Riveted handle removal.

[Craig]

Any tips on safely removing original riveted handles without boogering up the metal handle it is fastened to? Havn't tackled the riveted ones yet.

Thanks,
Craig

[landgraftj]

Craig I've used a small hand saw and cut near each rivet...pulls right off then. To pop the rivets out I take needle-nosed pliers and crimp them and pop them out the top. No damage to the lids...yet 

[G]

Once they are removed, how do you re-attach without a nut/bolt?  Any tips or ideas?

[Heyjude]

G,
Contact Brian, he has the trick..
AJ

[zavod44]

Troy wanted me to do this article so I figure I'll just post it here and if he wants to move it for a feature somewhere else he can.



                                                          How to replace the handles on your Weber kettle

I make replacement handles and I thought I would show everyone how to replace the handles on their kettle.
The Weber handles have a history all themselves.  It is loosely broken down into four eras.  The earliest Webers had all metal hanldes.  Two metal handles on each side of the bowl and a metal handle on top. 



Weber must have got complaints that the metal got too hot, so early in the 60's the put a wood handle on top but left the two metal handles on the bowl.  The wood handle on top was made from walnut, and it was held on with two rivets.  I'm not sure if they were walnut forever, I believe they started using whatever wood they could get their hands on.










In the early 80's Weber switched to three wooden handles, two on the bowl and one on the top.  For ease of manufacturing they went to a single screw in the middle.











Late in the 90's they switched to the plastic handles and that remains the way it is today.

First thing you need to do is identify what kind of handle you need.  The two rivet style or the single screw kind. 



If your handle is missing all together you can still figure out what you need.  If the bare metal has two holes then yu need the two rivet.  If it has one hole in the middle and two prongs sticking up then you need the single screw kind.




So if you decided you need the single screw kind your job will be easy.  You need a phillips screwdriver.  Back out the screw, replace the handle and put the screw back.  Easy....











Once the job was done the inspector showed up.





If you have a grill that the handle is the older style then you will need some tools.  If you purchased one of my handles you will need a flat screwdriver, a phillips screwdriver and some superglue.  This is what you get from me. 




Take the flat screwdriver and put it between the two wood parts, and gently pry the two pieces apart. 










The handle should come free pretty easily.




Put the new handle in place and run in the wood screws, be careful not to over tighten the screws. 



Now you can leave it as is, or you can install the small discs of aluminum on top of the screw heads to replicate the look of the rivets.  Then your grill has the vintage look.











Oh and Phoebe approves....



If you want to purchase handles you can go here   http://weberkettleclub.com/weber-handles/


Brian

[Craig]

Thanks for the tips and thanks for posting the photos and the handle info timeline, Brian.

Craig

[Craig]

Update: I got the original riveted handle off my 18.5 Red and let me tell ya, it was easier said than done. Those rivets did not want to give out. I broke the one side of the handle (wood) before the rivets even loosened. It took me sawing the rivets in half before they would come out. This handle had been on there some 45 years and wasn't going without a fight. I think the removing of the handle on my '70s brownie will be a little easier as the rivets are rickety on that one. The red handle was solid tight up to it's final day.

Craig

[zavod44]

I have actually used a bolt cutter on a few, I did one on Troy's baby blue and had to go to the bolt cutter.  The rivets are solid, the wood is what rots....

Brian

[Troy]

i used a hack saw on my big red. i almost cut off my finger in the process too