Refinished Dual-Function Metal Top

Warning: this post contains Big Green Egg-specific geekery that’s kinda cool to me, but may be a bit boring for the non-Eggers out there.

The Dual-Function Metal Top (DFMT) that sits on the top of my large Big Green Egg and helps to control the temperature had gotten pretty grungy. Enough crud had built up over the years that it was hard to turn the daisy wheel to make small adjustments, so I decided to clean it by running the Egg up to nuclear temps and putting the top in for an hour or so.

When I recovered the DFMT the next morning, I was reminded of the line from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, “Think ya used enough dynamite there, Butch?” Not only was all the crud gone, but so was whatever finish the metal had had. I was left mostly with rusty cast iron.

I debated treating the top like a cast iron pan and just seasoning it with oil, but I like the look of the black top on the Egg and decided to paint it instead.

Two coats of Rust-Oleum high temperature black satin paint  and the top is as good as new.

7 thoughts on “Refinished Dual-Function Metal Top”

  1. Did you take it apart, or leave it together? I don’t use mine at all any more. I leave it off because it’s not needed with my DigiQ-2. Thanks for the Email on the molasses.

    1. Sure thing. I took mine apart (just 2 screws), painted everything separately, let it dry, and then put it back together just in time for another cook. Maybe 24 hours tops.

  2. I usually just reseason mine and it comes out looking as black as it did before. Alexis’ top is over a year old and still pristine, I guess because of only getting high temp burns compared to the low and slows I do on mine. I really need to get out today and do a high temp burn to clean mine out.

    1. I’m only a week into it, so I don’t know yet. I used the same paint to redo our fireplace surround a couple of years ago and it still looks like new. I’m thinking it might just give it a coat in the fall and see how it hold up over the winter.

  3. For a very short while, I sold Lubri-Lab Int’l products – lubricants and greases. They have a product which is certified for use on and above food handling equipment. FDA approved H-1 grease. Incidental contact with food poses no health risk. You could ingest this grease.

    I bring this up because the particular product – “Alimex-1” Food Equipment Grease, is idea for the BGE “daisy wheel.” The dropping point (temp at which the grease will drip) is 608 degrees —– meaning little chance under normal Egging conditions of having the grease drip from the dome of the BGE.

    While I am sure you all have your BGEs under cover, there is the humidity to consider. This grease virtually can not be washed out by water or humidity.

    A great grease to have around for maintaining your daisy wheel, hinge, wheels, etc.

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