What to do with a decrepit Smokey Joe?

[leeharvey418]

So, a couple of observations:

First - the saying 'happy wife, happy life' always trumps 'it's better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission'.

Second - when you find a practically new Jumbo Joe on Facebook for twenty bucks, you don't pass up that deal.

As you may have gleaned by now, I need to cull the herd a bit.  Considering that I got the Smokey Joe for the express purpose of having a traveling grill, and that I got the Jumbo Joe because I wanted something bigger and easier to use, it stands to reason that the Smokey Joe is the one to go.  The issue is what I should do with her.  The vents are all present, but they don't seal particularly well.  Even if they did, there are a couple of holes in the bowl that make me reluctant to even get too vigorous with cleaning.  The wing nuts on the legs have turned into lumps of rust, and the legs themselves aren't in great shape.  The lid handle came loose some time ago, and it's been re-attached with a couple of #6 screws and nuts.  I only paid seven dollars for her, though I did replace both grates, so I'm in $26.  I've gotten that much benefit out of having her for the last few months, so if the consensus is to send her to the great cookout in the sky, I've got no problem doing that.  I would save the handle, though - it's in pretty fantastic shape for the condition that everything else is in.  It wouldn't be too difficult to drill out the rivets, pull the handle, and drive two nuts into the lower piece to let it bolt up to a rivet strap as a replacement.  I'd hang onto the grates until I find another SJ that I can't live without. 

There it is.  I pretty much have a plan in place to salvage a piece of her that can live on.  I'm just questioning whether I'm being too quick to give up on a grill that's roughly as old as I am.

[JEBIV]

turn it upside down and make an outdoor Weber light for your cooking area, few bucks at hardware/depot store for parts and your set

[Bob BQ]

@JEBIV's got the right idea.  You could also add some stainless steel bolts to the cook grate and use it to get more cooking space on your bigger kettles.

[bamakettles]

I would donate it to someone that's never tried charcoal - if you know anyone like that.  Might just create a spark..... Smokey Joes make amazing burgers and dogs and someone might just catch the Weber bug.

[Cellar2ful]

I use an old SJ for a charcoal chimney lighting base.  Works great.  Keeps sparks and smaller pieces of charcoal contained and gives you a place to set a hot chimney once the coals are dumped. 

[Samuel]

That is a great idea @Cellar2ful. I was wondering how I was going to solve that problem. Do you have something setting on inside under chimney?

[Cellar2ful]

That is a great idea @Cellar2ful. I was wondering how I was going to solve that problem. Do you have something setting on inside under chimney?

Just the SJ charcoal grate.