Hi guys, found an old 18.5 WSM on craigslist for $40 so I bought it. It's an EO date code so it's a 1995 model. Brought it home and it's got some problems. Smaller problems that I think I have a handle on first:
The middle section was out of round so it was actually difficult to separate the middle and lower sections. I rolled it around on the ground a little feeling for the uneven spots and think it's pretty good now. The door is pretty bent up. See pictures and let me know if you think it can be bent back into shape or if I should just get a new one. One of the lower vents fell off and will need to be replaced. The others are kinda bent up so I figure I'll just replace all 3 and be done with it. The original top handle was wood and it's almost disintegrated and will need to be replaced. I actually have an unused Weber handle that I can put on there so that works out well. And then there's the grill straps, the metal pieces that hold the grates and water pan in place, They're rusted and will need to be replaced.
Larger problems that I need input on:
There's a small hole in the lower bowl. Maybe dime sized. I guess it just rusted through, I don't know. It doesn't look particularly rusty in that area. I couldn't get a good picture of that area. You can't see it in the pictures I took. The holes in the bottom of the pictures are just the open vents. So what do I do with this hole? Leave it alone? is there some kind of patch I should put on it?
Second problem is the lower screws that hold the legs in place are in bad shape. These screws are also what the charcoal grate sits on. It almost looks like someone took an angle grinder and tried to cut them off and then couldn't get them off and gave up. They're holding for now but I feel like they're going to need replacement eventually. Because they've been ground on it's not as easy as unscrewing them, I think they'll have to be cut off. Anyone ever done that?
Thanks in advance.
The middle section was out of round so it was actually difficult to separate the middle and lower sections. I rolled it around on the ground a little feeling for the uneven spots and think it's pretty good now. The door is pretty bent up. See pictures and let me know if you think it can be bent back into shape or if I should just get a new one. One of the lower vents fell off and will need to be replaced. The others are kinda bent up so I figure I'll just replace all 3 and be done with it. The original top handle was wood and it's almost disintegrated and will need to be replaced. I actually have an unused Weber handle that I can put on there so that works out well. And then there's the grill straps, the metal pieces that hold the grates and water pan in place, They're rusted and will need to be replaced.
Larger problems that I need input on:
There's a small hole in the lower bowl. Maybe dime sized. I guess it just rusted through, I don't know. It doesn't look particularly rusty in that area. I couldn't get a good picture of that area. You can't see it in the pictures I took. The holes in the bottom of the pictures are just the open vents. So what do I do with this hole? Leave it alone? is there some kind of patch I should put on it?
Second problem is the lower screws that hold the legs in place are in bad shape. These screws are also what the charcoal grate sits on. It almost looks like someone took an angle grinder and tried to cut them off and then couldn't get them off and gave up. They're holding for now but I feel like they're going to need replacement eventually. Because they've been ground on it's not as easy as unscrewing them, I think they'll have to be cut off. Anyone ever done that?
Thanks in advance.
