Thinking of cutting a 22 rack

[bluewhisper]

I've been thinking about the racks with the sides that swing up for tending the fire without removing the rack. I thought, I could cut the rack on one side and build some hinges out of wire hanger.

Then I thought, Do I want to have that hinged side swung over and resting on the food? How about just cutting the rack across the center so each separate half can sit on three of the four support tabs? That is, the two halves would share the two side tabs.

If that would work, I should also be able to play at using the 22 with just one rack half, like a hibachi.

Has anyone done this? Any reason not to do it?

[Jules V.]

Why?

If you cut the grate in half, there's a chance the half grate will tip over or fall off. Instead of cutting the grate in half, just cut off some of the tines and leave the outside ring intact.

[jcnaz]

^^^What Jules said!^^^

I cut 1/3 of the tines out of a cheapo 22" grate to use with my rotisserie.
I put a charcoal basket on one side of the spit with the open part of the grate over it.
I can still use a drip beans pan under the spit, or grill sausages indirect on the opposite side from the coals.

[jcnaz]

This one. If you zoom in you can see what I mean.

[bluewhisper]

Here's what I did. (I dearly miss the metal fabrication shop at school)

First I cut up a soup can I pulled out of my recycling. I cut out two sides, leaving the bottom; if I had done neater work I might have gotten an ashtray out of it.

Then I used the bench vise to flatten the curve, beginning with the hemmed top. Then some hammer love to flatten it more.

Then I hemmed (folded over) the edges to make them safe. More folding until I had a tab that was about the right size. I crimped it very tightly on to the existing tab, but that wasn't enough; it still slipped off easily. So later I drilled a small hole and used a small nail as a drift pin.

Repeat for the other side.

As for cutting the rack, the bolt cutters worked fine. I only had to make three cuts.

There it is, a half-rack 22. Now I can run it like a hibachi, or as an indirect with the lid on, or run it with both halves in place like Nothing Ever Happened. In that case I can still lift one side to add fuel or work the fire. The racks sit nice and steady.

I am having no luck with editing the attachments. Looks like I have to start a new post.


Edited to add, after several attempts, I give up on trying to post the attachments. I wrote new posts as replies with the attachments, and when I click Post it kicks me into Begin New Topic and the reply does not show.

[PotsieWeber]

@bluewhisper, did you try this easy way?
Also note the "(more attachments)" can be clicked to attach multiple pictures. 

[bluewhisper]

Let me try one at a time instead.



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[bluewhisper]

Maybe I'm getting somewhere

[bluewhisper]

yeah


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[bluewhisper]

more

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[dirtfishingman]

I did it for the slow n sear on an extra rack


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