Been Doing Some Fabricating (Pic Heavy)

[HankB]

Thanks, that will give me something to work with and modify for my specific needs. I don't have access to welding equipment, but I would imagine using wire or nuts/bolts/washers would also work. Maybe a little crude looking, however, I don't expect my "butts" to be too concerned.

BTW, if I do use wire, what is the best material to use?

I wonder how much welding you could get done in exchange for some BBQ? For a number of these projects it's just a touch here and there. Lucky for me my son has a small MIG welder but unfortunately we only head that way several times/year.

As far as wire, I use some I got at the home repair store that is intended to be used to wire concrete reinforcing bar together. It's soft steel and easy to work with and won't poison me. I find both it and the expanded metal can rust away in a year or two, but are easily enough replaced.

Also I recall seeing that someone folded over the expanded metal to make a joint. I don't recall if that was here or at BBQ-Brethren.

Thanks for the pattern for the chimney. I've been meaning to do that!

[bryanw21157]

Thanks, that will give me something to work with and modify for my specific needs. I don't have access to welding equipment, but I would imagine using wire or nuts/bolts/washers would also work. Maybe a little crude looking, however, I don't expect my "butts" to be too concerned.

BTW, if I do use wire, what is the best material to use?

I wonder how much welding you could get done in exchange for some BBQ? For a number of these projects it's just a touch here and there. Lucky for me my son has a small MIG welder but unfortunately we only head that way several times/year.

As far as wire, I use some I got at the home repair store that is intended to be used to wire concrete reinforcing bar together. It's soft steel and easy to work with and won't poison me. I find both it and the expanded metal can rust away in a year or two, but are easily enough replaced.

Also I recall seeing that someone folded over the expanded metal to make a joint. I don't recall if that was here or at BBQ-Brethren.

Thanks for the pattern for the chimney. I've been meaning to do that!

That was here.  Bman did that when he needed a splice for his charcoal ring. 

[glrasmussen]

Outstanding fabrications!

[Craig]

Nice job! I love the baskets especially!

[1buckie]

Pretty dang neat & orderly there,Mark.....

Understatement!

You've culminated in one thread all my wishes for my OTG as I too have a predilection for lump and am remiss to find so much go to waste in the ash pan.

What sort of mesh material is that you worked with?

It's FLAT expanded metal.....you want to look for / ask for flat, it comes also where the manufacture lets it buckle up at the lip of each diamond shape.....harder to work with, harder to clean, more likely to cut yourself handling.....it has it's uses, just not this stuff we're doing........

The bigger pieces ( upright for the full ring) look like #9 ~3/4", the standard for large pit grates, the other stuff is probably 1/2" which I have a bunch of.....thought that might be better for tight, small areas......
Look for a metal selling place around where you live, the recyclers may or may not have anything you can sift thru to find this stuff,the place I go has all kinds of end cuts for cheap / by the pound.......

And +2 or 3 for UN-galvanized steel wire....it may rust at some point, but a fairly easy fix......

The other real good reason to keep lump bits contained is that they're real hard on the One Touch sweeps.......anybody notice that>?

[sunsanvil]

The other real good reason to keep lump bits contained is that they're real hard on the One Touch sweeps.......anybody notice that>?

Not (yet).  Seems to me the stock grate spacing is virtually identical to the vent aperture at the bottom of the bowl.  So if it falls down that far a sweep of the OT and they are in the pan.  The filp side of course is that there is precious little actual ash anyway...

Slightly off topic I've got a couple brands of lump, one is annoyingly small, the other massive, almost too big if there could be such a thing.  I'm going to experiment this weekend with laying some large pieces on the grate and topping them with lit small ones to see if A) I end up with less waste down though, and B) if the burn will propagate at the right rate for a longer than 30 minute cook.

[1buckie]

"B) if the burn will propagate at the right rate for a longer than 30 minute cook."

Just pinch down your vents a little at the start & come UP TO your temp............

[MacEggs]

Just reading this now.
A little tired from doing all that work yesterday .... plus I stayed up and watched the triple OT BlackHawks victory. 

Thanks for looking. Thank you all for the kind words, too! I appreciate it. I truly hope it helps. 

I'm fortunate enough to have a buddy (he's also a BBQ buddy), that operates a sheet metal shop. He's got lots of EM.
We are always doing trades, and helping each other out. He gave me some scrap pieces for this project.

The EM that I used is not thick. The welder can melt it very easy if inexperienced (that's me).  I had to be very patient.
I like to weld, and do long passes. The work on these baskets was all tack welding. Very tedious, to say the least. I persevered. 

If these things fall apart, then I will try to get thicker stuff. I will then have some experience to hopefully make them better. 

In the 2nd and 3rd pics (beginning of thread), I did not weld those pieces together, as, I made two rings with different widths.
And, yes, Hogsy, I made those pieces for the snake / fuse method.  I'm hoping to try them out this weekend for Father's Day.

I need more EM, as, I am considering making some sort of ring (2 pieces) to act as a buffer around the inner bowl as discussed in the following thread.

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/is-porcelain-enamel-damage-common/


Here are a few more pics, as per requested.

[sunsanvil]

Just one last question:  How much for a pair of baskets plus the chimney insert?

[MacEggs]

Just one last question:  How much for a pair of baskets plus the chimney insert?

Hopefully I don't sound like a d!ck, but, make some up yourself.  Did that sound rude? I hope not. 
I recommend making a template using cardboard. Thin stuff, like the stuff used for cereal boxes for the curved part.
Then tape the 3 pieces together to get an idea of what you need to do.

The measurements are there. They're not perfect, but, that's what practice is all about. 

[1buckie]

Sounds l;ike Mac is tried of tack welding for awhile.......

The lighter weight stuff can be cut with hand-held metal shears or a hacksaw & a cutting torch is not then needed, it's some hassle, but not the end of the world.......

Wire twists (I would think from the inside, so they don't catch on other stuff when in use) will finish things off.....

[MacEggs]

Sounds l;ike Mac is tried of tack welding for awhile.......

The lighter weight stuff can be cut with hand-held metal shears or a hacksaw & a cutting torch is not then needed, it's some hassle, but not the end of the world.......

Wire twists (I would think from the inside, so they don't catch on other stuff when in use) will finish things off.....

You got that right, Ken.  Gonna get out and visit Roxy at the deli for a mile high sammich! 

I used a cutting wheel on my grinder to do the cutting and smoothing. Works quick. 

[1buckie]

" Gonna get out and visit Roxy at the deli for a mile high sammich!"

Pics....or it didn't happen.....feel at home now ?

[DaGoomba]

Very nice

[MacEggs]

" Gonna get out and visit Roxy at the deli for a mile high sammich!"

Pics....or it didn't happen.....feel at home now ?

Had a nice visit. Ate a huge sammich, home-cut fries, then shot the breeze for awhile, too. No pics .... yeah, it's good to be home.