How do I clean the top aluminum damper


 
C

ChangL

TVWBB Fan
Hi,
I have a trusty Smokey Joe that has been left out in the backyard without a cover for 15 years. And I love it! It has recently been converted to a WSM build.



I cleaned the porcelain lid easily with soap/sponge (goo gone and a razor blade for removing paint spills when I wasn't careful), but I don't know what to do about the top aluminum damper. As you can see from the photo, it shows some discoloration. Has anyone had experience in cleaning these successfully?

Chang
 
Going by what others have said on other rebuild questions, I would get some mothers aluminum polish and some 0000 stainless steel wool and polish it up. The 0000 steel wool should not hurt the porcelain finish. If you have to go heavier you can get some extremely fine grit water sandpaper. You can remove the vent by drilling the rivet out, or just slide tape underneath the edges if you are worried about the lid around it

The rest of it looks like it shined up pretty good
 
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As Rick said, plain old 0000 steel wool and a little elbow grease on a lazy afternoon will do the trick. Afterward, you might choose to use a small amount Mothers, Blue Magic or some other type of aluminum polish to get it looking better than new.
 
Marty at the WKC posted this pic of his 1979 Weber lid vent. Yeah, that's impressive...

Quote - I'm a big believer in Simichrome. A little dab on a pad of 0000 steel wool, then buff with a cotton rag and you'll get a mirror-like shine with just a little effort.
Seems to last a long time too - must add a layer of something protective.

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