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[okie smokie]

When I received my 590 in June (july?), I did a burn in and then a bacon cook to season it.  With the bacon cook, I noted grease dripping out of the bottom of the barrel on back side. After some sleuthing, I found the leak.  As you know, the factory caulks all the seams with red RTV, but the rivet holes are not caulked! And what happens is the rivets, do not completely seal the holes. So I caulked them and reported this earlier this year with pics. No outside leaks since then. Also, found that the way the grease got to the bottom, was that the pit was not level and was tilted to the back (due to slope of my porch), then down the grate supports and then down the back side of the barrel to the bottom.  So I have since turned the pit to that it is level front to rear, and thus the grease drips mostly down on the drip pan. However, I would like to see the elimination of the leveling problem since grease still will make it to either the front or back grate supports.  I have a solution to keep the grease from dripping down to the low side of the grates and thus down the front or back of the grill and of course missing the drip pan. But don't know how to get this done:
Grill grates should be curved down at the center, so that grease naturally runs to the center of the grates before dropping onto the drip pan. This would only require an angle of about 10 degrees or so to accomplish this. Would this be easy to do in a machine shop, or would the grills have to be actually constructed that way? Or am I just too OCD? These are thoughts that can only happen during the cold winter when I don't like to be outside doing more constructive projects. Comments appreciated.

[BigDave83]

If I understand what you are saying you want the cooking grids to be in a V shape if you were to look at them from the Depth Side not the length side.

Maybe take yours down to the metal fab shop and they could probably put them in a press to give them the slight bow.

[okie smokie]

If I understand what you are saying you want the cooking grids to be in a V shape if you were to look at them from the Depth Side not the length side.

Maybe take yours down to the metal fab shop and they could probably put them in a press to give them the slight bow.

I thinks that is a good place to start. Or am I picking nits?  Would be so simple and virtually eliminate the common problem of grease draining onto the front or rear grate supports. Keeping in mind that you still want the pit on a reasonably level surface. Just small change of 10 degrees or less would do it and not interfere with fit or use of grill tools, spatula's etc. Melted grease does follow gravity well.

[BigDave83]

Sounds like a good idea, that small of a v would really not do anything as far as cooking meats or anything. It would also kind of center the grease dipping on the center of the drain pan and probably drain better.

[okie smokie]

Sounds like a good idea, that small of a v would really not do anything as far as cooking meats or anything. It would also kind of center the grease dipping on the center of the drain pan and probably drain better.

Yup!  RT liked the idea and responded by a thank you note, and a gift certificate for $50. They may not print the complaints or suggestions that come in, but they do read all of them and appreciate good idea. Will be interesting if anything comes of it.

[BigDave83]

Good deal. customers are some of the best R&D departments a company can have.