Weber Charcoal Grills: The Topic

[winesonoma]

  Dave the Cook said:

Dude. Forget the tongs. Get a pair of welding gloves.

AMEN!!!!

[ronnie_suburban]

Ok...

I like the welding gloves idea. I tried on a adoxograph's nifty blue ones this past weekend and I could feel my grilling abilities increase the moment I donned them.

As for the mini vice grip...an excellent suggestion and I will see how inexpensive they are when I hit the hardware store this weekend. I considered doing something similar with a 'grip clip' but was hoping for something a little more permanent. I say that because I have a 7-year old son and he likes to take my tools. He has still not run off with the lid. Although, once he sees what a neat shield it makes, I'm doomed.

Susan, I have serious grill envy now. My n00b grill is absolutely shameful. While I do appreciate the additional features my "Performer" unit provides, it now feels so nouveau by comparison. Seeing your 'war horse' makes me feel like quite a whiner now

=R=

p.s. thanks to whoever fixed my typo in the title of this thread...it was driving me mad.

[patti]

Our first Weber was a wedding gift, 28 years ago. It lasted through the first fifteen years of our marriage, and we've been through TWO in the thirteen years since. We love our Webers, but I guess they weren't getting frequent enough repeat business when the old ones lasted so long. In between the second and third Webers, we tried a fancy schmancy expensive pit, but the taste just wasn't the same, and we are happily back to the old black kettle pit.

[snowangel]

  SmrtAss said:

Our first Weber was a wedding gift, 28 years ago. It lasted through the first fifteen years of our marriage, and we've been through TWO in the thirteen years since.  We love our Webers, but I guess they weren't getting frequent enough repeat business when the old ones lasted so long. In between the second and third Webers, we tried a fancy schmancy expensive pit, but the taste just wasn't the same, and we are happily back to the old black kettle pit.

Curious as to what failed on your previous Webers.

So far, nothing has failed that we haven't been able to fix. But, then again, we are fixers and have tons of tools.

Ronnie, the welding gloves are far more appealing to little boys than the weeder thingie I photoed. And, yes, the lid does make a fine shield. It's big enough that it is hard to lose or misplace.

I love my war horse, and our landfillls are entirely too full. Keep it going is our motto (except for our hugly ugly leatherette-textured formica counters which will re being replaced with granite tomorrow )

Edited June 30, 2004 by snowangel (log)

[patti]

  Quote

Curious as to what failed on your previous Webers.

I don't recall, exactly, but will ask my husband about it and get back to you.

  Quote

So far, nothing has failed that we haven't been able to fix. But, then again, we are fixers and have tons of tools.

Alas, we are not good fixers, and perhaps it could've been repaired. My husband's two brothers are both extremely handy, but my husband missed out on that particular gene. I can't fault him, as I don't have it, either. I am, however, very good at calling 'the man' when something is in dire need of repair. "Time to call the man!"

[naguere]

  SmrtAss said:

My husband's two brothers are both extremely handy, but my husband missed out on that particular gene. I can't fault him, as I don't have it, either. I am, however, very good at calling 'the man' when something is in dire need of repair. "Time to call the man!"

You can't beat fixin',I have a yard broom that has had two heads and three handles over the years. It's still as good as new

To keep this to the thread, It is used to sweep around my Weber.

[FoodMan]

Sorry if I'm a little off subject, but since we are on the grills subject. I'm thinking about picking up one of those very soon:

chargriller

I want the one with a smoke box.

I've heard very good things about them and they have all the features I'm looking for.

Anyone tried them?

Elie

[fifi]

FoodMan,

I seem to remember that that is the one col klink has been using. I had a New Braunfels that is very similar and was quite happy with it. Check out Academy in Houston. They used to have the best prices and I think they carry it. They also carry a pretty good selection of spare parts for Weber and such.

[Dave the Cook]

It's also the one I have. It's an excellent grill, and while the smoking arrangement is not quite as convenient as, say, a WSM, it works very well, especially if you like to use real wood (as opposed to briquets).

There's a thread or two where this grill is discused. I'll see if I can them.

