Raising a grid with bolts and washers

Stormbringer · October 2016

I've seen this done several times, so going to give it a try. Is there a specific type of steel that I need to look for, or avoid? I think I read that zinc coated ones should be avoided. Thanks.

Lumpy_Coal · October 2016

Go with stainless.

OhioEgger · October 2016

That's a very common technique. You definitely want stainless, so you won't have to worry about it ever again. Next best would be galvanized, but stainless might cost you an extra buck or two. Well worth it.

Coul · October 2016

Use Stainless. Galvanized has a coating on it that when you get into your mucosal membranes (by not washing your hands) hurts like hell. Im pretty sure you dont want that to get on your food or cooking surfaces. Just spend the extra 2 bucks and get stainless.

Carolina Q · October 2016

I just use plain old cheap zinc plated hardware. Been using this grid for a couple of years now. As far as I can tell, I am not dead. I don't even have a headache.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/tz/rkjeo2tbxz5v.jpg

Stormbringer · October 2016

Thanks folks.

Hans61 · October 2016

Post a pick of what you end up with please

JustineCaseyFeldown · October 2016

Get stainless if you want, but Zinc is fine. You aren't close to forging temps.

frankly, anything works.

'

Stormbringer · October 2016

@Hans61 will do

@JustineCaseyFeldown - I don't know what forging temps are, I do cook pizzas at 750-800F, would that be an issue?

SemolinaPilchard · October 2016

This was made out of two pieces of flatbar from the big box store. You can raise your grid any height you like.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/xj/r46f2jlsebp8.jpg

JustineCaseyFeldown · October 2016

Stormbringer said:

@Hans61 will do

@JustineCaseyFeldown - I don't know what forging temps are, I do cook pizzas at 750-800F, would that be an issue?

There is no issue in the egg

Toxarch · October 2016

Zinc is OK for people. It's when you overdose on it, which is easy to do when it turns to gas and you inhale it, that it becomes dangerous. The good part is that you need to be at 1675° F for it to turn to gas which isn't simple to do in the egg. The bad part is that Zinc melts at 787° F.

Stormbringer · October 2016

The MM is done. I used:

1 small SS grid from BGE
3 x M10 80mm SS coach bolts, as they have minimal head height
3 x M12 SS penny washers directly under the small SS grid (as coach bolts have a square taper under the head, so too big for M10 washers)
6 x M10 SS penny washers at the base of the bolts
9 x M10 SS nuts

Test driving this tonight by doing honey glazed spatchcock chicken on the top level and sweetcorn on the bottom.

In addition, I put the metal clip on the outside so it won't skewer what is cooking on the top level.

I'll do a similar thing with the LBGE, using a medium SS grid. However I will be able to use longer bolts.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/2d/6kzgr8ipor3a.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/jy/6asprmhwpjpg.jpg

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YukonRon · October 2016

Outstanding retrofit.

minniemoh · October 2016

Looks very nice. It's awesome to be able to get lots more food on one of the little eggs.

I see that you bolted the two grids together. Is there a reason for that? Flipping/accessing the food on the lower grid with this set up may be a challenge.

Stormbringer · October 2016

minniemoh said:

Looks very nice. It's awesome to be able to get lots more food on one of the little eggs.

I see that you bolted the two grids together. Is there a reason for that? Flipping/accessing the food on the lower grid with this set up may be a challenge.

Just stability of the top platform, that's all. I could have left off the very bottom washer and nut which would mean I could lift the upper section off. Also I have a decent pair of long tongs and there is a good 2 inch gap to play with

.

GoooDawgs · October 2016

minniemoh said:

Looks very nice. It's awesome to be able to get lots more food on one of the little eggs.

I see that you bolted the two grids together. Is there a reason for that? Flipping/accessing the food on the lower grid with this set up may be a challenge.

That's what I was thinking. I used to have that set-up except I used wing nuts to adjust the height, but how I removed the bottom nut and washers so I could easily pull it off. Now the wing nuts just sit on top of the grates and it's very stable. Much easier then trying to clamp it down to the bottom grate FWIW. Looks very well built though!

minniemoh · October 2016

@Stormbringer - down the road, if you find that you want to make the grid easier to add/remove, this is the configuration that I have used. These grids are nasty looking (sorry) as I haven't used them since I got my AR. I used wing nuts on one as I thought I may want to change the height - I never did. So on the second one, I just used regular nuts. This set-up worked well for me. Plenty stable, easy to remove when flipping (or not needed). The heads of the carriage bolts will sit on top of the lower cooking grid just fine.

