Not a Happy Camper

[Old Glory]

I loved my Blazin' Grid Iron but the paint has failed. Let me ask your opinion. This is powder coated steel. Supposed to be durable. The Company is saying it failed because of the salt in the air as I am about 5 miles from to coast. They are sending me new hardware and a new shelf. What are your thoughts? This lasted less than a year. I am most concerned with theseams on the legs and body. This thing is going to fail.

[ofelles]

That looks pretty extensive for just 1 year. Did you send them pics? I'd push back a bit.

[smokenoob]

I have salt water in my back yard and powder painted stuff holds up pretty good, I would not be a happy camper either.

If you keep it hit it with ospho and repaint with rattle can, then maybe boeshield T9 the hinges?

[smokin fool]

I'm no metal expert but that looks like day to day rust you would get from rain water or moisture not necessarily salt water only.
That being said I'm no where close to salt water no no experience but salt is more corrosive than that IMHO, its a different darker rust.
See Ontario cars after every winter.
Seems to me they're looking for a scapegoat for a bad paint job.

[holehogg]

Not a specialist in steel by any means but have worked with it for many moons.
The quality of steel has been in such a decline in the last 25 years, especially anything that comes out of China (and I'm talking in its raw form too).
Some material contain small amounts of impurities (often visible if you know what to look for) and these spots react in coastal conditions so much quicker than inland.
Whether you sandblast etch prime and coat with 2K paint rust still sets in fairly quickly and powder coating is worse protection.

Looking at the pics there's lots wrong (imo) from the prep to the quality of the steel used. I can see where bubbles are forming under the coating and if you scrape the coating away at that bubble area, I can almost guarantee you will see moisture and if you sand the area a bit more than likely see a black spot (impurities).
Where the sheets overlap no primer or protective coating was applied hence the results. I could go on but that's not going to help.

Is it made in China?

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[Old Glory]

Made in USA

[Murdy]

That doesn't mean that the steel didn't come from China.

[glitchy]

That’s a bummer to see. Do they have anything on their site not recommending their grills be used in coastal areas? Seems pretty excessive for less than a year.

[Old Glory]

I asked that. He seemed to say I should have washed it like my car. I asked if that was in the manual and he said no.

[UncleSpike]

I'm a bit familiar with powder coating, and welds in general. IMHO:

Those welds aren't going to fail in your lifetime.

The powder coat was not applied properly, and that is why it is peeling off.

The screw heads etc were never powder coated, and should have been stainless for that application.

[Old Glory]

They use stainless now and will send me those.

[jfmorris]

I'm with holehogg on this one. The fact that there are bubbles out there in the middle of the paintjob, far from any metal edges, indicates this was simply a poor paint job. Those bubbles in the middle of the painted/powder coated surface cannot be attributed to salt air or other exposure like they might be able to attribute rust at the edges where the coating is thin or non-existent. Like he said - if you scrape those bubbles, bet there is rust under the paint in those spots too. Along with an underlying cause.

I am wondering if they or their supplier used a lower grade of powder coating that won't handle the heat the grill exposes it too. That could be another reason for this type of failure.

[Old Glory]

"All of the paint is baked on powder coat and is very durable and done at our plant in Beatrice, Nebraska. This is just another item on your grill that is proudly American made." They do their own powder coating in Nebraska. I agree the bubbled paint on the shelf and away from the seam indicates paint failure.

[rwalters]

Sorry to see you having to deal with this. I too would be a tad upset. To be honest, I have come to the point that I don’t think I will buy anymore cookers that are not porcelain coated (ie Weber), 304 stainless or ceramic. I know rust ain’t the end of the world, but I just much prefer not having to deal with it. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

I live an hour from the ocean and have never had luck with anything patio or grill related lasting, but coated stuff usually gives me 3-5 years before the coating starts failing or the metal rusting. I agree with others, the coating probably wasn't applied properly. But this is also why I went to the 100% stainless MAK. The coated one was doing fine, but if they would have had all stainless in 2018 I woulda ordered that from the get go.

[Uncle Bob]

The integrity of any coating, paint, powder coat, whatever, is only as durable as the amount of effort expended on preparation first and THEN application. When the poorly informed would challenge me on what we charged to fully refinish a car they'd be picturing the application process they've seen in videos or elsewhere. I'd go to some length, if I thought I had a chance at educating/convincing that individual, about all the effort that went into the preparation process and how that consumed way more time, effort and skill than the visualization they had. If you look at each of those failing zones they are on an edge or in a crevice where it's more difficult to clean, and prepare a surface first, and then apply an adequately thick coating that is close to the thickness of that on a flat field. Salt air may accelerate the deterioration, but, given your relatively short life cycle, it's also the result of poor application process. You're not likely a unique outcome as you mention they've switched to stainless fasteners.................probably as a result of complaining customers in sufficient number to get their attention. If they haven't turned the screws on their powder coater, either in house or sub, you'll likely experience the same failures with the replacement parts unless you change how you store the equipment to help minimize exposure to moisture (including maybe not using a cover if you do).

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

Old Glory I can understand that... but are they sending you a kit to respray the parts? I scraped off some coating on my old MAK and they sent me a rattlecan of repair coating no questions asked. I've heard Yoder does the same.

[Old Glory]

ItsAllGoneToTheDogs They told me what type of paint to buy and are sending me a video on how to sand and repaint.

[RiverJeff]

Don't hold your breath! My powder coating started falling off of my bottom shelf 2 weeks after I got it home on may 7th 2021 It's was still under warranty time frame. (let me add I bought the Competition wheel kit) so my shelf is big! Paint peeling off my hopper cover as well same time. Brent said that because parts are made 1 at a time it would be a while to supply. That was May 15th 2021. Later he had problems with powder coating oven. Now he has problems with labor and materials now available

[LA Pork Butt]

I am with Uncle Bob and others - poor craftsmanship. I doubt that the stainless steel screws will solve the problem since they mostly seem to be a problem with seams and welding. Buyers beware.

[Old Glory]

The grill cooks great. I love using it. Just very disappointed in the paint.

[bbqLuv]

Looks like a project and continued maintenance. Sand and paint, high temp paint.

[Old Glory]

Unfortunately yes.

[Jerod Broussard]

I'll check mine tonight. It's never been in the rain, but plenty humid days. It has always been essentially out of the sun too.

[Bbqmikeg]

So, are they sending you a case of WD40 as their long term solution?