Unhappy with my Red Head restoration


 
Dave in KC

Dave in KC

TVWBB Wizard
I guess if hadn't started following this forum closely that last couple of weeks,
I may have gone ahead and listed this grill for sale. But after seeing how the
pros do it I here, I am left with an empty feeling.

iUk8Tkph.jpg


1st - I am not entirely happy with the wood, but I question if that is because
I simply tired of looking at it. Thoughts?

BaqP16jh.jpg


7M2bpJyh.jpg


2nd- I am totally unhappy with the sides. I tried to half *** this instead of taking them
apart, sanding down, and doing it the right way the first time. What exactly should I use
to smooth these out? I have a sander, and an angle grinder.
 
You can sand that wood down again, restain and use spar varnish. That will seal it and let you keep it clean and nice looking. For the end caps, you answered your own question. Sand em down and repaint. If you are concerned with losing the textured look, some have had success using a roller and a can of high heat paint. Anything can be fixed, it is just a matter of how much effort you are willing to put forth.

Slainte!

Tim

Edit: I'd definitely paint the screws in the end caps black. That's just me. But seriously, just sand them down, paint one coat or two with a roller and then spray on the finishing coat. You already did all that work, and your grill looks pretty good as it is. I'm a perfectionist, and addled by imperfections especially when I know I can do better. You can too, so DO IT!

Then put up pictures, because we all love them.
 
Last edited:
It looks like you have loose paint under the fresh coat of paint on the end caps. If so, that won't last. Take your angle grinder and strip them clean, then put a fresh coat of high heat paint on them. Wood looks fine to me but a resand a nice stain and some Spar like THyde suggests would probably dress it up a lot.
 
I think you are being to hard on yourself. It's a grill and as such it's meant to be used. It doesn't have to be perfect.
 
That is true bottom line underneath that is aluminum it's never going to rust so you don't have to worry about that. The grill going to get full of grease and grime anyway I wouldn't worry about it too much if it's your own personal grill. My grill certainly doesn't look like the pictures I posted above. Those were taken over a year ago and many cooks ago.
 
I am primarily interested in restoring to sell. I have collected a few of these, and figure with some
TLC they will be worth something to someone. I belong to a local fraternal organization and plan to
donate one to them as well. However, in either case, I do not want to share an inferior product.

When stripping with a grinder, it is ok to use a cup brush such as this one-

https://www.lowes.com/pd/DEWALT-3-in-Knotted-Cup-Brush/1100895

I have used it on steel but never aluminum. Seems to be it would rip it to shreds.
 
No problem Dave. When I did my personal 1993 Genesis 1000 redhead, I went ahead and ground out the inside of the cook box down to bare aluminum. I would not bother to do that again. A couple cooks later and you cant really even tell. But it is kind of nice to know the gunk is my gunk now. But, if I do another grill for myself, a putty knife will be all I use to clean out the cook box. Refurbs are different. Customers love to see that shiny metal.
 
That's exactly why when I converted my my Gen 1000 to a 2000 it was made with factory durawood slats. It's a working grill and the durawood is much easier to maintain than real wood, agreed the real wood properly done is a thing of beauty, but I choose function over looks. Cook up a storm and the next day a little 409 and it looks like new again.
Now if I ever find that elusive skyline grill it will be made into a patio queen, a piece of patio furniture not to be subjected to fatty burgers and such. A wonderful piece of eye candy to lust over.:cool:
 
Rich when I restored my father's genesis 1000 I chose durawood slats for that exact same reason. But I do greatly admire some of the beautiful wood slats I see on this site.
 
I have three or four 1000's in my stable waiting for my attention, some wood, some durawood. I am in the middle of an E320 and then I plan a Silver B, but I am getting anxious to get another 1000 done with wood. I have to Lowes cedar boards. I will probably do a darker stain and some Spar. Maybe I will do a 1000 before the Silver B.
 
Interesting that you all are talking about wood slats and durawood. Is there a big difference in what someone will pay for a grill on one over the other? I currently have another red head,
and a maroon/plum. One has wood, one has durawood. Just curious as to which combo would work out the best.
 
LOL, I just now started a new thread asking virtually the same question. Looking forward to responses.
 
Dave Oaks said:
I am primarily interested in restoring to sell. I have collected a few of these, and figure with some
TLC they will be worth something to someone. I belong to a local fraternal organization and plan to
donate one to them as well. However, in either case, I do not want to share an inferior product.

When stripping with a grinder, it is ok to use a cup brush such as this one-

https://www.lowes.com/pd/DEWALT-3-in-Knotted-Cup-Brush/1100895

I have used it on steel but never aluminum. Seems to be it would rip it to shreds.
Click to expand...

Dave,

I agree with Bruce and have followed his advice switching - mostly - from a slightly larger DeWalt braided brush than yours to the exact Harbor Freight one he recommends. I will say, however, that there are sometimes badly burned on patches that the regular brush seems very hard pressed to remove. On my last Weber and Broilmaster cast aluminum wire brush jobs, I went back to my braided brush for some of the really tough areas. The regular brushes do leave much less brush swirls. However, you can go over with a regular brush the places where the braided brush left swirls. So, in my limited experience I think there is a place for both.
 
As of right now I am undecided about what to do with the 1000. I am letting it sit, and moving on to my next project. I believe this is an 1100 if I am correct.

5F5bZ6cl.jpg


The wood slats are painted gray. Was this a Weber factory option, or something the previous owner did?

I have a donor grill with durawood that I may use instead, or I may go all out and replace with cedar. I have options,
but am undecided at this point. I did a complete tear down yesterday, and will begin grinding the box and sides this week,
along with painting the cart. I have done some serious reading here over the weekend and this site a tremendous wealth
of information. Thanks to everyone for their efforts.
 
Dave,
The painted grey wood slats are factory, Weber did this between using stained wood and the plastic durawood.
My 5000 model wood looks exactly the same.

Jeff
 
I broke out the angle grinder and started on the box tonight. That's not a dirty job or anything.
Do you take the outside of the box to bare metal? Bare metal on the sides of lid? Also, how exactly do
you hold the panel. In a vise? Basically impossible to hold the side in one hand and the grinder in the other.
 
LOL. DAve, we have all been there. I have one of those foldable work benches. I replaced the cheapo particle board tops with 1x6's. I can either use the vice function the bench to hold the end caps or I can use some deck screws and screw them down to the wood boards using the lid bolt holes. Then I grind them down to bare metal inside and outside if the paint is flaking. For the cook box, yes, I take it down to bare metal as well. If I was doing a grill for me, I would probably skip grinding the inside down to bare aluminum as it is just going to get gunked up again after a couple cooks. But for rehabs, I take them down to bare metal. That is what people like to see.

I use deck screws in each corner of the cook box opening to hold it in place while doing the inside. For the outside, they fit over the top of the work bench just perfect to hold them snug in place.

Please, please use safety glasses and leather gloves while doing the grinding. I assume you are, but some people just don't realize the dangers by not doing so.

Here is a CL add for my last silver B that I did showing the cook box. I took the inside down to bare metal and I took outside down to bare metal and painted it with Rustoleum high heat Matte.

https://madison.craigslist.org/for/d/sold-weber-genesis-silver/6641696666.html

Here is a photo after I got done grinding the cook box. Lucky it was hot and I was sweating or it would have looked worse.

R3RgXfi.jpg
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top