Yes, the box is steel. There is a big oval hole in the bottom with a pan
that slips into grooves from the back that is aluminum. I guess its job
is to catch drippings etc. It is tapered to one end and at the low end
there is another smaller metal tray that hangs under a hole in the
bigger one to catch the drips. The box was enameled steel for the most
part but has started to wear away in spots. The grills are ceramic
coated cast iron. The lid is heavy ceramic coated and blue. The end
pieces of it may be cast iron as they are solid - also coated but shiny
and black - and the lid is very heavy. No cast aluminum anywhere.
RB
On 23/03/2015 2:21 PM, Curt Raymond via Mercedes wrote:
Is the box on yours steel? Mine appears to be heavy cast aluminum. I can't see
any degradation on it at all. Side shelves are also aluminum as is the heavy
base. I think the uprights are steel but they might be plastic with steel rods
through them, hard to tell without ruining the paint. Should last a long long
time. The guy I got it from got it used so we have no real idea how old it is.
He replaced it with a $600 Weber. Used that for a year and asked for this one
back. I just smiled.
-Curt
From: Randy Bennell <rbenn...@bennell.ca>
To: Curt Raymond <curtlud...@yahoo.com>; Mercedes Discussion List
<mercedes@okiebenz.com>
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2015 3:15 PM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] OT BBQ
I think mine must be a newer but not better model. It has 3 stainless
steel tubes that run front to back. The venturi is built into the front
end of the tube. They each attach to the front wall of the burner box
with a small stainless bolt threaded into an insert attached to the wall
and protrude through. The brass feeds from the valves just protrude into
the hole in the end of each tube. No cast iron in sight and no physical
attachment.
The inserts were seized and I twisted them out of the metal getting the
burner tubes loose. I had to use a steel strap as a repair patch but
such is life. The BBQ box is deteriorating somewhat. Should be good for
another few years.
RB
On 23/03/2015 11:02 AM, Curt Raymond via Mercedes wrote:
I also have an old Vermont castings grill. I got it from a co-worker who didn't
want to rebuild it again. The venturi tubes (which I think is the same as what
you call burner tubes) had rotted out. Sadly the screws which held the tubes to
the burner broke in the brass burner and I had no luck getting them out. I
ended up getting a new cast iron burner and tubes and we've been using it since
I think 2009 or 2010. I got the parts from an online supplier. My local Vermont
Castings place had no desire to look up parts for me and was notably un-helpful.
I need to pull it apart this year and clean since the flame is getting noticeably yellow.
Other than that I really see no reason that I'd ever need to replace it. It looks and
operates exactly the same today as it did the day I fixed it. If it does someday fail
I'll be looking for another used top quality grill to rebuild. We had a cheap
"Outback" brand before this grill and it was garbage. At camp we've got a $100
Kmart cheapie which is fine since a more expensive grill would probably get stolen but my
grill is a million times better.
My dad gets a new cheap grill every 3-5 years. I feel like I'm way ahead of him
with mine...
-Curt
From: Randy Bennell via Mercedes <mercedes@okiebenz.com>
To: Mercedes Discussion List <mercedes@okiebenz.com>
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2015 11:52 AM
Subject: [MBZ] OT BBQ
We have a Vermont Castings BBQ that we have had for a long while and
like despite the fact that it is showing its age.
We needed to do some repair on it so a week or so ago, I ordered some
parts online.
Vermont Castings has changed hands according to their website and they
no longer wish to deal with the public. One is supposed to find the
local dealer and deal through them.
They do have a limited online outlet for some parts but I have checked
it a few times and the ones I need are always "out of stock".
I ordered parts that were aftermarket replacements in order to keep the
thing going. Burner tubes and heat plates. The heat plates are fine but
different as the originals were ceramic coated steel and the new ones
are stainless steel. Apart from that the fit is ok so they will work. We
shall see how long they last.
The burner tubes are a different story. At first glance they appear to
be pretty much identical. However, I could not get them to fit. I would
have had to either modify the BBQ housing or the new burner tubes in
order to make them work. As luck would have it, I discovered I did not
really need them so I will just return the new tubes. The shutter valve
that lets air in has screen and the screen had become plugged up with
what looks to be fluff from dandelions etc. I used a little wire brush
to clean them up and reinstalled the original tubes and they seem to
work fine. I had been concerned that the holes in the tubes had become
enlarged over time but it does not appear that that is an issue. The
holes in the new tubes appeared to be similar size. The burners are now
showing decent blue flame so my issue with the quality of the flame
before was likely just an issue of the air intakes being plugged up.
I need to refill some propane tanks before we can give it a good test
and cook something but for now I think I am ok.
Frustrating when parts do not fit the way they should. Not sure exactly
what the issue is but the tube just would not fit in such a way that the
brass feed from the control valve would fit in the end of the tube. The
original just slips in like it should. The new ones would have required
some modification so if I had to do it I could but I was reluctant to
really get into it. I did not want to damage the new tubes so that they
could not be returned if they never did work properly.
RB
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