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Question about making one of those DIY Raised Grids using washers, nuts and bolts as legs

Tier1Terrier
Tier1Terrier Posts: 129
in EggHead Forum

I'm in the process of assembling one of those DIY raised grids using nuts and bolts as seen throughout the forum.  I have an XL BGE and I purchased a 21" Weber SS grate.  Before I 'loctite' all the bolts into position, I am curious about one thing.  Do you ever place this raised grid directly on the plate setter (Conveggtor) or do you always place it upon another grid.  Reason I ask is I'm trying to figure out if I should place the bolts close enough together to be able to stand on the plate setter in the event I don't use the standard grid.

My choice is either to place the bolts as far apart as possible to sit on the standard BGE grate, or to place them a little closer together so that it may sit upon the place setter.  There is really no way to make the bolts flare out to the top edge of the fire rings.

I can see advantages to being able to place setter being that it will give me additional height options, but then I would sacrifice just a little in terms of stability and ease of access below the grate.

Thanks!

XL BGE Owner Since September 2015 - So expect a lot of newbie questions and please go easy on me :-)
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Comments

  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    edited September 2015
    Could you arrange the bolts so they line up with the plate setter legs? 

    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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  • Tier1Terrier
    Tier1Terrier Posts: 129
    SmokeyPitt said:
    Could you arrange the bolts so they line up with the plate setter legs? 
    Good question. Unfortunately not, due to there being a semi circle sort of cut out on opposite ends of the grid similar to the BGE grids. I checked and tried to position the bolts but there was now way to make an equilateral triangle and I want as much stability as possible. 

    Here's a pic of the setup before everything is tightened. 

    XL BGE Owner Since September 2015 - So expect a lot of newbie questions and please go easy on me :-)
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  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    I have mine arranged on the plate setter notches. I'll take a pick


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
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  • jimithing
    jimithing Posts: 255
    FYI for anyone doing this - Weber does sell a stainless steel grate.  It comes on the Performers for sure and I think the gold 22.5's.  The replacements you see at Home Depot or Lowes are just nickel plated or something.  They'll eventually rust.  If you call Weber directly they'll sell you a stainless steel one.  I've never seen one in the store.

    I'm curious if Loctite actually does anything for these bolts?  I know you release Loctite bolts with heat.
    XL BGE
    Plano, TX
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  • Tier1Terrier
    Tier1Terrier Posts: 129
    MrCookingNurse said:
    I have mine arranged on the plate setter notches. I'll take a pick
    Is yours an XL and if so, what size grid are you using?  I can't use a BGE XL grid because you can only go about an inch or two above the felt line before it makes contact with the dome. 
    XL BGE Owner Since September 2015 - So expect a lot of newbie questions and please go easy on me :-)
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  • marysvilleegger
    marysvilleegger Posts: 329
    I went with 3 U bolts.   Good stability and I put it on grid or plate setter.   
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  • Tier1Terrier
    Tier1Terrier Posts: 129
    marysvilleegger said:
    I went with 3 U bolts.   Good stability and I put it on grid or plate setter.   
    Interesting and cool setup. What size egg and grid (the raised one) is that?  I thought about going with the smaller grid but I really liked tha amount of space the 21" would afford me. Those U-bolts rest on the middle of the plate setter, right? Not on the notches or legs?

    thanks for sharing that. 
    XL BGE Owner Since September 2015 - So expect a lot of newbie questions and please go easy on me :-)
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Loctite? Why? Just put them on somewhere. Anywhere. If you decide you don'r like, move them. Mine have been there without Loctite for a long time. No problem.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Tier1Terrier
    Tier1Terrier Posts: 129
    jimithing said:
    FYI for anyone doing this - Weber does sell a stainless steel grate.  It comes on the Performers for sure and I think the gold 22.5's.  The replacements you see at Home Depot or Lowes are just nickel plated or something.  They'll eventually rust.  If you call Weber directly they'll sell you a stainless steel one.  I've never seen one in the store.

