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Please see pics of my smoker below.. It is a used very heavy walled traditional pit with offset firebox. Should I clean it thoroughly before use or should I just leave it as is and start smokin?
If it were me, i would not only clean it...but i would hit it with a wire wheel too. I would probably start with a pressure washer good. Let it dry and then go over it with a wire wheel and try to get all the loose crap and rust off. Start fresh, and then season it good. Looks like it could use it on the outside too...then hit it with hi-temp paint (outside only). Sucker will look new.
I'm with erain on this one. Clean it as much as you can, season it. Will be almost like a new smoker and you'll have the peace of mind knowing that you started off with a clean pit.
Thanks Guys. Cleanining it seems to be the concesnsus.
Would you use any chemicals of any sort on the inside or outside (e.g. simple green) or stay away from them altogether?
I have heard that you can clean the outside real good, build a fire and coat the outside in a cooking oil instead of painting. Has anyone else done this? Otherwise what should I do, just use a heat resistant paint?
If you're going to hit the insides with a media blaster, find someone that can do bead blasting or soda blasting-with all that rust, sand blasting would be to aggressive.
Were it mine, I'd take a wide putty knife and scrape off all the loose stuff. Then, I'd power wash it and give it a good burn-in session--seasoning it like it was new.
Its closer to a 1/2" than 3/8" and heavy as all get out. I should have it back home in a day or two. Having a base welded on. Then I will clean, paint and post photos. :-)
Yea I would scrape all of that crud out of there and take a wire wheel to it or something to get all that stuff out and then season it and I bet it will look a lot better.