So I Was Gifted As Well ....

[JckDanls 07]

I came home from a day of MX racing with my grandson and found this in the driveway



Washed the cover up before even taking it off for the first time... and found this...





So I open the hood and found this ...







So this is where I'm at... How to go about cleaning it ??

I'm thinking start with a wire wheel on an angle grinder ??

what says you ??

 

[Brokenhandle]

Thinking thar would be a good start. Should clean up real nice. I've done several cast iron pans that way.

Ryan

 

[Brokenhandle]

That's a great gift! Even if it does need a little work!

Ryan

 

[chopsaw]

I'm thinking start with a wire wheel on an angle grinder ??

I wouldn't use a wire wheel . I say that , and people don't agree . It's been my teaching that the dissimilar metals can cause a greater problem down the road . Soft deposits left behind from the wire wheel will rust faster .
Wire brush I have used . Won't heat up the bristles .
My opinion , but it is based in fact .
I always start slow .
I would scrape it off , then heat it up and hit it with some water to steam .
Re-scrape , then anything left behind I use a sanding sponge . That is a great gift , and should clean up nice .

 

[JLeonard]

Lil elbow grease and you'll be cooking with bacon grease! look forward to your first cook on it.
Jim

 

[xbubblehead]

I'd start with a chemical rust remover or oven cleaner and a griddle stone. Getting aggresive with a wire wheel could deeply scratch the griddle, cause food sticking issues and make cleaning after use a problem.

 

[BandCollector]

I agree with chopsaw

Surface rust isn't as big a problem as most people think. It should clean up nicely with a hand held wire brush. After you season it, it will look fabulous!

I'm going to look in my driveway now to see if someone left me one.

John

 

[gmc2003]

Don't they still sell cleaning bricks for these? When I cooked at a local country club one summer and later at the college food deli we had a brick that we'd run over the grill surface during shutdown. That thing cleaned up everything.

Chris

 

[civilsmoker]

I’m in Chops camp all the way fire it up, put a bucket under the drain, slowly dump water in it while you scrap it, then dip a heavy duty scotch bright in the water and rub it down or a grill brick if you can get on.... then rinse with clean water, then once dry thin coat of oil and heat 30 min till is smoked then let it cool. What you have there isn’t bad at all. No need for anything aggressive. What I described is just a normal cleaning process and that is all it needs!

Congrats

 

[JckDanls 07]

Thanks everybody for the quick response...

use a sanding sponge

I have a few of those I used for drywall (will use a new one of coarse)...

Reseason it with flaxseed oil ??

My neighbor gave this to me as he knows I play around with outdoors cooking.... I told him I will probably sell it and get the smaller 22'' (he agreed)... It's more portable for camping and It's only Mrs. Danls and I so this one is much to big ...

 

[civilsmoker]

Grill brick for cleaning, they have cheaper ones too...

 

[civilsmoker]

Flaxseed is good stuff to season it with. You should only need a Tbsp for the whole grill.

 

[chopsaw]

I have a few of those I used for drywall (will use a new one of coarse)...

Yup . I worked for a metal stud and drywall contractor . I should have " restocked " before I retired . They have one that has the angle on one side . Those works good for the corners .

Reseason it with flaxseed oil ??

I like flaxseed , but just used veg oil these days . Just use light coats .

 

[chopsaw]

Grill brick for cleaning, they have cheaper ones too...

I like those , and have used them . Some of them smell like rotten eggs , lol .
In my way of thinking that would be after the sponge and before the wire brush if needed .

 

[sawhorseray]

I was originally thinking steel wool and olive oil when I first saw this thread, going from coarse to fine. Sounds like the brick is the way to go. RAY

 

[civilsmoker]

I like those , and have used them . Some of them smell like rotten eggs , lol .
In my way of thinking that would be after the sponge and before the wire brush if needed .

Used these once a week on the commercial grills then once a month on the house one when we had one..... yes the do have a smell but are just what the grill ordered......some of the HD stores have them in their BBQ areas a “grate” cleaner.

 

[chopsaw]

.some of the HD stores have them in their BBQ areas a “grate” cleaner.

Yup . I had one that had a handle . They work great .

 

[DRKsmoking]

Yes as others have said about the pumice stone, that is what we used for that deep clean once a week on the griddles when I used to sling some hash back in the day. Smells a bit , just rinse and rub clean and reseason

David

 

[JckDanls 07]

MAN.. is this place the greatest on the web or what ?? 17 responses within 1 hr 20 min.... And all great advice ...

So I heated and scraped with putty knife and steam...
then wire brushed...
then the sponge sanding...

Wasn't liking the results... And me being one that HATES hand sanding I thought ...

Let me try my little 1/4 sheet finish sander with some 400 grit wet/dry paper... A little water for wetness and not to burn up the sandpaper...

This is what I was looking at half way ... You can see the results on the left from hand sanding... On the right is with electric sander



And then here's the finished sanding product (best I'm gonna get it anyways)...



I guess I'm just gonna use veggy oil... maybe canola if I have some... I know I don't have any flax seed oil and I don't want to wait until I run to town ...

How many coats of oil is suggested ?

 

[clifish]

MAN.. is this place the greatest on the web or what ?? 17 responses within 1 hr 20 min.... And all great advice ...

So I heated and scraped with putty knife and steam...
then wire brushed...
then the sponge sanding...

Wasn't liking the results... And me being one that HATES hand sanding I thought ...

Let me try my little 1/4 sheet finish sander with some 400 grit wet/dry paper... A little water for wetness and not to burn up the sandpaper...

This is what I was looking at half way ... You can see the results on the left from hand sanding... On the right is with electric sander

View attachment 631210

And then here's the finished sanding product (best I'm gonna get it anyways)...

View attachment 631211

I guess I'm just gonna use veggy oil... maybe canola if I have some... I know I don't have any flax seed oil and I don't want to wait until I run to town ...

How many coats of oil is suggested ?

I would do 3 coats, then cook some bacon to see how it looks. you want a nice , even black coating on it. I also clean and oil after I am done with every cook. If I am lazy I just spray down with whatever kind I have on the shelf.