I've decided to stop trying to keep my OK Joe firebox painted

[Tallbald]

I've never been able to keep the firebox on my OK Joe Highland nicely painted. The factory paint crinkled and peeled off most everywhere on the top half, and many places on the bottom with the first burn to season my smoker. I wire brushed the areas, used denatured alcohol to degrease it, and used a good BBQ high temp rated spray paint. Pretty until next smoke. It too crinkled and burned off.
I've decided that the fight is expensive and useless. From now on, I will just wipe down my smoker's firebox exterior occasionally with canola oil while it's still warm, and continue to keep my smoker under shelter between smokes. If I show a photo and my smoker looks ragged and uncared for, don't judge me folks. I've just chosen my battles.
Maybe now there won't be that nasty smell when it comes up to heat after a new application of paint either. Don

 

[cmayna]

OK, will try not to condemn you when looking at pics of the Highland :D. Actually I've been thinking about getting a OK Joe, or Smoke Hollow horizontal offset and it seem that the firebox is one of the first items to show heat related wear.

 

[keithu]

I hit my FB with a coat of Rustoleum grill paint after almost every smoke. No issues with smell on the next cook, but the paint usually had 4-6 days to cure before the next cook. If I'm doing back to back cooks I don't paint in between.

I hate to say this but the wire brush might be the source of some of your trouble. If the brush isn't exactly the same alloy as the OKJ steel - and it almost certainly isn't - you probably caused galvanic corrosion because of microscopic particles of the brush left behind on the smoker. This galvanic corrosion is always working and inhibits paint adhesion.

Generally speaking you should never use metallic tools to remove corrosion. I used to do corrosion control on seagoing F/A-18s in the Navy, and I taught classes on the subject, so this is one of the few things I actually know about.

 

[chopsaw]

I used to use drywall sanding sponges . Just kept knocking the rust down . I have had the dissimilar metals problem , thats why I went to the sponges .

 

[keithu]

That would work. You can also use sand paper, a flap brush, or an abrasive wheel, so long as it is truly non-metallic. Sometimes what we call "sand paper" actually uses aluminum oxide as the abrasive. You definitely wouldn't want to use that on steel.

 

[gmc2003]

Instead of BBQ paint, have you tried a good prepping and a high temp engine paint and primer. It may last a bit longer.

Just a thought.

Chris

 

[Tallbald]

Thanks for the input folks. Yes I reckon when the weather warms I'll end up trying again. Hadn't thought about dissimilar metal issues before. And the engine paint. Hadn't considered that either. Come on warm weather! Don.

 

[jim2]

I've never been able to keep the firebox on my OK Joe Highland nicely painted. The factory paint crinkled and peeled off most everywhere on the top half, and many places on the bottom with the first burn to season my smoker. I wire brushed the areas, used denatured alcohol to degrease it, and used a good BBQ high temp rated spray paint. Pretty until next smoke. It too crinkled and burned off.
I've decided that the fight is expensive and useless. From now on, I will just wipe down my smoker's firebox exterior occasionally with canola oil while it's still warm, and continue to keep my smoker under shelter between smokes. If I show a photo and my smoker looks ragged and uncared for, don't judge me folks. I've just chosen my battles.
Maybe now there won't be that nasty smell when it comes up to heat after a new application of paint either. Don

There is a paint (I can't remember the name) that is designed to paint headers on cars.
Go to a good automotive store and they will probably have it.
The label states it is good to 1500 to 2000 degrees.

 

[Tallbald]

Thank you. I'll look into that. Don