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cooking rack finish


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I just finished a twin tripod cooking rack and am having a dilemma. Normally I seal work with the usual waxes of oils, but this one presents a unique challenge because of being used in close proximity to a camp fire.  I have looked at high temperature paints for grills or automobile exhausts, but they all require that they be cured in heat.  The length of the legs, at about 6 feet each, makes this impossible to properly cure these paints. Anyone run into this problem before? or know of a solution? Many thanks. 

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I had considered cleaning it up nice, getting it hot and rubbing it with linseed oil and just leaving instructions with it to re-oil after each use. I honestly do not know if a fire like that will cure high temp paint. The directions usually call for cooking it at specific temperatures for a set amount of time and I do not know if laying over a fire will be sufficient. Thanks Bluegrass for the input, I am kinda out of ideas on this one.

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Have it powder coated.

 

OR hot oil and leave instructions and maybe a can of the oil prep. I prefer to avoid bees wax as it tends to stay tacky but that's just been my experience the above recipe may be just the ticket. I don't know.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

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yeah especially with being used outside I try to avoid beeswax as it does get tacky. I was looking at a can of rustoleum today "High Heat" that is designed for fire places screens and grills. It does not require any curing but is not really designed for a surface in direct contact with flame.  I am kinda leaning towards just using the linseed oil applied hot and giving a reminder to recoat after use.

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Try stove paint, it's higher temp than high heat paints, or was. I haven't read a can of high temp paint in years.  the last coat of stove paint on our stove pipe is still fine, heck it's only about 13 years old. The problem with stove and high heat paints is they will rub off and scratch, they're not so tough as regular enamels.

 

Header paint is good but it needs heat to cure hard. tossing the piece in a wood fire works a treat for header paint and there are lots of cool colors to choose from.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

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Is this for the grill? ie. where you slap the meat on? if so bear in mind that the acids in marinades etc. will "release the volatiles" in oils,turps etc.

munching some beeswax might be ok but for the rest I'm not so sure!

 

Some clown(marketing genius) has introduced cadmium plating to barbeque(we call them braai) grids here. Over time it sorta just comes off mostly sticking to the meat(the powder nicely camoflaged in black grill lines) just what your kids/grandkids need. :D A bit of iron oxide is probably not ideal yet I supose preferable! we tend to wait till the grill is warm, brush with a wire brush and then rub with an onion cut in half then wipe with a bit of olive oil and you're good to go! 

 

I've tried using s/s both rods and expended mesh in the past but it retains too much heat and the meat "sticks" to it.

 

Ian

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I have one, called a swiss grill(I think anyhow) a 6ft trypod with a round flat grid that hangs on 3 chains when cooking fro lots of people and you get the grid "swinging" . It works quite well as you  don't have "hot spots" afecting one or two bits of meat and adjusting heights is a breeze. Heck you can even raise one side to do the sarmies on!

 

Ian

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Back when I worked for a chimney sweep we used high temperature paint and stove paint. To cure it we built a small fire and let it burn a while, then built the fire up a little more and leave it a while, then get it good and hot. We never used a themometer and never even tried to hit a certain heat. We never had any problems.

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Ian

In prepping your grill, you use a wire brush and then wipe it down with a onion. I would like to know what is the purpose of the onion.

As you may guess I am no grilling expert.

 

 

LeeRoy

 

If you think your grill is clean after the wire brush, just try the onion!(not as in eat that is) :)  It ends up prety grubby. - might taste good though?

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Just a thought on beeswax. I'm not sure just how you are using it so that it ends up tacky. I've never had this problem. Here's my way. I mix a qt of turps and a qt of linseed oil in a gallon can. I put this in my fire with about a walnut to egg sized piece of beeswax cut up into smaller pieces. Heat with low air blast. If it flashes, put the lid back on the gallon paint can. When the beeswax is melted, put back into the qt cans and keep the lid on.

This will not be tacky.

I apply this hot, then when cool wipe down w alcohol, and if desired, rub in a light coat of johnson's paste wax. Buff and call her done.

On hinges I follow the same procedure and whilst still warm rub my beeswax block over the barrel area. Follow the post cleanup above. Still not tacky and adds a layer of beeswax to the inside of the barrel. This tightens my hinge a tad and they open and shut sweet as a y "swing "ya ever set your eyes on.

This finish is good outside as long as your client is willing to lightly oil it once a year or so and over time develops a beautiful patina.

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Okay, that's more a linseed oil finish, there's hardly enough bees wax in it to effect it. That certainly wouldn't be tacky at all. I'll put that in my finish recipe book. Well, the note pad.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

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Interesting enough, if the beeswax is left out, there's a major difference in the look, feel ,and durability of this finish. It also works very well on wood.

 

I'll buy your results, I haven't tried the mix so I can only express supposition for what that's worth. I've used bees wax for years and in different mixes but not this one. I'm generally a little leery of linseed oil, it can be a fire hazard in some conditions and I wipe the finished piece with a rag to even it and remove excess. None of that has anything to do with your recipe just my foiables.

 

 

I'll give it a go and see how it works, I'm always looking for good finishes.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

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This will flash when you mix it in the forge if you get it too hot. If so I remove it, the gallon paint can w handle from the fire and put the lid on. When it cools a bit put back on the forge if the beeswax hasnr melted. It will boil and not flash, but you'r close.

When you apply it, the turps thins the linseed oil and the beeswax stays liquid. The final mix is very light, not any near like athick paste. At the correct black heat temp this soaks into the pores of the iron and smokes off the surface. If its grey, you were too hot and if the surface is wet or tacky, your iron was too cold. Since the black heat range is a big one, it takes a bit to hit the best temp, but it ain't rocket science. The mix penetrates deep and the beeswax fills the pores and you will be amazed at how clean the surface is. I always wipe with a cloth and alcohol especially if its for inside use. If you buff it a bit, this also will bring out a hint of brightwork to the surface which adds to the finish. The final touch is to rub with Johnsons paste wax or any good carnuba based furniture polish.

The final benefit of this finish is that beeswax has rhe ability to transfer body heat very quickly,instantly, to the iron, so if this is used on fire tools or door, drawer pulls, will creat the effect that the iron is not a "cold thang" but a warm, moving creation.

There are 3 misconceptions, well at least 3, with iron. Its Cold, its Hard, and its Immovable. The forging creats flowing movement, this finish process makes it look soft, and the beeswax creats a warmth on touching it.

For me this finish process is quick, simple, least expensive, durable within limits, minimal chemicals and just beautiful

I'm in Colorado and between 5000-10,000 ft seems to hold up about a year outside with no maintance. For yearly maintance, I have my clients use the same mix wo the beeswax and add "a healthy" pour of jappan dryer in its place. A healthy pour is like a pinch of salt. It dries the linseedturps "right now" so no tacky residue to worry about. I've used this on exterior rails and by the time you finish a 10' section, the beginning is dry.

Hope this helps.

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