Firebox grate mod... any benefit to drilling more holes?

unoriginalusername

looking at accessories like the kick ash bucket which seem to improve airflow and ash removal, wondering if there are any benefits to drilling some extra holes in the cast iron?

tonyled

some people remove it completely with the kick ash basket

for the record i dont

Tony_T

I don't have a kick ash bucket, but I use this Nine Inch Diameter Grate from http://michaelscustomgrillworks.com/products.htm

stlcharcoal

Many people have tried that with the XL grate......more holes or widening out the ones already in there.  All it leads to is that the grate that cracks and falls apart sooner.  And since you modified it, now the warranty is null and void.  Not a big deal on a Large or Medium grate, but the XL one is $100 retail.

You can get a cheap cooking grate for a 21.5" weber (actually 18.5" in diameter) and drop it in there--should last a year or so.  Or get a Kick Ash Basket and be done with it.  It's a GRATE upgrade!!

littlerascal56

I'm with Jonathan on modifying my XL grate.  I will run it till it fails, then get a free replacement from my dealer.  The Kick Ash does the trick to get lots more air to your lump without any additional holes in the cast iron fire grate.  And you don't have to get your hands dirty cleaning the used lump out.

Skiddymarker

High Que makes a grate for the XLBGE, think it is about $50. Have had the HQ in MBGE for 5 years now, still looks just fine. 

Interesting that some clean the “used” lump out, I just stir to release the ash, then dump some new on top. I might pull some “used” lump and put it on top if the new lump  is sparky when being lit, the pre-burned stuff is easier to start wit a torch and does not spark. 

fishlessman

unoriginalusername said:

looking at accessories like the kick ash bucket which seem to improve airflow and ash removal, wondering if there are any benefits to drilling some extra holes in the cast iron?

before all the new gadgets we used to put 3 threaded rods on the castiron grate and raise it a 1/4 inch off the box. the rods extended down to the floor of the base. some bolted big washers out to the sides slightly that lifted it also.  this opens up the circumference to air flow

TN_Egger

So does the Hi Que grate eliminate the need for the KAB?  Small BGE.

DoubleEgger

littlerascal56 said:

.  And you don't have to get your hands dirty cleaning the used lump out.

 You used your hands to clean out the ash? 

Botch

TN_Egger said:

So does the Hi Que grate eliminate the need for the KAB?  Small BGE.

The Hi-Q does the same thing as the KAB (I have both), providing more even air flow, but does not allow you to remove the unburned lump to shake off the ash, nor to clean out the Egg bottom of fallen ash.  Hence my Hi-Q's are hanging on a nail in the garage somewhere.  
 
Regarding drilling more holes in the OEM grate, I did some calculations with a caliper a few years ago (can't remember which thread it was on) and both the intake and the exhaust are the limiting factors, their total open area is much less than the holes in a stock plate.  Now, I have had fires begin to die because several of the holes clogged up, and I suppose drilling more would alleviate that.  Why not just get a KAB and not worry about it?    

unoriginalusername

Botch said:

TN_Egger said:

So does the Hi Que grate eliminate the need for the KAB?  Small BGE.

The Hi-Q does the same thing as the KAB (I have both), providing more even air flow, but does not allow you to remove the unburned lump to shake off the ash, nor to clean out the Egg bottom of fallen ash.  Hence my Hi-Q's are hanging on a nail in the garage somewhere.  
 
Regarding drilling more holes in the OEM grate, I did some calculations with a caliper a few years ago (can't remember which thread it was on) and both the intake and the exhaust are the limiting factors, their total open area is much less than the holes in a stock plate.  Now, I have had fires begin to die because several of the holes clogged up, and I suppose drilling more would alleviate that.  Why not just get a KAB and not worry about it?    

Good points, thanks for the insights