Yikes! Should I be alarmed and what should I do

[hoovarmin]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to work on it after church and send a report.

[jfmorris]

I think I am going to eventually bite the bullet and pay for one of those stainless hard covers for my FTG900 from the guy on Etsy (Outdoor Cooking or something like that). Not cheap, but I think you could still put the soft cover over it, and it will make for much more peace of mind about my griddle living out in the rain.

I've taken to a habit of putting 2 basting domes on top of the griddle before putting the cover on, so that they kinda raise the center and promote run off. But I am still convinced more often than not what I've dealt with was food residue that turned brown more than actual rust, considering it wipes off and leaves a clean looking surface. If it was actual rust I think the surface would be more messed up.

The only true rust issue I think I've dealt with was in the front left corner, in the grease trough area, where there is a seam in the cover, and I think an abundance of rain led to water soaking through the cover in that area.

[Polarbear777]

We have one of those covers on out 600 at work and with that plus the fabric cover on top of it and ensuring it’s clean and well oiled after each cook, it’s gone 8+ months in some cases without use and no rust.

[Polarbear777]

Also the steel cover can go on right after cooking since it can take the heat. Then if it rains before you remember to put the fabric cover on at least it minimizes the problem.

[Uncle Bob]

One thing to be mindful on any of those metal covers are the pop rivets often used to hold the hanging brackets, typically four of them. They will allow standing water to drip onto the griddle surface and rust can form. Some simple sealant will help solve that.

[DavidNorcross]

After you are done cleaning, I would highly recommend cooking some bacon!!

[Panhead John]

And inviting us over.

[realdocBBQ]

And making sure there is plenty of beer! PBR works, but I'm not too awfully picky about beer when it's free. Just so's ya know.

[Spinaker]

Scrape it as much as you can. Heat it up and let it get hot, then throw a bunch of lemon juice on it and scrub with a steel pad. I like to throw some sea salt in there too to make it more gritty.

Scrub the heck out of it and then rinse. It should be okay, because it is mostly surface rust.

If you can't get it clean, then you can strip it with a wire wheel. But I would try the above first.

[hoovarmin]

Good words, Kemosabe

[tbob4]

Question for the rust master - I live in an arid climate and am using my Blackstone often. Does oiling/seasoning after each use (as I have been doing) protect me from the rust or is it my climate?

[Spinaker]

Yep! It certainly does. Make sure to heat the griddle while applying the oil. Or it will get sticky and rancid. The climate certainly helps too, but the oil is also helping. tbob4

[jfmorris]

hoovarmin have you noticed paint or finish issues with your FTG900?

On mine, up here in N. Alabama, the bottom shelf of the cart has developed bubbling paint - most likely due to water blowing up under the cover and getting that bottom shelf wet when it rains, and then sitting there on the shelf until it evaporates. I'll likely have to sand and repaint that shelf before next summer. Also, the chromed plastic bezel around the control knobs is peeling, likely due to heat. At most I've wiped that area with stainless steel cleaner or maybe some windex on a paper towel.

I wish the control knobs just had a flat black plastic and no fake chrome on them, as I think it would still be looking good without the peeling chrome. Most of their other cookers with these type knobs do not have chrome on the plastic bezel in the photos - just the flat tops.

I checked into this before the warranty ran out, and the Camp Chef warranty expressly does not cover paint and finishes.

I still plan to EVENTUALLY build the FTG900 in as a built in in an L shaped outdoor kitchen, along with my kamado, so I'll be ditching the cart when that happens.

[hoovarmin]

jfmorris I have the same issue with the knobs and it's disappointing to see that happen just a year into ownership. For some reason I haven't had any issues with the paint on the shelves and it surprises me that you have because mine gets wet all the time as well.

[SmokeyGator]

Mine was worse after a long time without use and a cover that leaked. But this is not a problem. Scrub with steel wool and white vinegar. If the rust is just on the surface it will scrub off without a big fuss.

If it even needs it. You may just be able to get the griddle hot, take a scraper to it, then throw on a wet rag and use that with the scraper to wipe it off. Then re-season the cleaned off spots.

In my case I used my orbital sander, and multitool with a triangular sanding head for the corners. More aggressive, and of course the seasoning was stripped right off. But it worked. I had more rust than I cared to remove with steel wool, power tools just made it faster. And I was going to re-season the griddle anyway, so just go for it.

I also got a new cover, and made wooden inserts to go under the cover to prevent pooling. The wood holds up the cover, and the Blackstone cover is waterproof enough that nothing soaks through UNLESS it is allowed to pool for extended periods.

[hoovarmin]

It cleaned up really well after I just scraped it, washed it down with water, and re seasoned. I have the stainless lid from Etsy, so the cover fits nicely over that. Only if that lid goes on when the griddle is too hot it warps.