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Weed burner... How low can it go?

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Deckhand
Deckhand Posts: 318
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Have a 20lb bottle of propane; thinking about weed burner since it's on sale again. Wondering if the flame can be set low enough so that I can use it to heat the old gasket adhesive to make scraping easier. Don't need a narrow flame but don't want a fireball either.
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  • 'Q Bruddah
    'Q Bruddah Posts: 739
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    I heartily recommend the weed burner purely on its merits as a lump starter alone. As for removing the gasket, it can be turned low but I don't know about recommending it for such a task. Smarter minds than mine will have to weigh in
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    In the many posts on gasket replacement there was a thread that was talking about using heat to remove the gasket. But as of that post there no posts of anyone actually trying it.

    There was on or two people that put a spacer between base and dome to leave an air gap so the heat from the lump would loosen the gasket and from the post that seemed to make a somewhat easy gasket removal. One would be working with a hot egg for that to work and the dome of course would have to be left on.

    Heat is what makes the adhesive break down. The next time I have to change a gasket I was going to use a MAPP torch to see how well it would work as compared to alcohol.

    There is an off the shelf cleaner that will cut the adhesive rather easily, however, BGE Service said those 'type' cleaners should not be used so I haven't posted that method. If applied correctly isopropyl alcohol will remove the gasket and clean the surface very efficiently.

    The Weed Burner can be adjusted to how much blast you get when pulling the trigger. Also the trigger is a progressive pull.

    One thing to keep in mind. When using heat to remove the felt gasket, enough heat will produce a tar/plastic type drip or ball. If the goo runs then there would be a clean up. Nomex doesn't seem to be as messy.

    Felt
    gasket_bge.jpg

    Nomex - the heat applied to this piece was not taken to the extreme break down point like the above upper right picture
    gasketnomex1.jpg

    GG
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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
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    I use a hand held propane torch to clear off gaskets. Don't know if a bigger set up would work. I start where the gasket is the worst, and hit it with the torch. When the gasket begins to bubble, I work a putty knife into it, and advance the flame a few inches. Then just circle the rims with flame, and the knife following maybe 2 inches behind. Takes maybe 10 minutes to peel off the top and bottom on mediums.

    My weed burner is a Bernzomatic that looks like a cane. Doesn't hook up to big tanks, just little ones that fit on the handle. So I just bought a propane nozzle for when I need to clean off gaskets, and swap the tank for the job.
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  • civil eggineer
    civil eggineer Posts: 1,547
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    I used heat the first time but by heating the egg to 400 degree dome temps and keeping a spacer (bolt) between the top and bottom halves of the egg. This allowed the heat to reach the gasket and the entire thing pulled right off after 1/2 hour or hour (been a long time). There still was cleaning and scraping required on the ceramic afterwards in preparation of the new gasket (Rutland).

    I believe the high temp silicone is superior to every other gasket adhesive used and I have used them all. It bonds very well to both the egg and the gasket. My 2 cents.
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  • Deckhand
    Deckhand Posts: 318
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    OK, I'm gonna give it a try. Gasket is GONE... I've scraped and rubbed with alcohol but there's still a tar like coating of varied thickness (old adhesive) around 3/4 of the bottom half. Will be a LONG time before I see clean ceramic all the way around on both halves at this rate. At least I'll have a weed burner for lighting lump... If I don't set fire to the deck (or myself). Plan to use Permatex Ultra Copper to hold Coltronics woven tape... If I can find the tape locally. If not, I may just use the Permatex cured under wax paper... bottom only (RRP method). Hope I can avoid removing the upper half but, from what I've read, I'll probably have to. Thanks to everyone. If it were not for the shared experiences and advice, I'd be seriously discouraged.
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  • Deckhand
    Deckhand Posts: 318
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    Got the weed burner... WOW! Definitely overkill for removing gasket goop but I think it'll work if I BARELY squeeze the trigger. No more waiting for the lump to get going. Reminds me of the old newsreels of troops attacking fortified pacific islands. I wonder... There's a mole that's been tunneling through our yard... :)
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