This might end up in the wrong forum category, but I thought since something's going to be built and I need tips on materials 
I've got a cement ring for my grill area and have been searching high and low for a grill grate to place over it when grilling, but have come up empty.
Now I'm considering making my own and could use some tips on materials? It's about 1m in diameter and round. What materials should be used and how to best assemble it? Tips please I have access to people with welding skills and such, but I'd like tips on how it should be designed, etc.
Or maybe there are other ways to solve it without welding?
I've got a cement ring for my grill area and have been searching high and low for a grill grate to place over it when grilling, but have come up empty.
Now I'm considering making my own and could use some tips on materials? It's about 1m in diameter and round. What materials should be used and how to best assemble it? Tips please
I have access to people with welding skills and such, but I'd like tips on how it should be designed, etc.Or maybe there are other ways to solve it without welding?
Member
· Norrbotten
· 3 390 posts
Weld a frame of the simplest model, like flat iron on a square iron arm. A cut piece of expanded metal on the frame as the grate itself, welded. Use untreated iron.
I have seen that some solve it with a piece of expanded metal.
It's available at most metal stores, check the yellow pages - metal goods.
It's available at most metal stores, check the yellow pages - metal goods.
A ring of 10 mm rebar and a piece of expanded metal over it, becomes sleek and requires no direct prior knowledge. However, it does require a welder, but that's true for most things that should be somewhat smooth.
eh, Mikael_L managed to suggest expanded metal while I was writing...
eh, Mikael_L managed to suggest expanded metal while I was writing...
And the norrbottenstorp was faster than me.
Silver place just means "first loser".
Silver place just means "first loser".
If I were to make my own grill grate today, I would make one with a lot of energy. I would use steel of 8x8 or 10x10. With more energy, the grate doesn't cool down when you put the meat on. It releases easier, and you get nicer grill marks.
PCLarsson is on the right track, solid bars that hold heat, completely untreated it should be, but keep in mind that parts should be able to fold up so that you can add more coal/wood without removing the entire grate.
Another option is to lay slats over the ring and buy a Weber grate that you place on the slats, it doesn't cover the entire cement ring but you get a good grate of about 57cm.
Another option is to lay slats over the ring and buy a Weber grate that you place on the slats, it doesn't cover the entire cement ring but you get a good grate of about 57cm.
Reviving the thread as I'm in a similar situation.
I was thinking of welding my own in stainless steel, so I bought a bunch of 3 mm stainless steel rods. The question now is what kind of electrode I should use since it will come into contact with food and high temperatures.
I checked through Esab's website and found about 10 different electrodes for stainless steel that seem to withstand high temperatures, but I'm a bit unsure which is most suitable.
Tips are welcome!
Then I don't know if stainless steel is so suitable as a grill grate since they tend to change shape quite quickly at high temperatures. However, now it's round rod so there shouldn't be deformations in the same way as a sheet or hollow pipe.
When grinding stainless steel pipes, especially square ones, on one side they tend to bend for a while and then return to their straight form when it's no longer hot. It probably has to do with the side being ground getting warm and expanding more than the other side, which is still cold, but a rod should spread the heat throughout the material.
I was thinking of welding my own in stainless steel, so I bought a bunch of 3 mm stainless steel rods. The question now is what kind of electrode I should use since it will come into contact with food and high temperatures.
I checked through Esab's website and found about 10 different electrodes for stainless steel that seem to withstand high temperatures, but I'm a bit unsure which is most suitable.
Tips are welcome!
Then I don't know if stainless steel is so suitable as a grill grate since they tend to change shape quite quickly at high temperatures. However, now it's round rod so there shouldn't be deformations in the same way as a sheet or hollow pipe.
When grinding stainless steel pipes, especially square ones, on one side they tend to bend for a while and then return to their straight form when it's no longer hot. It probably has to do with the side being ground getting warm and expanding more than the other side, which is still cold, but a rod should spread the heat throughout the material.
Do not use stainless steel in grill grates without checking if it can have any negative health effects. I'm not completely sure, but I believe that stainless steel can be toxic when heated. As mentioned, check this carefully beforehand so you don't ingest toxic substances.
If I understand correctly, some of Weber's grills have stainless steel grates. Treating stainless steel is not healthy, i.e., when cutting or grinding, but as for burning, I don't know. It would be interesting if someone knowledgeable in metallurgy could confirm this.antnor said:
Stainless steel is a mixture of iron and chromium. Nothing harmful. Compared to "regular" grill grates which are chromed steel. In that case, the chromium is superficial and concentrated. To my knowledge, no genetic mutations have arisen from intensive grilling during any pregnancies...
No, then it doesn't sound particularly dangerous. I have a friend who works with producing charcoal grills for restaurant kitchens. They make the grills in acid-resistant stainless steel, but they always make the grates in cast iron. He once told me that stainless steel that is heated with direct flame should not come into contact with food, but I might very well have misunderstood this. However, thick standing flat iron in cast iron has other good properties when it comes to grilling since they accumulate a lot of energy and thus make it easier to achieve good grilling results (my personal theory).