Vintage Weber Summit - Looks Clean - Chicagoland Area


 
Jon Tofte said:
I used stainless bolts on the bottom (firebox) where you wouldn't see them, but I used the original ones, repainted, on the endcaps just because I prefer the cleaner look. Just a preference.
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Haha, great minds think alike! That is my plan A! I will get the aluminum components sand (glass) blasted as they are very grimy, the usual scrape and polish on the porcelain parts then repair and paint the frame. All the SS parts are mint so just need a polish. 2 inch castors are ok and the 8 inch wheels are fair but will need some sparkle and new trims.

I have the 9mm SS grates from my FT 400 as i replaced them with the CI crafted ones to accommodate the CS crafted griddle. Burners are ok but i will likely replace as well as the flav bars. The biggest challenge is the broken flav bar holder but i may look at getting something fabricated.

The below is just for one!!

Part WEB96830 - Appliance Factory Parts

www.appliancefactoryparts.com www.appliancefactoryparts.com

BTW, how do your reinforcement plates attach?

Thanks
 
Paul Warner said:
Thanks Jon, i have a silver B grill that can donate but there are a lot on the summit!! I will let you know if i need any, looks likely i will need the reinforcing plates when i get around to refurbing/assembly
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This was the replacement set that Weber sold. I believe it has been discontinued but you may still be able to find it if you do some searching. Weber themselves may still have it if you call them.Screenshot_20240513-162302.png
 
Damn, I have probably thrown away 50 of them this year alone. But, I might have some in my parts. Do you need some?
 
Bruce said:
Damn, I have probably thrown away 50 of them this year alone. But, I might have some in my parts. Do you need some?
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I don't, although I could see it happening. I like the way the old ones look better. @Paul Warner was asking about them a little further up the thread. It just seems like an easy part to keep just in case. Hell, you could probably sell them since they aren't readily available anymore.
 
I probably have thrown away several hundred over the last few years. I think I have a stash, but not enough to open a store. LOL
 
I imagine a lot of the grills you restore are the ones with the bolts built into the end caps anyway.
 
Steve Hoch said:
I don't, although I could see it happening. I like the way the old ones look better. @Paul Warner was asking about them a little further up the thread. It just seems like an easy part to keep just in case. Hell, you could probably sell them since they aren't readily available anymore.
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Thanks @Steve Hoch much appreciated and @Bruce for you guidance. I will continue disassembly in the morning, i am trying to separate the cast aluminum parts from the porcelain parts but them pesky bolts are holding on!!

I will introduce the grinder tomorrow so will mean losing some of the hard to find original fixings that @Bruce has been wilfully discarding lol!

I have bought some black SS fixings from Amazon as a trial but hope to retain as many originals as possible but i fear the threads are shot on many. I went black SS btw.

If the grill turns out something like Jon’s i will be happy!
 
Jon Tofte said:
The one oddity is what he shows about the smoker box. On that Summit, the original smoker box sits BELOW the grates, and the one grate has flip-up sections to allow access to it while you are cooking.

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Jon, could I ask which products, tools, method, and process you used to restore these grates?

I’ve been using a wire cup on my angle grinder but they don’t come back with this much shine, and getting the areas in between the rods is problematic for me as well.

Yours look like they went through an acid bath or something looking that uniform.
 
I didn’t do it. I bought those from the same guy I got my Weber Flat Top. He had them sandblasted. While that does make them more uniform it also roughs up the finish, so I wouldn’t recommend it.

In addition to the angle grinder/cup brush you might try soaking them for a day or more in something like Sam’s Members Mark Grill Cleaner.
 
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I have found that when grinding grates, you need to get them "clean" first. If there is any soft grease or even semi soft gunk left on them when grinding, you just kind of spread it around and it is very tough to get them really shiny looking. Soaking them in Sams grill cleaner for a few days ahead of time is a good way to eat away all or most of that softer gunk. First think you should do is clean off what you can quickly. If you have a pressure washer, hit them with that. Then drop them in the grill cleaner bath for a couple days. When you pull them out, hit them with a pressure washer again and let them dry. Then grind the harder backed on stuff off.

I wouldn't go through this just to clean my own grates, but for flip grills, it is all about the shine.
 
Bruce said:
I have found that when grinding grates, you need to get them "clean" first. If there is any soft grease or even semi soft gunk left on them when grinding, you just kind of spread it around and it is very tough to get them really shiny looking. Soaking them in Sams grill cleaner for a few days ahead of time is a good way to eat away all or most of that softer gunk. First think you should do is clean off what you can quickly. If you have a pressure washer, hit them with that. Then drop them in the grill cleaner bath for a couple days. When you pull them out, hit them with a pressure washer again and let them dry. Then grind the harder backed on stuff off.

I wouldn't go through this just to clean my own grates, but for flip grills, it is all about the shine.
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Any alternatives since I don’t have a Sam’s Club membership?
 
Do you know anyone with a membership. If they have the plus membership, they can order it shipped to your house. I have my sister order mine for me.
 
Alternatives would a lye bath or maybe some other inexpensive grill cleaner. The sams works great because you get three big (I think quart) bottles for $10. You can pour them into a rectangular plastic tub, just big enough to lay the grates in and let them soak for a couple days. Using something like easy off would get awful expensive.
 
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