That undefined breakin period

[curly]

Heres another funny breakin story, we need to start collecting these. These poor folks get to eat a steak after a few years I guess, but by the time that puppy is broke in they should be low-n-slow experts

Member
Post Number: 83
Registered: 6-2006
Posted on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 - 4:28 am:

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I'm in the keep it from getting wet through the breakin period camp, then make sure to seal the grout. Don't be in a hurry to push the temps too high too soon. Probably more important in a colder environment. Follow the provided breakin guide. I'd even suggest a longer breakin, as my K7 developed a few larger cracks than I have thought it would. Doesn't harm anything, but I think gradually increasing temps might be a better way to go after the initial 24 Hr low-n-slow, and the 5 < 350 deg cooks. Not sure I'd go with Cowboy on a breakin. The Kamado KEC is better (IMHO) for L-n-S.

For my K3, which I intended to use for higher temps, short duration cooks, I still have not had it over 350, and no signs of a crack yet.

Enjoy the K! It will reward you with some the best tasting food you've ever had. Post some pics!

[Fetzervalve]

This sounds like t-r-o-u-b-l-e>>>>>>>>>>>>
Per his profile, he has had the 7 since 9-12-06 - for those counting, that's like 61 days.

Joef
Member
Post Number: 89
Registered: 6-2006
Posted on Monday, November 13, 2006 - 11:10 am:

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Mike: Go slowly before reaching for pizza temps on your Red Venetian K7. I followed the factory breakin to the letter, and even after that went slowly up to temps over 600. In putting a second coat of grout sealer on this weekend, I noticed what appears to be the grout above the uppermost row of tiles on the body is cracked around about 50% of the K in places. Tapping on the tiles in the area sounds hollow, and gently pressing on the tiles shows movement between the top of the tile and the body of the K...
I don't know if it's from going too high too soon, but others here have stated a much longer breakin is needed.

It might be the smaller Venetian tiles? Don't know. I do know that I'm going to have to seal where the tiles are pulling away before too long. Might even have a major re-tile job in my future. No clue why this happened.

-Joe

[Gerard]

Fortunately there's plenty of fanboys there to tell him that it's supposed to be that way and that if there's a real problem, it's cause he didn't follow the break in procedure, or didn't seal it in time, or sealed it too early, or lives in the northern hemisphere or tried to cook with it or some such.

They'll gladly welcome him into the fold once he's repaired the the factory design flaw without a hint of resentment.

[Admin]

Syzygies
Member
Post Number: 525
Registered: 9-2004

Posted on Tuesday, November 14, 2006 - 12:44 am:

Joef wrote:

quote:

I noticed what appears to be the grout above the uppermost row of tiles on the body is cracked around about 50% of the K in places. Tapping on the tiles in the area sounds hollow, and gently pressing on the tiles shows movement between the top of the tile and the body of the K...



What year/month was your K made?

Keep your K covered in inclement weather, and immediately seal all cracks that you see on the inside. There's no risk of the K shell splitting, but this is a route for steam to reach the tile/shell interface.

I saw tiles applied at the Sacramento factory, in the era my K was made, using acrylic liquid tile adhesive. This stuff is sold with a straight face; go look at Home Depot. However, it doesn't reliably work in a difficult outdoor application like the curved surfaces of a K. I resurfaced my K "textured" and the food tastes great, I don't miss the tiles. There are other, more labor-intensive ways to apply tiles that do work, and I have heard rumors of changes, but no definitive posts on the subject here from the factory.

If you want to save your tiles you need to approach this like you're a fire department: Have a repair kit ready to use in minutes, and use it every time you get the opportunity.


Joef
Member
Post Number: 91
Registered: 6-2006

Posted on Tuesday, November 14, 2006 - 4:40 am:

The K's are 2 months old. They've never been wet as they're kept covered. The grout was sealed after breakin. I do have cracks which opened up on the inside of the K7; was under the (false?) impression they were surface and did not go through the body <shrug>. The tile separation at the top of the body appears to have happened spontaneously, although I don't know that for sure. I've seen it in a recent post although it's much worse on my K7. The Red Venetian tile appears to be thinner than regular tile, smaller too at 3/4". The grout lines are very small. It's not clear to me that they're set in as thick an adhesive bed as I've read about here. I don't know if that's a factor or not.



Fetzervalve
Associate Member
Post Number: 15
Registered: 8-2006

Posted on Tuesday, November 14, 2006 - 5:34 am:

Joe, my man - you are being overly critical. You have had the product for 2 months, you have used it several times - right? What are you expecting? Nothing last forever. Life is tough, get a helmet, and bucket of thinset, a chisel, a trowel, a bucket, a couple of sponges, a grout trowel, some rags, a clean dry warm area, and deal with it.

The real question is - how does the food taste? After all, isn't that what it's all about? If the butt looks good (and tastes good), no one will remember that the grill looked like an alley cat with ring worm! Good luck.


Joef
Member
Post Number: 93
Registered: 6-2006

Posted on Tuesday, November 14, 2006 - 5:45 am:

Not critical at all; just stating facts. That, and trying to help others who I know recently received or are about to receive their K avoid with what I think was the root cause.

[foxhound]

Yeah I busted up when I read that over there. Does it never occur to these people that the manufacturer knows there is a problem curing and just passes it on to them. The one that makes me laugh is the lady who had so many tiles come off she just made it a textured, and acknowledges that she saw how the tile was applied and that the adhesive was clearly the wrong (but probably cheapest) adhesive to use. I keep waiting for one of these people to nominate Richard for sainthood!

[curly]

[Gerard]