When it arrived,the freight company had gouged through the carton and left a slight scratch in the black paint for about 10 in., which even I could touchup.
I have had a lifetime of rough and not so rough pits,grills,etc.,so I thought everything on my CS looked fantastic.
My CS stays outside 365 days/yr. at the beach,under a loose cover that covers the table and the cooker.
It is like a salt rain every night and everything outside deteriorates rapidly.
I found a couple tiny rust spots around the base of one leg and that was it.I wipe it down with a paper towel and a little 3 in 1 oil periodically.I WD40 the hinges.
I don't use mine like a commercial operation ,but 6 to 10 products cooked a week,year- round is not unusual.A 48 hr. multi-product cook is not uncommon.
I have always used HD foil on my woodbox top and the cooker floor.I Pam the racks before cooks,to clean I spray with greased lightning,hose off and let set a few minutes in a pan of Gr. Ltng. and hot water and then rinse well.I do the same with the side wall brackets.If there is moisture under the floor foil,I spray it with a little windex and wipe out with a paper towel.
About every 6 months I lightly drag a plastic windshield scraper[hard to find around here] across any bad buildups.
I set it out in the yard with the woodbox beside it,sprayed them liberally with Greased Lightning and let them set in the hot sun about 30 mins.
Put the racks and wall brackets in the dishwasher.
I then hosed the inside of the CS and all the woodbox with a nozzle and let dry well.
My only problem is it came out too clean.
I couldn't find a rusted or bad weld[admitedly I'm no expert]anywhere.
I have found at this point that the dishwasher may cause a little fine rust to form on the racks ,if I don't lightly wipe them with a little vegetable oil.
It has never had a single problem that couldn't be attributed to my experiments or maybe overloading it by 70%-80%.
It has never produced an inedible product,although I've come close.
I have never called the company that someone didn't cheerfully go overboard to help me.
It has no more variable temp. swings than the professional ovens I regularly cook on.
Guess I'd better get outta here ,before someone accuses me of makin' a Smokin' post,but just wanted to let Donna, Stuart,and all at the company know that we realize all the positives they provide for us.