    I'm curious if Loctite actually does anything for these bolts?  I know you release Loctite bolts with heat.
    I believe you are correct. The packaging on this grid says "heavy duty plated steel", not stainless as I previously indicated. How badly will I regret not having stainless?  I still have the original packing and receipt, so it's never too late to change my mind (although I would hate to have gone through all this trouble for nothing). 
    XL BGE Owner Since September 2015 - So expect a lot of newbie questions and please go easy on me :-)
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  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,986
    I bought a weber  replacement grill from ace. Once the grease it on it, it won't rust. 
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  • marysvilleegger
    marysvilleegger Posts: 329
    Tier1Terrier said:
    marysvilleegger said:
    I went with 3 U bolts.   Good stability and I put it on grid or plate setter.   
    Interesting and cool setup. What size egg and grid (the raised one) is that?  I thought about going with the smaller grid but I really liked tha amount of space the 21" would afford me. Those U-bolts rest on the middle of the plate setter, right? Not on the notches or legs?

    thanks for sharing that. 
    That's a grid from a large egg.  I think it's about 18 1/2".  I'm pretty sue the legs rest on the plate setter and not out on the notches.  If u need me to I can ck tonight and send pic.  Let me know.  
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  • Tier1Terrier
    Tier1Terrier Posts: 129
    marysvilleegger said:
    Tier1Terrier said:
    marysvilleegger said:
    I went with 3 U bolts.   Good stability and I put it on grid or plate setter.   
    Interesting and cool setup. What size egg and grid (the raised one) is that?  I thought about going with the smaller grid but I really liked tha amount of space the 21" would afford me. Those U-bolts rest on the middle of the plate setter, right? Not on the notches or legs?

    thanks for sharing that. 
    That's a grid from a large egg.  I think it's about 18 1/2".  I'm pretty sue the legs rest on the plate setter and not out on the notches.  If u need me to I can ck tonight and send pic.  Let me know.  
    That's ok, thanks. Based on the size, I'm certain it doesn't rest on the notches. I was actually considering going with that same grid but I couldn't bring myself to spend $50 on it when I could get the larger Weber 21" for $20 - even though I realize the significant quality difference. 
    XL BGE Owner Since September 2015 - So expect a lot of newbie questions and please go easy on me :-)
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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    You can save a ton of cash not using stainless. 
    [social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others]

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  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    I'd be wary about using Loctite. No clue what kind of gases or chemicals it might release and get in your food when it heats up. I may just be paranoid, but why risk it?

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

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  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    I think your current configuration looks good.  It just means you will need the main grate in place when you use it...no big deal.  

    I agree with others though that I think you need the loc tite. It will hold fine.  You will get some naturally occurring loc-tite when the grease builds up on the threads :).  

    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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  • rmercier
    rmercier Posts: 212
    I didn't use loc tite on my setup, I just used lock washers. Also, I used the plated grid and it IS starting to rust a bit...I'll be looking to replace with a stainless grid later...I was just a bit cash strapped at the time after paying for the egg. I will also use longer lag bolts. The bolts shown below are stainless, the just look like brass because they have been through a few cooks.




    LBGE in Northern VA
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  • Tier1Terrier
    Tier1Terrier Posts: 129
    rmercier said:
    I didn't use loc tite on my setup, I just used lock washers. Also, I used the plated grid and it IS starting to rust a bit...I'll be looking to replace with a stainless grid later...I was just a bit cash strapped at the time after paying for the egg. I will also use longer lag bolts. The bolts shown below are stainless, the just look like brass because they have been through a few cooks.





    How long have you had this setup and/or how many cooks before it started rusting?

    Looks great though!

    XL BGE Owner Since September 2015 - So expect a lot of newbie questions and please go easy on me :-)
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  • Durangler
    Durangler Posts: 1,122
    Question .... 
    Any reason 4 bolts are better than 3? 
    Seems if the spacing is correct the grid will sit just fine leaving one less obstacle to work around.
    XL BGE, 22" Weber Red Head, Fiesta Gasser .... Peoria,AZ
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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    Used some galvanized stuff myself. And longer/thinner carriage bolts. The grid was a ss weber.  Thing's maybe ten years old. Cheap

    the legs don't need to be so heavy, fwiw. 


