About to look at a kettle on CL... advice?

[AnakiMana]

Nice pickup! Does the lid handle have screws in it? The lid close up  picture looked like a flathead screw was in the handle...

Yeah, there are screws. Did Weber ever produce them like that, or do you think someone repaired it?

Also, did they all have the three round vents on bottom during this period, or does this indicate a particular series?

[cbpeck]

Nice pickup! Does the lid handle have screws in it? The lid close up  picture looked like a flathead screw was in the handle...

Yeah, there are screws. Did Weber ever produce them like that, or do you think someone repaired it?

Also, did they all have the three round vents on bottom during this period, or does this indicate a particular series?

The screws through the lid handle are an older repair. Those handles were welded on, but the rust gets to them. The lower "daisy wheel" vents were standard on all kettles back in the day, and then there was a period where both those and the first generation one touch system were offered simultaneously before Weber switched to offering the one touch exclusively.

[AnakiMana]

Huh. Maybe you guys *DO* know what you're talking about!

[dazzo]

Tagged by "W K C" already?

Man, those guys are everywhere!

Nice pickup, looks like it will be fun to restore your birth year kettle.

[Craig]

Nice pickup!! On that lid handle, you can change out those screws to aluminum blind rivets. They hold nice and tight and won't rust. You can even shoot a little high heat black paint on them to make them discrete. Rivet gun runs $9-$12 at Ace. Otherwise you can do stainless steel screws.

[AnakiMana]

Thanks for the advice, Craig. Hey, what's the best stuff to use on the grimey crusty interior? Maybe some oven cleaner?

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[MacEggs]

Nice score! I love my one and only "A" code 3-wheeler.
Oven cleaner works great for all interior parts.

For the exterior, some 0000 steel wool and hot water with dish soap.

Too bad about the handle. Excellent advice from Craig.
Looks like the wood handle could be saved with some spar varnish.

[landgraftj]

I use the heavy duty oven cleaner inside the bowl and lid. Works great. You can use a scrapper to get the heavy gunk off first.

[pbe gummi bear]

Ok, update time!

I managed to be the first person to look at it, despite it being on CL for a few days. She had to unbury it in the storage unit. She was asking for $30. Looking it over, I saw several rusty spots and some bent metal, too. But I thought the vents were salvageable, just really gunked up. Date code was "A" putting it at 1979 - my birth year! I really wanted it, maybe even more so because it needed so much TLC. I thought how fun it would be to clean him up and bring life back into him. I offered $20 and she countered at $25.  SOLD.

Here's some pictures of my adopted, formerly abused, little guy.

I love the captions. Keep us posted on the cleanup and first cook!

[AnakiMana]

Well, cleanup is awful on this thing. I can clean car engines a hundred times easier than this. I tried Easy-Off Heavy Duty oven cleaner, dish soap, Gunk engine degreaser, bug & tar remover (a citrus spray on gel for automotive cleaning), Comet cleanser... Using stiff bristle brushes and acrylic scrubby pads, etc. I've been able to scrape layers of black grease off with a plastic scraping tool after loosening with the above. Even soaking the lid in the bath tub with dish soap for hours in Super hot water didn't seem to do a lot. Except get my wife's attention!

Tonight I purchased some Scotch Brite copper coated scrubbing pads and a box of Brillo heavy duty steel wool soap pads and another can of Easy-Off, "Grill Cleaner" this time.

Tomorrow I think I'll have time to try some more... Man, I'm really building a relationship with this new acquisition of mine! It's like I adopted AND had to go through labor for this kid.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[pbe gummi bear]

Just use a razor and scrape it off. Low angle ~20deg and some pressure will scrape most of that soot in one shot.

[AnakiMana]

Maybe I'm being too cautious about damaging the surface. I'm thinking a razor will scratch it, though.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[MINIgrillin]

Nope. It will be fine. I had received the same advise when I was doing the same cleaning of a "never cleaned WSM". Carbon was 1/4inch thick in places. Buy a pack of standard razors and a holder handle. Use medium pressure so blade conforms to bend in surface. Then ... It's all about thinking about the time wasted trying other ways. Also get some 0000 steel wool for final cleanup.

I'd recommend a burn off cycle before first cook just to make sure you get any cleaner residue out.

^^^^
this knowledge has been past down to me from the grillfella collective @ WKC

[AnakiMana]

Thank you, guys.

Next question: where should I look for an ash catcher? Mine is missing. Can I get a new one or will only a vintage one work on this '79 kettle?

Sent via smoke signals from my Weber kettle

[cbpeck]

New ones are available locally, but are not the same as what yours came with. For a new replacement you can try Washington Hardware or Ranch & Home (both in Kennewick) or Griggs in Pasco. I suspect that someone on this forum would be happy to help you source the type of "twist on" pan that your grill came with, but a sample may be difficult to produce in good condition.

I suspect that a soft wire brush on a drill would work well for cleaning heavily soiled lids. I'd be concerned about scratching, of course, but you've got a ways to go before you find the porcelain, and we know that 0000 steel wool is good, so as long as it wasn't anymore abrasive it may work very well. Alternately, a large ultrasonic tank would probably do wonders, but who has one of those laying around???