Edit: plug "Char-Griller" into the site Google, and you'll get back four good threads, one of which contains a link to a fifth thread that's too old for Google to pick up.

[FoodMan]

Thanks Dave and Fifi-

I will purchase one in the next week or so. Hopefully. Unfortunatly the only store that carries them in Houston is Lowes (for $119 I think), and I do not like shopping there but I guess I might have to this time .

Elie

[Dave the Cook]

If they have it with the side box for $119, that's a great deal. Even without the box, it's an excellent value. I paid $100 for mine three years ago.

[FoodMan]

  Dave the Cook said:

If they have it with the side box for $119, that's a great deal. Even without the box, it's an excellent value. I paid $100 for mine three years ago.

No, it's without the box. I need to buy the box seperatly (maybe another $35-$40). Still not bad at all.

Anyways we should probably get back to talking about Webers.

Thanks for the help.

Elie

[patti]

  Quote

Curious as to what failed on your previous Webers.

The damper rusted out. My husband says I am wrong, and that we're on our second Weber, not third. He still has the first, and has used it in emergencies (need more room on the pit kind of emergency). So, any idea how to repair the first one?

(Still grumbling to myself that he's wrong and this is the third Weber, but it's his birthday, so I won't insist on my rightness.)

[Human Bean]

My Weber kettles' age is unknown, but probably circa 20 years and still going strong. It's basically the same as snowangel's as posted above, but red, and no cigarette butts. The interesting thing to note is the wood handles - the ones I see today have plastic handles. The wood handles are nice, but are subject to aging; I presume that the plastic handles wouldn't generally melt under reasonable (or even somewhat unreasonable) use.

Mine doesn't have plastic tabs on the vents; I never thought this was a problem. I use regular leather gardening gloves (not fancy welding gloves) when dealing with the vents, the hot grill, and moving charcoal around with tongs. No problem.

And since ronnie_suburban seemed to be concerned about drill bits, just do it. Most any random drill bit is carbon steel or better; carbon steel is pretty much basic tool steel. There IS an enamel layer on top of the steel lid, which might present a few problems, and I've never tried to drill a hole in mine, but I don't see any problems. If you really want to obsess over drilling a hole, get carbide-tip bits. It probably isn't necessary, but if it'll make you feel better, then carbide is the way to go.

[Richard Kilgore]

Throwing caution to the wind -- for now anyway -- I am sticking with my new Weber kettle. If it lasts more than four or five years, great. I added on several accessories -- the attachment that allow the lid to slide back, the grilling grate with flaps for adding fuel, the wire frames that contain the charcoal or wood to the right and left for indirect grilling, a tool holder and a warming rack. The rib rack and roasting rack will do double duty in the oven. I'll probably add the rotisserie later.

Ready for the holiday. I may have to smoke a brisket in the water smoker, too.

[scott123]

  Dave the Cook said:

Dude. Forget the tongs. Get a pair of welding gloves.

Back in my pre-pizza stone days, I was having huge problems grasping a 600 degree cookie sheet. I had heard so many things about welding gloves that I picked up a pair from Home Depot. On my first attempt, my hand got very hot very quickly (almost instantaneously). I took them straight back.

Is Home Depot not the place to buy welding gloves? Is there a particular brand I should be looking for?

[ronnie_suburban]

Since I raised the question about alternatives to Weber grills upthread, another thread has sprouted which is specifically devtoed to that issue...

Beyond Weber: The Serious Charcoal Grill, Any recommendations?

=R=

[winesonoma]

  scott123 said:

  Dave the Cook said:

Dude. Forget the tongs. Get a pair of welding gloves.

Back in my pre-pizza stone days, I was having huge problems grasping a 600 degree cookie sheet. I had heard so many things about welding gloves that I picked up a pair from Home Depot. On my first attempt, my hand got very hot very quickly (almost instantaneously). I took them straight back.

Is Home Depot not the place to buy welding gloves? Is there a particular brand I should be looking for?

They should be thick like potholders. Less that $20 ain't gonna do it. Go to a welders supply or buy online.