Hi, I'm going to make (or rather have made) a couple of large barbecues to use at a school summer fair. In the past we have used two large half barrels, but these have gone missing. What I want to do is get hold of something I can use for the grills, I guess it would need to be stainless or something, and then get something made to fit, depending on what I can get hold of.
Anybody got any leads?
Cheers, Ben
Where are you?
My local (Seal, Kent) steel fabricator made me a half barrel BBQ with steel mesh for the grids. Mesh is (AFAICR) 1" x 0.5" per hole - if you see what I mean!
Richard
Its not really the making of it that will be a problem, its just what to use for the grill. Is the mesh you have stainless, or just normal mild? Do you have any problems with rust?
My local school has no problems with rust. They use a mild steel grill, but forget to clean it after the last use and then say to me, many months later 'Dave, can you make sure the barbecue is clean for use tomorrow' :-(((((
Seriously, if the barbi was hot enough the last time it was used, the metal should get a coating of fat that has been burned on and formed a non-stick coating. This will prevent any rusting and the excess fat can be washed off using ordinary clothes washing powder type products.
HTH
Dave
Thanks for the info. while I've been looking, I've just found this site:
Hi Benny,
It's mild steel mesh. Any rust merely improves the diners iron intact ;-)
Richard
DIY! Go to a garage and get a 45 gallon oil drum. Cut it in half using a jigsaw, with appropriate fine-toothed blade. Drill a few 8mm holes in the botom of the drum so it won't fill with water when left outside. Use angle iron for the legs, bolt a cross-piece on to make two H sections per drum half, drill holes in the angle iron and drum halves to take M8 bolts and wing-nuts at the top of each leg and the middle of the cross-pieces, where the bottom of the drum will sit. Make a good fire in each drum well before use, out of scrap timber, to burn off any oil/paint. Use "twillweld" to make grilles, you can cut it with bolt croppers or a hammer and chisel on a metal block such as an offcut of RSJ. Make sure the grilles are not too close to the botom, a good lot of charcoal with fat dripping onto it makes a fair blaze, you'll probably want to sprinkle water on during cooking to calm it down a bit. Don't clean the grilles after use, but before using them again, light a fire under them in the drum with kindling, and wire-brush the top to remove ash. Get some hardboard and 1x1 1/2" batten to make framed fronts and sides for the barbecue, finishing a little way above the bottom of the leg, use cup hooks or bent screws to hang these onto the lip of the barbecue, as long as there's an air gap they will be OK. Give the front and sides a coat of gloss to finish them off. Take care when tipping out hot ash, or moving barbecues, there's quite a lot after a session, and it stays hot for ages.
That strikes me as expensive.
I have a made-to-order half barrel BBQ with rear warming rack, under tray. A pair of wheels on one side. The flame bed is divided in half so that I don't have to use loads of charcoal for a few people or I can have two stages of 'burn' life. Two mild steel grids and two sheets of SS for hotplates with handles.
All for £100.
Richard
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