing_smoke]

Outstanding RRR! Not only is it looking like new it's also custom with the handmade parts. Great work!

[Bob BQ]

Great score, even better restore!  Congratulations, and thanks for sharing!

[G]

Excellent find and great resto.