Comparing Restoring a Broilmaster to a Weber


 
BillSmith said:
Great restoration thread. Learned a lot about this grill.

I was checking the website to see one could buy this grill and it seems that it’s only sold in the Midwest. Oh wait, that’s wrong. Seems the default view only shows a cluster of locations around Missouri. I entered my zip code and then I see a few locations in Mass plus locations in Tenn and other southern states. The website map seems wonky.

I’ll have to keep my eyes open for one of these grills. Is the company good about you switching a grill from LP to NG or vice versa?
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Bill,

There are definitely retailers around the country - a couple not far from me here in Florida. You can also buy online. Try BBQGuys:

https://www.bbqguys.com/brands/broilmaster?sstring=broilmaster

Not cheap, but a very cool grill. These are a fairly easy restore. The harder part is finding a used one for sale.

Jon
 
" I’ll have to keep my eyes open for one of these grills. Is the company good about you switching a grill from LP to NG or vice versa? "

Unlike Weber, you can find the conversion kit easily from LP to NG or the other way around.
 
Chris in GA said:
" I’ll have to keep my eyes open for one of these grills. Is the company good about you switching a grill from LP to NG or vice versa? "

Unlike Weber, you can find the conversion kit easily from LP to NG or the other way around.
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My understanding is that they will even directly sell you the parts. Their manifold is smaller and simpler so maybe they don’t see it as a big risk like Weber does. I have not tried anything with conversion on a Broilmaster so my comment is only based on observation not experience.
 
ON the BroilMaster switching over is easy. They sell you the new orifices and the proper regulator. And their valves are adjustable so when you switch fuel type you simply adjust the valves to match. (there is a small adjustment screw inside the valve stem).
 
Looks like a well cared for one. I kind of like the unusual light gray, even if Broilmasters are not the most stylish. It is the larger model "3" series.

I noticed the cast iron burners the seller mentions for sale by parts places. I wonder how they would compare in durability?
 
Jon Tofte said:
Looks like a well cared for one. I kind of like the unusual light gray, even if Broilmasters are not the most stylish. It is the larger model "3" series.

I noticed the cast iron burners the seller mentions for sale by parts places. I wonder how they would compare in durability?
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Jon, I think they meant cast iron grates I was surfing around I found these. https://www.thebbqdepot.com/cooking-grid-broilmaster-p3-62503/

Those will set you back a few bucks.

Well there are some cast iron burners available so editing this.

https://www.thebbqdepot.com/broilmaster-cast-iron-figure-8-burner-p3-d3-s3-u3/
 
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Jon Tofte said:
Looks like a well cared for one. I kind of like the unusual light gray, even if Broilmasters are not the most stylish. It is the larger model "3" series.

I noticed the cast iron burners the seller mentions for sale by parts places. I wonder how they would compare in durability?
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I think the coloration is just due to bad photos. Broilmaster grills are like Model T Fords any color you want as long as it's black.
As for CI burners they're the most awful things ever. They constantly clog with rust flakes and so on. CI should never be used in an outdoor cooking appliance burner.
 
LMichaels said:
I think the coloration is just due to bad photos. Broilmaster grills are like Model T Fords any color you want as long as it's black.
As for CI burners they're the most awful things ever. They constantly clog with rust flakes and so on. CI should never be used in an outdoor cooking appliance burner.
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Larry,

Very helpful info on the cast iron burners for the Broilmaster:

https://www.grillparts.com/broilmas...MI98v-48rH3QIVzoSzCh0y0QdREAYYASABEgJGtfD_BwE

I have seen ads like this and wondered if they were potentially any better. I guess not! Thanks for sharing.

On the Broilmaster colors, I don't think I agree with you. When I got the "2nd" grill in a package deal, it appeared to be original (old) paint. The hood was dark green while the firebox was black. I actually considered restoring it that way, but since it looks like all new Broilmasters are black I went with that. (To me the color hood/black firebox combination looks great on a Weber with a porcelain hood but not so good with all cast aluminum.)

s45qaq.jpg


The last large size Broilmaster I obtained with the kind help of club member Chiku is dark gray, both hood and firebox. (No, it is not faded black; the color matches the dark gray tables which I don't think give any indication of having been originally black either.) The picture is dark and may appear otherwise, but it really is a universal dark gray that differs from black by more than just a little:

257krjl.jpg


A black Broilmaster:
258wfsx.jpg


Based on the above, I wasn't that surprised to see the light gray version (also definitely different from my charcoal gray one). That one looks to me to have light gray tables, too. Of course, all of these grills COULD have been repainted. I just don't really think so. It would be interesting to research and find out for sure.
 
