Flat Top Hard Covers

[jfmorris]

Ok, the fact that the hinged cover I found wasn't stainless, and the seller doesn't respond to messages, has me leaning towards the stainless one on Etsy. Wish it wasn't $190, but I think I've got a few VISA gift cards laying around that should help with it. Took my canvas cover off today as someone came to my backyard office for work, and wanted to see my grills, and had some nice rusty looking patches on the cooktop, which was embarrassing. Gonna give it a thorough cleaning tonight.

[jfmorris]

Ok, now to confuse matters, the folks at the place Mr. Bones found - who offer a hinged top - tell me that their powder coated top has 20 gauge metal for the top, and 14 gauge metal for the sides and for the brackets that mount it to the Camp Chef flat top. The stainless one from Etsy is made from a single peice of 20 gauge 304SS, welded in the corners where it is folded.

So the question is, which one will be sturdier and last longer... I like that the stainless one is flat, and can be used as a table type surface, but the other one with a bend and slope from the midpoint of the lid to the front may be sturdier due to beefier side metal and that extra bend/crease in the top. And with hinges there is no need to hang the lid on the back.

Decisions, decisions!

[Mr. Bones]

Might as well "do th whole f***in village!"

LINK

[jfmorris]

Argh! Not more choices!

[leol2]

The stainless one I have is plenty strong. I just make sure not to dance on it

[jfmorris]

Well folks, after spending some time messing with the Camp Chef after dinner, I've almost convinced myself that the brown patches I am seeing are not rust, but rather are cooked on food residue. A lot of scraping and some scouring with kosher salt reduced what I am seeing, but the fact is.... I am having brown patches develop by even the next day, with everything dry. And they are all "hamburger" shaped patches, in the spots where I've been doing smash burgers. Got it hot, scoured, scraped, cleaned and oiled last night, moved it under cover, and this morning there are still a few brown patches that came in overnight, and it was plenty oiled, and plenty dry.

Got a chain mail scrubber on order now, to supplement my use of conventional scrapers for cleanup, and hope to see some improvement. If not, I guess I could just steel wool the heck out of it, wash with soap, and season from scratch?

Anyway, gonna keep it under cover (pavilion) until I get this sorted out, before spending the couple of dimes needed to get a hard cover.