Refurb suggestions

[LMichaels]

Well to begin with you have to speak nice to the grinder. Then be gentle, take it slow, maybe a little wine and she'll come around

 

[Jason in CA]

Well to begin with you have to speak nice to the grinder. Then be gentle, take it slow, maybe a little wine and she'll come around

You could have mentioned that before. I've been doing it wrong this whole time and never knew it.

 

[Bruce]

lube has always worked better than wine for me.

 

[LMichaels]

lube has always worked better than wine for me.

Oh no you didn't just say that?! ROTFLMAO

 

[Jon Tofte]

Larry, I have "dropped" the HF grinders before and they go through a hell of a dance on the ground before I can get them unplugged. Yah, pretty dangerous. The Dewalt that I got for $27 has the paddle switch and is soo much safer.

I actually had the opposite problem with the HF “Chicago Electric” version with a regular switch. It wanted to turn off at the slightest provocation. It is model different from the “Drillmaster” one they push for $9.99 on sale. The even better Chicago Electric that I posted above so far has worked very well for me, but in a few weeks it will finally be getting a more serious workout. I like that it has the paddle switch. It is on sale right now, too, for anybody interested. (Bruce, you already cleaned up on that DeWalt, but the rest of us were too late!)

 

[Jon Tofte]

I am think ing of watching coupons and getting one of the grinders with a paddle switch. Something about that side switch still bugs me a little. I have a really nice Makita angle grinder from my late brother in law. I tried it out and it flung every attachment I tried off. Took it apart and found the front motor housing plate with the bearing in pieces. Have to order up a new one and put that bad boy together

Larry (and anybody interested in a cheap but usable grinder),

Harbor Freight is running a sale on the Chicago Electric with paddle switch. It is only $19.99 through the end of October. I paid $24 for mine. No, it is definitely not DeWalt (only Bruce would get THAT lucky) but it IS better than their entry-level model.

Scroll down a ways through the coupons and you will see the one you would need:

https://www.harborfreight.com/savings_coupons.html

 

[Bruce]

To be honest, the Dewalt isn't their top end 4" angle grinder. It also isn't their most powerful, but it is significantly better than the $9.99 HF ones that I have. It is significantly stronger and doesn't get nearly as hot while using it. I think the Chicago Electric Grinder would be a good upgrade over the $9.99 HF one as well. If you intend to do more than one or two refurbs with your grinder, you should probably take a hard look at the Chicago one posted above.

 

[Chris in TX]

I did not know you could paint the lids on these. This may be a good side grill for veggies!
Make sure to check the speed on any grinder. Mine is cordless low rpm and it made the job a lot harder to clean.

 

[Bruce]

Yah, you can make them any color you want. Just need high heat paint is all.

 

[Dave in KC]

I MUST DO THE RED ON THE NEXT Q I STUMBLE UPON! Wow, Chiefs fans here
would love to have one of those while tailgating at Arrowhead.

 

[LMichaels]

Yeah I may just snag that HF paddle switch one

 

[Bruce]

There you go Dave.
I thought about doing a Packers color, but I just can't force myself to put grasshopper green or puke yellow on one of my grills.

 

[Jon Tofte]

I MUST DO THE RED ON THE NEXT Q I STUMBLE UPON! Wow, Chiefs fans here
would love to have one of those while tailgating at Arrowhead.

Dave,

If you customize a first generation one, you can make a decal to put in the recessed part of the handle. You could make a nice Chiefs one in color. Weber does the same thing on the "team" Q grills they offer from time to time. They have a Cubs one but, of course, no White Sox one.

 

[Bruce]

Yah, there is a local Ace Hardware store near me selling the Cubs Q1200 grills for $149. Great deal for a plain Q1200. But they have had them for sale all summer long, so they must not be selling very well.

 

[Mark B in STL]

Larry (and anybody interested in a cheap but usable grinder),

Harbor Freight is running a sale on the Chicago Electric with paddle switch. It is only $19.99 through the end of October. I paid $24 for mine. No, it is definitely not DeWalt (only Bruce would get THAT lucky) but it IS better than their entry-level model.

Scroll down a ways through the coupons and you will see the one you would need:

https://www.harborfreight.com/savings_coupons.html

I stopped by and picked up one with the 4” cup brush today at the coupon price. Thanks for pointing that coupon out. I had looked at their website but missed that.

So how are you stabilizing a hood for example while you grind on it? Thinking about clamps and vices and I can’t picture how to grab something of that size. Are you grinding with one hand and holding with the other? Or did you build a jig of some sort?

 

[Bruce]

Please. Do not use a grinder on the hood. End caps and cook box yes. Hood... NOOOOO

 

[Mark B in STL]

I am having a rough time cleaning the hood on this 120. I was able to get the back of the hood clean with sos pads and a (Nyalox) cup brush. But the main part of the dome is very difficult to get the black color off.

This is the classic job for a grinder and wire cup brush. With some work you can get the whole thing down to raw aluminum. Besides making the inside look almost new, it works well for stripping and then updating the exterior color.

Jon is right on for the best way to clean up your lid. That is how I do my refurbish Q grills for resale.

Great, thank you. So what type of wheel do you use in the grinder?

4" wire cup brush.
https://www.harborfreight.com/4-in-crimped-wire-cup-brush-60321.html

Please. Do not use a grinder on the hood. End caps and cook box yes. Hood... NOOOOO

I get confused easily. Didn’t we discuss at the start of this using a 4” wire cup brush on a grinder on the hood?

 

[Bruce]

OOOOPS. I am sorry, I though we were in the Gas grill section....Not the Q grill section. Yes, fine to use on the hood, both inside and outside of a Q grill if desired. You can also do the inside and outside of the base as well. Usually the outside of the base just needs cleaning and maybe a fresh coat of paint.

Those pictures I posted were done with a grinder and wire cup brush on the Q200.

 

[Mark B in STL]

No problem, sometimes I misinterpret what people are saying and was not sure.

 

[Jon Tofte]

For what it is worth, when I use a grinder on a Q hood or base I just try to do it on something soft (usually the grass in the backyard!) and just hold it steady with my knees. Not very professional but it seems to work. I have done the same with Weber and Broilmaster fireboxes. Of course it is a 12 month proposition here in South Florida. I would think some kind of wood bracing with a thick towel would work fine in a shop or garage. I am a CPA in my day job so I am hardly a power tool expert!