Any idea on the age of this Small I picked up last weekend?

law1143

I grabbed this over the weekend. since then ive cleaned it up, removed rust from the bands, repainted and replaced, put a new lower draft door on it. Ive got a large daisy wheel that im gonna put on it using one of the silicone adapter rings from Smokeware. I am getting it ready to go for a fathers day gift.

The inside gives the impression that its hardly been used. The original gasket looks like it'll seal up fine, theres no grease and the inner walls, fire box and ring are still white. you can see stamps, but none are quite clear enough to make out a serial number or date of mfg.

Im guessing early 90s? 


I am only about $150 into it at this point. (and yeah, i know the nest is the wrong size, that came with it, and It'll get a table made for it once it goes to its new home...)

Thanks and happy to take some more pics if they'd be useful... 

 

kl8ton

No guesses on age but that's a fun $150 project! 

JohnInCarolina

Looks like one of the earlier models for sure with that handle.  Ron @RRP might be able to place it.

In any case, welcome to the forum!

lkapigian

Looks a lot like mine and it’s close to 30 years , serial number inside upper dome, may hay to do a clean burn to see it 

fishlessman

i would say late 90's, i think mid 90's they still had a vertical casting line down the side.  i know bge once mentioned that the serial #s were not sequential so theres that.....early 2000 the numbers were put on the inside with a pencil

RRP

That bale style handle is the same that was on my small purchased on 2000. So it's at least that old. Post a picture of the side and back of the egg so we can see the hinge better.

RRP

fishlessman said:

i would say late 90's, i think mid 90's they still had a vertical casting line down the side.  i know bge once mentioned that the serial #s were not sequential so theres that.....early 2000 the numbers were put on the inside with a pencil

I agree - not one single one of my 4 eggs ever had any of the proverbial serial numbers stamped, written nor stenciled in the dome! Even back then the warranty card was something you just mailed in with very limited information about yourself and had no serial numbers or such. Guess life was simpler 20+ years ago LOL.

law1143

law1143

when did they transition to the dimpled exterior pattern?

law1143

and ive obviously got a little more work to do on that grate... 

RRP

Yeah - that's the old scissor style hinge with the bale handle and you would use  the curved end of your BGE lump rake tool to insert in either of this round areas of the hinge to pull it up tight to keep the dome from falling. Also the ceramic coal grate dates it!

BTW you have done a great job already cleaning that puppy up!

fishlessman

that thing is hardly used at all, those ceramic grates have all been replaced

law1143

RRP said:

Yeah - that's the old scissor style hinge with the bale handle and you would use  the curved end of your BGE lump rake tool to insert in either of this round areas of the hinge to pull it up tight to keep the dome from falling. Also the ceramic coal grate dates it!

BTW you have done a great job already cleaning that puppy up!

Im not following you on how the hinge tightens?

And thanks! All ive done to the inside is vacuum it out and i threw the grate in my large when i made burgers the other night, got it hot and did a real quick scrub on it... still work to go there... 

RRP

law1143 said:

Im not following you on how the hinge tightens?

I used the wrong term. As the egg was used then the rivets in those legs would loosen and the dome would fall. So you would put your hand on the handle while lifting the dome up and take the curved end of the ash tool and insert it in either of those round "ears" and pull it toward you. That would lock (secure) the lid. Then to close you would push on either one and again with your hand on the handle you would let it down.

Ozzie_Isaac

No help with question at hand, but I prefer that original finish to the dimples.

RRP

law1143 said:

and ive obviously got a little more work to do on that grate... 

Personally I would not waste the time cleaning it - instead buy a stainless one from Tom at Ceramic Grill Store!

RRP

RRP said:

law1143 said:

and ive obviously got a little more work to do on that grate... 

Personally I would not waste the time cleaning it - instead buy a stainless one from Tom at Ceramic Grill Store!

I was in a hurry so I didn’t explain my rationale. Back “then” BGE used a form of ceramic coated grills which had to be babied in what grill tools to use, you could never get them too hot or that crappy coating just popped off and then moisture caused the metal to rust and cause more pop offs! Go stainless from Tom! 

law1143

RRP said:

law1143 said:

and ive obviously got a little more work to do on that grate... 

Personally I would not waste the time cleaning it - instead buy a stainless one from Tom at Ceramic Grill Store!

I'm doing this one with elbow grease and a short budget. 

Ive got a few things to soak down with oven cleaner and put in the sun in a black garbage bag and this will be one of em, along with the daisy wheel from my large (that I'll include for pops with this guy) and my smokeware cap... 

If things NEED replaced (im on the fence about keeping these old bands and we'll see how they go... the new spring ones are light years better) we will but trying to see how much of what i got can be preserved and given new life!                                            

RRP

I see we both posted at the same time. No offense meant about spending the coins for a stainless grate…but I bet a closer inspection of the grate of that wonderful, seldom used BGE will reveal there is still some of that black ceramic coating on some of the outside ring. You have a LOT more cleaning to do than what oven clean will do for you…give ole Dad that refurbished egg and a gift certificate for a new grate. 

law1143

RRP said:

I see we both posted at the same time. No offense meant about spending the coins for a stainless grate…but I bet a closer inspection of the grate of that wonderful, seldom used BGE will reveal there is still some of that black ceramic coating on some of the outside ring. You have a LOT more cleaning to do than what oven clean will do for you…give ole Dad that refurbished egg and a gift certificate for a new grate. 

no offense taken and thanks for popping back into clarify your point!

We've got some time before fathers day and I'll probably do a cook or two on it myself to make sure gaskets are in good shape, figure out what else it might need and such before i pass it along!

Appreciate all your insight and shared wisdom!

law1143

also that explains why this grate looks so... janky... the black stuff around the edge didnt make much sense but that fills in some gaps! Thanks again @RRP

RyanStl

Always thought it would be cool if BGE or someone posted a time line of changes over the years of the different sizes with pictures to help identify possible age.

law1143

and again, I was thinking i got a deal.

Over the weekend, I helped a friend pick up an XL that he got FOR FREE from someone in his neighborhood FB group. Its an older one and has been neglected for the last 5 or 6 years but complete and fully in tact!

sancho65

I would recommend replacing the fire grate and the cooking grate. And also replacing the bands at this time. Dad will be able to use it more and with less headaches in the future. Just my two cents, spend it Wisely!🇺🇸

GrateEggspectations

Ozzie_Isaac said:

No help with question at hand, but I prefer that original finish to the dimples.

Dimples over the cellulite finish all day long!