*** SORRY FOR THE DISGUSTING PICTURES*** Guess I should clean them up from use two years ago...

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/95/bvvchm66ehq0.jpg

Ladeback69 · October 2016

I use something like what @minniemoh use to use, but I put nuts and washers on the bottom end so it could be lowered. I have never needed to lower it and at times have needed more height so I use fire bricks to raise it more. The hardware is SS and have looked at longer bolts, but when you get over 3.5" they start getting high in price.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/za/t7r6228xd2hu.jpg

I found these on Lowe's website and may get 3 of them and put the loop on the bottom.

Stormbringer · October 2016

Thanks for the input. I did think about this, however ... and this could be an invalid basis ... I figured that I wanted as little poking through the grid as this was a MM and I wanted to have as level a cooking surface as possible. So I tried to avoid having nuts and bolt heads protruding above the surface of the grid, so it didn't interfere with what was being cooked.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/we/85n2djd0e3am.jpg

When doing this for the large, inverting the bolt and making a stand would all make perfect sense. At least to me.

I could use wing nuts at the bottom of the bolts though to make them easier to remove.

minniemoh · October 2016

Looks like you're having a very nice lunch! If you're anything like the rest of us, this whole adventure is a work in progress. Do what works for you. Imagine how boring this place would be if we all did everything the same.

Stormbringer · October 2016

minniemoh said:

Looks like you're having a very nice lunch! If you're anything like the rest of us, this whole adventure is a work in progress. Do what works for you. Imagine how boring this place would be if we all did everything the same.

Yep. The latest 4-page pizza thread is a testament to this

.

Stormbringer · October 2016

Crikey - regardless of the method of construction, spatchcock raised into the dome is a winner! (I refrain from stating the obvious cliche

).

The skin was crisp, meat juicier and it cooked quicker than at the felt line. Result.

BilZol · October 2016

Nice set up. What diameter is the top grate? I'd like to do this for my MM. Also, how do you get your grates so clean and shiney?

Mikee · October 2016

My mini with an extra grill. While the mini is very portable, it does not have the cooking area that is wanted at times. Using a single bolt allows it swing out of the way. SS would be the way to go if you can find bolts that are fully threaded.

G_S · October 2016

@BilZol

Try this
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Weber-Plated-Steel-Charcoal-Grate-for-Smokey-Joe-Silver-and-Gold-Grills-7439/100657895

For your top grate.

I have a MM and that is the one I use.

Stormbringer · October 2016

BilZol said:

Nice set up. What diameter is the top grate? I'd like to do this for my MM. Also, how do you get your grates so clean and shiney?

The top grate is 26cm diameter, it's the SS grid for the mini egg. I bought one from BGE in the UK.

https://www.biggreenegg.co.uk/shop/eggcessories/hardware-parts/stainless-steel-grid#selection=size:Mini__275

In that picture the top grate is brand new, so that's why it's shiny. For the bottom grate, it goes through the dishwasher to loosen the detritis and then scrubbed with one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01CHFEOTS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use that to scrub the ceramics too, works well.

@Mikee - interesting idea on the pivot. That may work for the MM, I'll give it a try.

Stormbringer · October 2016

Yep ... that worked a treat. I would still use a three-legged setup for a whole chicken, but this would be great for wings or vegetables.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/rz/1gehwp38ws5k.jpg

Mikee · October 2016

Stormbringer Having it pivot on the single bolt allows easy access to items on the lower grate. I use it when cooking thin items and need more grate surface. The upper grate I use for the mini is 8" in diameter but it does make a difference. I have roughly the same cooking area as a mini-max/small at half the weight making it very light and easy to transport.

Stormbringer · November 2016

And that's the large done. I used the SS grid of a medium Egg, 120mm M6 bolts and made a stand rather than fixing it in place, so it's easy to lift off. I used wing nuts so the height can be easily adjusted and double washers on the feet as the M6 washers were just a little close to being able to slip into the gap between the rails.

Roll on crispy aromatic duck this Friday.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/g5/d1dfkqcygcko.jpg

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Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/5w/t8u7tzh03qxz.jpg

SemolinaPilchard · November 2016

That will work well. Every so often I would spin the wing nuts. If not, over time the grease will make it nearly impossible to turn them.

Raising a grid with bolts and washers

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