I've been watching a Primo Oval XL with the table that he said was teak that was advertised on Facebook Marketplace for several months now. He started at about 1,400, and came down a little bit every couple of weeks.
Last week, I checked on it and saw this:
I'd been telling myself for months that if he came down this low, I'd have to become a Primo owner. I even talked with SWMBO about this months ago. When I saw the $600 price, I messaged him about specifics, and had a conversation with my Budget Director/Wife. I now own a Primo Oval XL.
The cooker itself is in pretty good shape for it's age and price. Cooking grates are fine. A new top vent and gaskets have already arrived. Deflector plates will probably be a Christmas request.
The table was not in good shape. It wobbled due to some broken boards and loose bolts in a couple places. A few deck screws have tightened it up some, and I'm going to add some bracing to make sure it can hold the weight when I re-install the cooker. With all the repairs, it's going to be kind of a Frankenstein table, but that's okay. At that price, it doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to work.
It was also filthy. This is a "before" picture. Mildew and mold, grease, and maybe even old coats of varnish or something. I've pressure washed it a couple times and it's looking much better (and yes, I failed to take an "after" picture...).
My question that I've finally got around to is this: Is there a simple, food-safe finish that I can put on this table? I don't really want to get into multiple coats, drying time, sanding, and all that's involved in a good job. I guess I'm looking for something fairly quick that will dress it up a little bit for now, that might last for a year or so until I decide to build a new table. I'm probably more interested in getting it done so I can start using it than I am in making it pretty for years to come.
It will not be exposed to the elements much. Most of the cooking is done under a porch, and I'll wheel it into the barn when it's not being used.
I wondered about tung oil or linseed oil, or even cutting board oil, but I don't know enough.
What kind of finish should I use?
Edit to add: This first screenshot is actually from Craigslist...he had it cross-posted.
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