    [social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others]

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  • Tier1Terrier
    Tier1Terrier Posts: 129
    Durangler said:
    Question .... 
    Any reason 4 bolts are better than 3? 
    Seems if the spacing is correct the grid will sit just fine leaving one less obstacle to work around.
    3 bolts would work and would give you a little easier access to what's underneath, and if you can spread them out far enough, you can position them so that they rest inside the platesetter notches on top of the fire ring. This is not an option if your raised grid is more than a few inches smaller than your standard ring. You could however use three bolts and if positioned close enough, have them rest on the plate setter (or standard grid) as shown in the example above. The only thing you really sacrifice by going with 3 bolts instead of 4 is a little stability, although many will argue that 3 legs is sufficient enough for stability. 
    XL BGE Owner Since September 2015 - So expect a lot of newbie questions and please go easy on me :-)
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,109
    rmercier said:
    I didn't use loc tite on my setup, I just used lock washers. Also, I used the plated grid and it IS starting to rust a bit...I'll be looking to replace with a stainless grid later...I was just a bit cash strapped at the time after paying for the egg. I will also use longer lag bolts. The bolts shown below are stainless, the just look like brass because they have been through a few cooks.




    Lag bolts use wood as the nut.  A carriage bolt IMHO is a good selection.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • rmercier
    rmercier Posts: 212
     Actually, you are correct. These are carriage bolts 
    LBGE in Northern VA
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,109

    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,109
    On second thought, a carriage bolt would need to be threaded all the way to the head.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • Tier1Terrier
    Tier1Terrier Posts: 129
    Tier1Terrier said:
    Durangler said:
    Question .... 
    Any reason 4 bolts are better than 3? 
    Seems if the spacing is correct the grid will sit just fine leaving one less obstacle to work around.
    3 bolts would work and would give you a little easier access to what's underneath, and if you can spread them out far enough, you can position them so that they rest inside the platesetter notches on top of the fire ring. This is not an option if your raised grid is more than a few inches smaller than your standard ring. You could however use three bolts and if positioned close enough, have them rest on the plate setter (or standard grid) as shown in the example above. The only thing you really sacrifice by going with 3 bolts instead of 4 is a little stability, although many will argue that 3 legs is sufficient enough for stability. 

    XL BGE Owner Since September 2015 - So expect a lot of newbie questions and please go easy on me :-)
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  • Tier1Terrier
    Tier1Terrier Posts: 129
    Ok, here's an update. The reason I embarked on this project was (initially) because I wanted to bake a pizza on my egg this weekend, but I realize that it opens up a lot of other nice egging opportunities. So I made a couple of changes to my original setup posted earlier (above) and here is my final product. What you'll see now is a 20" SS grate from CGS, with three 3/8"x5" bolts with appropriate nuts and LOCKwashers (all SS). I went with three because I found that it offered plenty of stability as well as allowed me to place the 'rig' directly on top of the plate setter (legs up or down) which gives me even more height options. I'm posting a few pictures in different use configurations. Also, what you'll see is a 17" stone (also from CGS) on top of the 20" grid - which seems to fit quite nicely. 
    XL BGE Owner Since September 2015 - So expect a lot of newbie questions and please go easy on me :-)
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  • jstang
    jstang Posts: 3
    That setup looks killer. Do you have the pizza stone raised that high so it will get more heat higher up in the dome? I just got my first egg about a month ago, so I'm amassing as much info as I possible can. Thanks!!!
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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,131
    jstang said:
    That setup looks killer. Do you have the pizza stone raised that high so it will get more heat higher up in the dome? I just got my first egg about a month ago, so I'm amassing as much info as I possible can. Thanks!!!
    Yes, and reflective heat from the dome itself. 
    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,131
    Here is my set up.  I used wing nuts.  This allows me to adjust the height of the second level grid.  I even have longer bolts for more clearance if needed.  


    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • Durangler
    Durangler Posts: 1,122
    @Tier1Terrier ... Looks good! Like you discovered, 3 bolts work just fine!
    Now you have a quite versatile set up for a reasonable price.
    Carry on .... errr ... egg on!  ;)
    XL BGE, 22" Weber Red Head, Fiesta Gasser .... Peoria,AZ
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