DIY Old style One-Touch Gold Ash catcher bar

[pbe gummi bear]

You can download the Ashbar templates here:

pdf form
https://www.dropbox.com/s/80nyzigdh3sst0a/Ashbar%20Template.pdf

Docx form
https://www.dropbox.com/s/k9t0wmy1sgwg232/Ashbar%20Template.docx

The Docx may be a little easier to scale while printing. For some reason my Acrobat won't let me scale the print. ymmv with printer and software though. The template is at an angle so that it fits on one sheet of A4.

[Idahawk]

I thought about building them as well , if you do I'd be a good customer

[pbe gummi bear]

I thought about building them as well , if you do I'd be a good customer

Yeah the idea is open source especially since I don't have the access to the tools at the moment. Ill consider making a batch one day though!

[Tim in PA]

What is the demand for something like this? I buy stuff from a metal fab shop through work all the time and get some pricing on this if enough people are interested. I'm guessing nobody else makes this part?

[mikeinctown]

What is the demand for something like this? I buy stuff from a metal fab shop through work all the time and get some pricing on this if enough people are interested. I'm guessing nobody else makes this part?

I am new here but the lady at Weber who just sold me a bunch of parts says no longer available, and neither is the old style basket. So if you buy a new style basket, you will have to attach with clamps as was suggested to me, or buy a new bowl from an 05 model for $65. (So potentially a $100 project if you do it right, vs maybe $10 in materials if you DIY and re-use the OEM stuff)

PBE, that template looks awesome. Looking forward to printing and see how mine matches up with the angles so I can get it perfect without much test and refit.

[pbe gummi bear]

What is the demand for something like this? I buy stuff from a metal fab shop through work all the time and get some pricing on this if enough people are interested. I'm guessing nobody else makes this part?

I am new here but the lady at Weber who just sold me a bunch of parts says no longer available, and neither is the old style basket. So if you buy a new style basket, you will have to attach with clamps as was suggested to me, or buy a new bowl from an 05 model for $65. (So potentially a $100 project if you do it right, vs maybe $10 in materials if you DIY and re-use the OEM stuff)

PBE, that template looks awesome. Looking forward to printing and see how mine matches up with the angles so I can get it perfect without much test and refit.

You are right, Mike. This is really for the person who has the ashcatcher collar and pot but their bar may have rusted through.

[Bman]

gummi - those are outstanding.

[Big B]

Ditto Bman

Awesome job Pb

Brent

[G]

Appreciate the effort pbe....seems like it would be fairly easy to fashion if you had the right size metal stock.  Time to talk to a guy I know in the metal fab biz.

[zavod44]

Gummy all you need to do is draw that "H" pattern in the bar where that hole is.  The trick is to get someone to machine the "H" in the bar then bend it up.  The bar takes place of that round disk with the "H" in it.  If someone can get a metal shop to fabricate these I'll take 2 or 3.  Someone has to be able to make these.   I'll talk to the guys at work.. I'll get Gummy's drawings....

[zavod44]

Can anyone else find someone to make these as well?   I would make two kinds, the one with the "H" and the original with the hole....

[pbe gummi bear]

Gummy all you need to do is draw that "H" pattern in the bar where that hole is.  The trick is to get someone to machine the "H" in the bar then bend it up.  The bar takes place of that round disk with the "H" in it.  If someone can get a metal shop to fabricate these I'll take 2 or 3.  Someone has to be able to make these.   I'll talk to the guys at work.. I'll get Gummy's drawings....

Brian, that's not exactly correct. The H pattern rotates with the handle on the new one touch but they need to be independent. Putting the H instead of the hole would constrain the bar with the leg sockets.

I have a few ideas on how to do this but it's more complex than either original part. Alternatively you can create a longer holder for the ash sweeper handle- the part that goes through the H, to accommodate an extra thickness of the old style bar. But I haven't looked into the tolerances if this is feasible.

[zavod44]

Yea your right, you need to make the bar the old style and then try to find the older ash sweeper kit with just the washer on the bottom....

[1buckie]

" Alternatively you can create a longer holder for the ash sweeper handle- the part that goes through the H, to accommodate an extra thickness of the old style bar. But I haven't looked into the tolerances if this is feasible. "


This........or use thinner metal for the bar, but that would defeat the purpose of replacing it, almost.....

[pbe gummi bear]

It occured to me a while back why this part was shaped so funnily but I didn't think too much of it until a recent post by Mike.Stavlund. I thought that you can make this part with only 4 bends instead of 6 that make it looks like a "W" and Mike's new performer has one! Thanks for the revelation, Mike!

The ash catcher bar has the following functions:
1. hold the ash catcher and ash up
2. allow the ashsweeper handle to rotate freely
3. not obstruct airflow
4. allow ash and ember to fall down into the pot.

#1 is obvious. If its rusted to sh!t, it will break bend, and fall off. But you also get less vertical deflection for the same load with the beam at an angle.
#2 Unlike the "H" style ashsweeper, this bar does not rotate with the ash sweeper handle. The bar is also bent to have just the right clearance so that the handle doesn't hit it at full open and close.   Great attention to detail by the weber engineers. Note the clearance here:

#3/#4 were not obvious to me until I saw what a simplified ashcatcher bar is like. A recent pickup by mike.stavlund shows one that has 4 main bends- going straight into the tabs on the collar.

Here is a pic of that, I hope he doesn't mind i repost it here:

original thread: http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/the-reward-at-the-end-of-the-rainbow/

This part looks sturdy, functional, and easy to make. Stamping out that complex part wouldn't be an issue for Weber so I think that those bends exist to preserve airflow and allow embers and ash to fall easier. Once I get my workstation up I'll make a template for the simplified ash bar. Thanks again for the inspiration, Mike!