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Lacquer thinner on the egg???

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Firestarter21
Firestarter21 Posts: 309
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
So, I am trying to clean the egg now and tried simple green, with a electric toothbrush contraption, making mild project. The girlfriend and roomy are trying to convince me to use lacquer thinner to remove the extreme tar from the egg? This sounds like a horrifying idea to me. I did give it a try on a small spot and it did come off with ease, but just scares me to death. Could someone give me the go ahead here on the forum that this is ok?
DSCF2404.jpg
Thanks,
Barrett
Woodstock, Ga
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  • Cecil
    Cecil Posts: 771
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    EEK- what happened?
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  • Car Wash Mike
    Car Wash Mike Posts: 11,244
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    If they have a better way, let them do it. What ever you do, wash with soap and water before lighting again. BTW, make sure it is done away from the house. Cleaning their way, that is.

    Mike
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  • Firestarter21
    Firestarter21 Posts: 309
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    I am sorry, I didn't give the full story. I bought the egg the other day and it came like this. I am trying to clean it up for the person who is getting it on fathers day. I am about to ahead with the lacquer thinner and see what happens.
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  • Cecil
    Cecil Posts: 771
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    Gotcha, I read earlier posts, good luck! A very thoughtful gift.

    Walt
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  • Hot Stuff
    Hot Stuff Posts: 82
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    Hey Barrett....why not wait until tomorrow and call over to Tucker and see what the Big Green Roosters and Big Green Hens have to say ?
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,888
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    That looks to me like some idiot raised that dome at a SUPER heated temp and then left it wide open to cool down. That crap down the back will need a putty knife etc. Being on the outside is far better than on the inside...or did you tell us the full story?
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
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    I don't have any problems with using lacquer thinner, just don't use it indoors, take it outside! -RP
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  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
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    Had the same thing happen to mine a couple years ago, made a mess. -RP
    goop.jpg
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  • Buck i Nuts
    Buck i Nuts Posts: 65
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    WOW, I don't think I am egging enough....if that happened I would spend the time you are to bring it back to normal green ! Did you try full strength Simple Green? I bet the thinner would take it off good since the color is baked in at pretty high temp, cant imagine it would be strong enough to take the green off....maybe a warranty item... :woohoo: bet they haven't had someone pull that one on them in Tucker GA ! ;) Hey, it would save some time cleaning
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  • Firestarter21
    Firestarter21 Posts: 309
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    I posted the worst picture of the worst side. I agree with(I think it was RP) who said some one got it super hot and opened it. The inside has a ton of build up that I plan to do a long hot burn tomorrow evening and try to cook it off. The only thing is the gasket looks brand new and I hate to ruin it. I did try the Simple green and it worked a bit, but the lacquer definitely did a better job. I didn't finish cleaning, I will need much more beer and time. Here are some of the other pictures, feel free to keep the replies coming and I appreciate the advice on my earlier post about this.
    DSCF2403.jpg
    DSCF2405.jpg
    DSCF2406.jpg
    Thanks,
    Barrett
    Woodstock, Ga
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  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
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    Dayum!!!

    This will probably toast your gasket, but the outside looks like that the gasket is probably worse.

    Heat that bad boy up to 700 or so and leave it there. That should start to liquefy that gook, so the Simple Green will start to work.

    Lacquer thinner should be OK on the outside, but DO NOT use it on the inside. Temps above 750 on the inside should turn that crap into dust.

    Get a new gasket and replace it. I am sure day will wait a wee bit longer.
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  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
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    Just so you know, I bought a new gasket for this Egg 2 years ago, and someday I might install it. But for now the grease makes for a pretty decent seal, so I don't see a problem. -RP
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  • eggbasket
    eggbasket Posts: 111
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    My 2 cents.
    It will definitely clean easier if it is warm, just cleaning your oven. No cleaner of ANY KIND inside. I agree with Celtic Wolf. 409 or simple green will work on a warm exterior. Really cheap vodka, methanol or isopropyl alcohol would probably work. Won't leave a solvent residue and then just wash with light soapy water. I

    If you need to scrap the crusty stuff - try a plastic pot scraper like Pampered Chef gives with stoneware. It won't scratch your egg.
    Carol
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  • Firestarter21
    Firestarter21 Posts: 309
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    I think that is my plan, get it up to 500 or so and this will heat the outside. Then I will start going at it with a plastic putty knife and possibly the lacquer thinner again, it really did do a good job. I will get it all spit shined tomorrow and post pics of the finished product. So, 375 dollars for a Large, nest, typ grid, ash tool, upright chicken rack, drip pan, and rib rack.... after I get it all cleaned up I think it will be an alright deal. My girlfriends grandfather has loved the foods he has eaten off of ours and I am sure he will get many good cooks out of it. BTW I am not that great of a future-grandson-inlaw, I am getting reimbursed for nearly all of the money portion of my investment by her family. But I am still putting the work into cleaning it up, which I enjoy truth be told.

    Barrett
    Woodstock, Ga
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  • Buck i Nuts
    Buck i Nuts Posts: 65
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    Anytime ;) Remarkable ! It's really in need of TLC, but it will be so worth it ! Look forward to posts in the future....thanks for the great pix !
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  • WileECoyote
    WileECoyote Posts: 516
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    Wow, that is one dirty egg. Looks like they may have burned some non-standard fuel inside to generate so much build-up. If you use lacquer thinner or any similar solvent then obviously don't do it while the egg is lit or still warm. The vapors can flash up in an instant, even from a small static electricity spark or nearby appliance.

