My Gray Phase

[mike.stavlund]

So I left the house with the reconditioned gray 'N' in the back of the car to deliver to a friend, and I returned home with a gray 'G' (Freecycle, FTW!).  I guess I must be on some kind of roll or something. Or maybe I'm depressed. 

So I hear people talking about 'truing' a grill/smoker, or bringing it back into round, but I've not needed to do that before.  The lid is close to round, but the bowl is about 3/4" off (22 1/4" on the short diameter, and a strong 23" on the long diameter).  I gave the thing a squeeze and shifted it about 1/4", but I don't know the preferred procedure.  Do folks use bar clamps or something, or is it better to just gently muscle it?  I imagine that the stress will crack the finish at some point...

Another question:  the hanger hook for the lid is straightened out to the point that the lid barely hangs on it.  Any tips for bending it back, such that I don't just break the thing off altogether? 

This thing has been dropped an knocked over a few times, but it's in pretty good shape:



'G' stands for 'gray', and also for 1985:



Interesting mod on the ash catcher-- it appears that the former owner preferred the old twist-style ash tray and so made his own:





More signs of damage-- the handle is bent in two directions, and also shoved down into the bowl (and does anyone know where a guy can get some new wood handles? ;-):

[zavod44]

Personally I just muscle the bowl or lid into shape....I know some people are much more gentile with them but I am pretty rough with them.  I put those handles on the edge of a table and bend it back.  Or I just grab it and bend it back depending on which way it needs to go.  The welds are surprisingly strong.  You need to asses the situation but I just grab them and bend them.  As far as the handle I know a guy.....

Brian

[Heyjude]

I think thats an origianal ash pan. Someone else care to discusss?

[mike.stavlund]

I haven't seen a twist ash can for 20 years, so I'm all ears.  But I saw uneveness in the edges that looked like someone with a tin snips.  There are also those little spring clips on the legs, and I can't imagine anyone adding those if the grill came with a twist pan.

But hey, I hope I'm wrong.  I'll be happy to send this ash can to anyone looking for one, if that's the case. 

Thanks for the expertise, gentlemen!

Mike

[zavod44]

I was just thinking it might be factory.  I actually have a Ash pan that almost looks exactly like that.  It has the clips, so maybe.....


Brian

[fosta66]

I would be very interested in that ash catcher for my old 26" redhead.  Does anyone know if it would fit?

[Heyjude]

No way it will fit.. That red 26 is useless without a pan, so just ship it to me and I will dispose of it for you.. Actually, the ash pan for a 26 is likely to be different.. But I have no idea for sure..
Show us a pic, we all would love to see it..

[zavod44]

What red head, who's got a 26 red head?

Brian

[Heyjude]

Try reading posts other than mine.. Geez, are you stalking me? I know I am charismatic and irresistible, but cmon..

[zavod44]

A legend in your own mind.....

Brian

[Heyjude]

I'm by biggest fan!

[Craig]

Interesting mod on the ash catcher-- it appears that the former owner preferred the old twist-style ash tray and so made his own:

That should be the original ash pan. Or at least a "period correct" one. Weber was still doing the twist pans in '85. This looks like the '79-'86 rolled edge style. They resemble the later full disc pans but with a twist- no pun intended  . As for the clips, I have a pic of George Stephen posing with an early 80s redhead/twist pan kettle and when I zoomed in, I noticed there was a leg clip just above the twist ash pan, seems redundent, but perhaps Weber started adding clips for the later style twist pans in the early '80s? Maybe.

Craig