Weber One Touch platinum repair advice wanted.

[Kirton]

Hi folks,
My first real BBQ and the one I still use the most is a 2001 Weber one Touch Platinum. In its life it has had lid handle repair, 3 charcoal grates, 2 food grates and and two sets of One Touch blades. As far as cooking is concerned it is still as good as the day I bought it. The table and its wheels are absolutely mint.
The bowl, however, is suffering badly where the welded tabs that hold the charcoal grate have failed and in two of them burnt holes through the bowl. I have bolted through the hole and sealed with two washers and black high temperature silicone. The bolts although, due to the curvature of the bowl point upwards a tad but do a great job of supporting the charcoal grate. For a long term fix I need to replace the bowl. I cannot get a replacement bowl in the UK. There is a thread on the Virtual Bullet that shows a refurb. using a one touch bowl. The thread says just "pop the flanges off" that hold old bowl on the table and attach them to the new bowl for bolting to the table. I joined the thread to ask for more info on fixing the flanges on the new bowl but had no reply. Then I thought, ask the Pit Members!
Can anyone offer advice?
As the saying goes, your first love is always your true love!! Over to you guys

[Max Good]

Have you considered taking it to a metal shop for repair?

[RonB]

Do you have something like craig's list on your side of the pond? That's a site where people sell used items person to person with the buyer normally picking the item up. Sometimes people agree to meet at a public location. I know Weber grills do occasionally show up here.

[MBMorgan]

In its life it has had lid handle repair, 3 charcoal grates, 2 food grates and and two sets of One Touch blades. As far as cooking is concerned it is still as good as the day I bought it. The table and its wheels are absolutely mint.

This reminds me of an old story about a guy that had the same hammer for over thirty years. During that time, it only had its handle changed three times and its head changed twice.

[SMOG MAN]

I think as Max suggested, I would make some new mounting flanges for the new bowl. I have done some metal work and don't think that would be to hard to do. I would suggest taking both old and new parts to a metal shop.

[Danjohnston949]

Kirton, I don't have anything better to offer to You than what you have already heard from the others! The one exception is that every Spring, Fargo Public Utilities have a Clean Up Week! Anything that is on the Curb is Fair Game for Blvd Shoppers! BBQ Grills of all types are on the Curb! In Fairness Your Old Grill might be better off if "You Put It Down" and get a New One?
Eat Well and Prosper! From a Backyard Cremator in Fargo ND, Dan

[Atalanta]

I just bought a used kettle from CraigsList (which doesn't help you much). However, I'm in the process of making it young again. The Weber Kettle Club forum has a lot of info and tutorials on refurbing. You might want to head over there (http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/). They have some UK members who may be able to help.