Breathing Life into "Moby"

[B.A. Poole]

A co-worker picked up a curb side find about a year ago and recently gifted it to me. I'm the proud owner of a grey, 1991 kettle. Enter Moby my first kettle. I'm trying to breath life back into it and make it a cooking tool not a museum piece.

First it got a cleaning. 30 years of grunge and mud dobber nests came off; along with the handle. Once it was clean, it needed a burn in and trial. It was missing an ash catcher so I scrounged one up from my "collection".



The lid handle was re-attached and covered with a new stock handle. As was the bowl handle.



I quickly discovered this model came with automatic, quick detach legs. All legs received a dowel down the center and an aluminum tape wrap; secured with the finest redneck hose clamps from my collection.



Guess what the triangle shelf falls off too. Time for more hose clamps.



On the first cook I quickly discovered the necessity of a thermometer. So.....



It continues to need love but tonight it returned a little love back.

 

[Joe Anshien]

Looks good. How did the fish turn out?

 

[CharlieO]

Very nice! I’m not a collector but there are a few kettles I covet and this is one of them.

 

[B.A. Poole]

Looks good. How did the fish turn out?

Really good. Marinated it for an hour in olive oil, soy sauce, maple syrup and cayenne. Cooked at 275°F for about 72 minutes to hit 145°F in the thickesr part. Basted every 20 minutes with reserve marinade.

 

[MichaelM]

That's a nice find...
Great to keep it in service!

Isn't that wire triangle shelf in upside down?

 

[RJ Humphrey]

Nice looking "N" code grey daisy wheel, they don't show up very often. Grey is one of my favorite colored kettles. I own two grey "N" code kettles.

Great work on bringing Moby back to life and using it as a cooker.

Cheers

 

[B.A. Poole]

That's a nice find...
Great to keep it in service!

Isn't that wire triangle shelf in upside down?

The shelf is currently oriented like a grill with the flat side up. Should it be with with the support wire side up? If so,then the legs are angled oddly.

 

[B.A. Poole]

Nice looking "N" code grey daisy wheel, they don't show up very often. Grey is one of my favorite colored kettles. I own two grey "N" code kettles.

Great work on bringing Moby back to life and using it as a cooker.

Cheers

Is the grey color less common? I thought red was the hot color.

Moby has had a hard life. Mixed it up with a lawn mower or bike handle bar in the tool shed at some point.

 

[RJ Humphrey]

The shelf is currently oriented like a grill with the flat side up. Should it be with with the support wire side up? If so,then the legs are angled oddly.

Triangle is installed correctly per your picture.

Is the front leg hole wallowed out?

I'd suggest removing the hose clamp that's holding the front leg. Inspected the hook end, it might be bent. If so, use a pair needle nose pliers to bend the hook back into shape.

There are two styles of end hooks. Older style protrudes out about 3/8" to 1/2" and down at about a 45 degree angle. Newer style has more of a "C" hook on the end. I don't recall what end hook style my grey N code is.

 

[B.A. Poole]

Triangle is installed correctly per your picture.

Is the front leg hole wallowed out?

I'd suggest removing the hose clamp that's holding the front leg. Inspected the hook end, it might be bent. If so, use a pair needle nose pliers to bend the hook back into shape.

There are two styles of end hooks. Older style protrudes out about 3/8" to 1/2" and down at about a 45 degree angle. Newer style has more of a "C" hook on the end. I don't recall what end hook style my grey N code is.

The hole is badly wallered out and the hook is bent too. The hook is a modified 'C' shape. The hole in the leg is so big it offers no resistance to the hook.

 

[RJ Humphrey]

The hole is badly wallered out and the hook is bent too. The hook is a modified 'C' shape. The hole in the leg is so big it offers no resistance to the hook.

I'd drill a new hole opposite of the existing hole and bend the C hook back into shape the best you can.

 

[B.A. Poole]

Thanks for the input. This old grill is function over form, for sure.

 

[B.A. Poole]

Moby got a new accessory.



A real SnS



The reward was Weisswurst and locally made hotdogs with a little wild grapevine smoke.