    If it were my egg then I would first do a high-temp burn to clean the interior and wipe it down with a soft brush. Then take it apart, drive it to a nearby car wash, set the top and base with openings towards the ground, scrub the outside with Purple Power degreaser which you can get at Walmart, then rinse it with the high pressure water hose from about 4' away. Then wash it carefully with mild dish soap and water, let it dry, and do a moderate burn to make sure that it is all dry.

    If you really want to impress the gift recipient and make the egg better than new then you might consider painting the egg like I did. Here is the link to the post with lots of photos (takes a while to load). It has been about 2 months and the paint job still looks like new despite heavy usage.
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  • CaptGrumpy
    CaptGrumpy Posts: 58
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    The instructions that come with the replacement gasket suggest using acetone to get the old gasket crap off the edge of the eggshell where it is pourous so I would think it would be ok to give it a go on the outside as well. Maybe try a small test spot first to see if it will work. Call the BGE Mothership and see what they recommend in the morning. The inside will cook clean with a long hot burn. My small had a tar build up and I scaped it as best I could and then had the jet engine turned up for about 45 minutes. Looks super inside!
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  • Car Wash Mike
    Car Wash Mike Posts: 11,244
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    MU-2, KS-0
    Shoot me an e-mail.
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  • Firestarter21
    Firestarter21 Posts: 309
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    Woooooooooow, that is catchy. Georgia Tech Alumni??? Looks good, unfortunately I don't think I will have near enough time to pull off a feat like that between now and Sunday. I may consider loading the egg back into the back seat of the Camry and over to our local car wash spot and go to town on it, but that may be a last resort. Thanks for the tips and the link to your egg masterpiece!
    Barrett
    Woodstock, Ga
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  • Grill-Gal
    Grill-Gal Posts: 17
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    I'd be inclined to use a grease remover. There's a household one in a tube which name is escaping me at the moment. The tar is polymerized cooking grease and should be able to be removed as grease. I'd even try a solution of trisodium phosphate but it has to be removed IMMEDIATELY or it would etch the glaze of the egg.
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  • DynaGreaseball
    DynaGreaseball Posts: 1,409
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    Here's 2 cents more...

    We used to use a cleaner called III Triethel Chlorine to degrease castings and steele parts before they were primed and painted in our machine shop. It's a lot like acetone but non flamable. Not sure where one can obtain it, however.

    After you get all the goop cleaned off your egg, you might want to try this...The shiny, green glaze on my medium egg began to get a little dull, and I used an automotive cleaner/wax to brighten it up. It was nowhere near as bad as the egg in your pictures, and I didn't have to work as hard as I'm sure you will, but once I buffed it out, I could definately see a difference. Some of the dullness came from miniscule cracks in the glaze, and there's nothing I've found to cover them up, but I could still get it a deeper and shinier green with the cleaner/wax.

    Hope that helps
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    you know, it almost looks like they used it to burn wood like a little fire pit or something. anyone who got an egg that filthy by cooking on it would have to be so rabid about cooking on the egg that they'd have never put it up for sale.

    really weird.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • Smokin-AJ's
    Smokin-AJ's Posts: 99
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    I know you bought it off of someone but HOW in the heck would anyone allow their EGG to look like that and let it remain like that?? It says a lot about that person????
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  • Chuck_K
    Chuck_K Posts: 47
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    Firestarter21,

    Under NO circumstances use lacquer thinner, alcohol, gasoline or any other flammable liquid on the outside of a BGE while it is hot or there is a fire going in it. Otherwise we will be visiting you in the burn unit of the hospital. :ohmy:

    Heat it up, scrape the softened gunk off the BGE,LET IT COOL, then go after it with a flammable solvent if you desire. You can use simple green or other non-volatile cleaners when it is still hot.
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  • RhumAndJerk
    RhumAndJerk Posts: 1,506
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    I have two questions to ask.
    Is that a whole in the bottom?
    Did it come with a firebox, grate and fire ring?

    Honestly, it looks like you may have overpaid for a large flower pot.

    wow,
    RhumAndJerk
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  • Bordello
    Bordello Posts: 5,926
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    :laugh:
    I think that hole is a picture of the dome. Dang, at least I hope so. :S :S :S

    Have a great weekend.
    Bordello
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  • Firestarter21
    Firestarter21 Posts: 309
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    I took the top off and it is flipped upside down on the garage floor in that picture. I think it is going to clean up ok. As for the fire grate... It came loaded with charcoal up to the fire ring, I will probably burn it for a hour or two tonight at high temps and see how it looks after that. Tomorrow morning pull out its guts and shop vac it. I know better than to use ANY chemicals on the inside. I will get it heated up tonight and see what I can do. I hope that I am not posting from the burn unit from the hospital in the next 24 hours to give yall an update.
    Barrett
    Woodstock, Ga
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  • Bordello
    Bordello Posts: 5,926
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    Best of luck with the project, just use common sense and like others have said, do it outside and don't smoke if you're a smoker. :ohmy:

    Let us see the final project when you're done.

    Cheers,
    Bordello
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  • RhumAndJerk
    RhumAndJerk Posts: 1,506
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    I see said the Blind man to the Deaf man.
    May I suggest a stiff wire brush to gently loosen as much goo as possible before burning.

    Also, make sure that the smoke cannot drift into your house. I'll bet it smells bad.
    R&J
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  • RhumAndJerk
    RhumAndJerk Posts: 1,506
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    I would take the thermometer out before going turbo with the temp.
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