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Jon, I agree with Larry on the cast iron burners for grills. For sure they will rust this is what I use when brewing beer and its a banjo burner gets insanely hot when you need it so in the brewing world this is what we use.

The maintenance on them is just a wire brush no big deal nor is the rust any big deal. However I would think the cast iron is capable of much higher temps in a grill look at the price its way more money to go to the cast iron.

https://express.google.com/u/0/prod...0MGJDsnB0iA1VTRCiQtKvdBQ&utm_campaign=1699011
 
I want to add to this the cast iron would achieve way higher temps than stainless would pretty much a searing machine and it looks like this seller spared no expense since those burners were pretty expensive.

If you were in the market for something like that those burners are an upgrade which you most likely are not going to find because of the cost.
 
Hey guys, after some pondering, I don't think I want to keep bunch of parts that I have for the Broilmaster. Not sure if this allowed to post here (moderator delete if not)
Some parts can probably be shipped. Not looking to make a profit, just doing this as a hobby. If anyone interested pm me.
Reason for all this is the new Genesis I just got and just not enough time.
 
Larry, What do you think?

Brian B Atlanta said:
I want to add to this the cast iron would achieve way higher temps than stainless would pretty much a searing machine and it looks like this seller spared no expense since those burners were pretty expensive.

If you were in the market for something like that those burners are an upgrade which you most likely are not going to find because of the cost.
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Larry,

What is your take on Brian's observation? I have no idea myself, but it is a very interesting idea.
 
Brian B Atlanta said:
I want to add to this the cast iron would achieve way higher temps than stainless would pretty much a searing machine and it looks like this seller spared no expense since those burners were pretty expensive.

If you were in the market for something like that those burners are an upgrade which you most likely are not going to find because of the cost.
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Temperature is not a function of the material but of how much fuel and air can pass through them. I can tell you with no hesitation that CI in a grill as burners is no bueno for sure. You cannot just wire brush them off either in a grill as they're exposed to FAR more corrosive atmosphere than in your banjo burner. Two VERY VERY different applications and animals. And no a CI burner and stainless (or any other material i.e. brass etc) burner will not run hotter or cooler based on material alone
In a grill that CI burner is exposed to hot vapors that are corrosive beyond belief and they rust out internally on the ports and no wire brushing can get them cleaned out. I had a grill with CI burners they're awful REALLY. You cannot get them to operate reliably for more than a few days at best. Than you have to remove them, clean all the scale off and with a drill bit clean all the scale out of the burner ports. OF course as you clean these ports out they become larger and larger and pretty soon they're not burners they're flame throwers
 
Brian B Atlanta said:
Found one on offer up atl, its been there for a year most likely gone only thing about offer up stuff can stay there way after its gone.

https://offerup.com/item/detail/216973879/
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Thanks for the photo - I have that exact Broilmaster P3- I picked it up off the side of the road on garbage day and I'm in the process of restoring it. Until I saw the photo you posted I thought the shelves were stained redwood by the owner and I just spent a couple of hours this past weekend sanding the wood back to its natural (unstained) colour in prep for a couple of coats of varnish.
 
Marty, glad the photo was helpful to you. Really until Jon started the thread no idea these things existed the wood kind of looks like it was stained the same color of the old 1000's but my eyes are not what they used to be. I was not interested in it just kind of threw it out there in case someone from ATL wanted to chase it down but the posting is a year old.
 
Marty in Toronto said:
Thanks for the photo - I have that exact Broilmaster P3- I picked it up off the side of the road on garbage day and I'm in the process of restoring it. Until I saw the photo you posted I thought the shelves were stained redwood by the owner and I just spent a couple of hours this past weekend sanding the wood back to its natural (unstained) colour in prep for a couple of coats of varnish.
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Marty,

I think Broilmaster probably used different shades and woods over the many years, but I don't really know. I would say you should make it look the way you like, whether lighter or dark redwood stain. Look forward to seeing!

Jon
 
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