Are you Kidding ME ???


 
K

Kevin Parsons

TVWBB Member
So today is the day i start scraping out the bin and work on my Platinum restoration...BUT ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

I'm using commercial grease remover, a scraper, wire wheel on my drill (i don't think this is a good idea though) and talk about slllllooooowwwww
this is going to take days, if not weeks!

Please tell me theres an easier way :(
 
Trying soaking in water soap if u hve big enough tub. If not, use soaked paper napkins/towels and stick em like spit wads on a nerds neck. Hopefully it helps loosen things up
 
I got so concentrated degreaser from ace hardware it's purple and ace brand. I would either submerge in a dilution of that over night or use a spray bottle to apply.

Then if you have a pressure washer you'll be in like Flynn.
 
I have a degreaser and have been slowly picking away at it but some of the stuff grit is like stucco...or cement. I just finished pressure washing and it didn't make a dent...On the plus side, i managed to strip off most of the paint on the side panels

I'll just keep spraying it and waiting....
 
I've used oven cleaner with no ill effects. On the plus side though there is really no need to take it to metal. That carbon is actually pretty good for it
 
Are you using a wire wheel or a wire cup on the drill? I would take as much off as you can using the wire cup and call it done.
 
i've been using the wire cup but scared i'm going to scar the aluminum if i'm too aggressive.

i agree i'm going to give it a good scrub and leave it...call me done
 
I agree with LMichaels, don't be too concerned with the really tough carbon on the inside of the fireboxes. With use, it comes back anyway.
I use a 1" paint scraper to get as much of the grease/fat/carbon as will come off first.Then I use boiling water to get the grease out of the hard to get at places.
Finally, and to clean the grates at the same time, a good long burn on full heat. Paint scraper/boiling water/wire brush on the grates again. Done.
When we cook, we do a 10 minute preheat on high, and another 10 minutes on high after finishing.
Doing a high heat pizza cook every now and again works as well.
 
I just finished mine and can say I used oven cleaner with no issues. I put the FireBox, grease tray, and sides I an industrial garbage bag and sprayed the whole can of oven cleaner in it. Sealed the bag and left it overnight.

From there I only used a small putty knife. Mine cleaned up pretty well, but as others have said, it's probably not required to get down to metal as it will just be black again after a few cooks.
 
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Do yourself a favor. Go to harborfreight (or somewhere similar) and get yourself an inexpensive angle grinder an a 4.5inch cup wire brush. It will make short work of the inside of the firebox. Once you've taken it down to the aluminum, spray it with something like PAM, or give it a very light coat of oil, then heat it up to season it.
 
I agree with the angle grinder, it has a bit more muscle than the drill. I have a cup brush for mine with the Nylon bristles that are infused with aluminum oxide that works really well when cleaning aluminum. I also used a scotch brite pad chucked in a pneumatic die grinder for my last fire box cleaning, and it worked like aces! but you really don't want to go to bare aluminum on the inside of the box, Like LM says, that carbon is GOOD for it.
 
I tried using the cup wire brush and it helped but i'm worried about scarring the metal...i think, like you guys suggested, just do what i can and leave the rest.
I might / maybe / possibly give it a little squirt of oven cleaner. ....maybe

it would be nice to bring it down to bare metal but i'm losing energy
 
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