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type of bolts for making a 2nd tier ??

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Abter
Abter Posts: 125
in EggHead Forum
My inherent cheapness (inherited from my parents...both who came of age during the depression and came from poor families hit hard by the depression) led me to design a simple and inexpensive tier to extend my cooking surface.  All the tier systems I can find available for Eggs are for Large and up, but I have a Medium (15" diameter cooking grill).
My idea is to use a repacement grill from a Smokey Joe grill; it is 13.7" diameter
I am going to use 5" (or so) bolts, with each multiple washers and nuts, to form the legs.

MY QUESTION:  what kind of metal should I buy for the bolts, washers and nuts? Without getting too exotic, my local big box stores have the right stuff in zinc plated, galvanized, stainless or solid brass.  Any suggestions for what I should use...or not use... considering (a) the temperatures involved and (b) food contact?
Stay Calm and Egg On
1 lonely medium in Rockville, MD
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  • Elijah
    Elijah Posts: 688
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    Stainless 
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  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262
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    Yep, don't be swayed by the price, +1 for stainless.

    Phoenix 
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  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
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    Have you checked to see how high a 13.7" diameter grate will fit in the dome?  I ask the question 'cuz that's the grate I used for a raised level in my large egg.  Might be a dumb suggestion, but a cardboard template inserted into the dome will tell you how high above the felt line you can raise the grate.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    Zinc plating is fine. I'm with stike...
    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1138631/zinc-coated-hardware-safe-to-use-in-egg

    Been doing what the OP is building for years, with plain old 1/4" zinc stuff from home depot. Same raised grid too, though I use it on my large. Almost every cook.

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
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    You can use zinc coated. I made an extended grill early on using one of the grills from my Brinkman bullet smoker. I knew zinc fumes were toxic, so spent the extra money buying stainless. Later, Egger fishlessman, who as I recall runs a welding shop, said it was unnecessary. The amount of zinc off gassing should not be a problem from just a few bolts and washers at Egg heats. Again by my recollection, he said that in the shop, there was a fan that was sufficient to blow away the zinc fumes from bigger pieces being welded.

    On the rare occasion that I scrub the still useful grill way down, the stainless bolts still look really nice. Don't know how the galvanized coating would hold up over the years.

    As an aside, human finger skin has zinc in it to help prevent infection from nasties you might stick in your mouth while eating w/o utensils. Guess we all need a bit of zinc.
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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
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    fish finally came around to zinc.  he was agin' i for a while.  ;)

    anything will work.

    they don't need to be heavy/massive either.  and use three, not four.  fewer legs to get in the way, and always stable


    [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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  • DieselkW
    DieselkW Posts: 894
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    Three aluminum cans that I can throw in the recycle container next day works for me. I just set them in the notches made for the plate setter. Raises the grid to the felt line.

    Indianapolis, IN

    BBQ is a celebration of culture in America. It is the closest thing we have to the wines and cheeses of Europe. 

    Drive a few hundred miles in any direction, and the experience changes dramatically. 



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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,989
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    Only need three points to define a plain. Just use 3.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • LRW
    LRW Posts: 198
    edited March 2016
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    This is what I did. Zinc all thread (because I had it) Use it in a large
    Volant, PA 1 LBGE ,Smokeware Cap, igrill2
    My Foodtography


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  • LRW
    LRW Posts: 198
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    In action
    Volant, PA 1 LBGE ,Smokeware Cap, igrill2
    My Foodtography


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  • Abter
    Abter Posts: 125
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    LRW:  darn...another of my million dollar ideas gone down the drain.  someone else got there before me  =)  That is exactly what I had i mind
    Stay Calm and Egg On
    1 lonely medium in Rockville, MD
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  • LRW
    LRW Posts: 198
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    That's a 17" weber grill $10.00
    Volant, PA 1 LBGE ,Smokeware Cap, igrill2
    My Foodtography


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  • Abter
    Abter Posts: 125
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    the grill I'm looking at is a Weber part #307431 "Plated-Steel Charcoal Grate for Smokey Joe Silver and Gold Grills" $6.99 from HD.   "Fits Weber 14 in. smokey joe gold/silver and tuck-n-carry charcoal grills".  The Weber site says " Dimensions: 13.7" L x 13.7"  W x 0.3" H" .  The BGE site says the medium grid diameter is 15"
    Stay Calm and Egg On
    1 lonely medium in Rockville, MD
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  • LRW
    LRW Posts: 198
    edited March 2016
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    The large grill is 22" The 17" fits at 6" above the main grill as long as you keep what your cooking near the middle of it.
    Volant, PA 1 LBGE ,Smokeware Cap, igrill2
    My Foodtography


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  • Elijah
    Elijah Posts: 688
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    Stainless will hold up better over time I'd say. It's harder than woodpecker lips. 
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  • LRW
    LRW Posts: 198
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    The weber grill isn't going to last. The 3/8 all thread will outlast it.
    Volant, PA 1 LBGE ,Smokeware Cap, igrill2
    My Foodtography


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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,088
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    Did what you and are doing and what others have done.  Mine is 4 years old.  Instead of a fixed height. I went with wing nuts so it is adjustable.  I do not adjust often, but I have done so several times and it has saved me.

    Just a thought...

    --------------------------------------------------
    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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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
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    My weber grid is going on ten years outside. It may not last forever, but practically forever is fine with me
    [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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  • Abter
    Abter Posts: 125
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    sea2ski:  "wing nuts"   great idea...I love it!
    Darby:  I agree: 10 years for a $7 part is plenty.  Heck...I may not last forever, but practically forever is fine with me  B)
    Stay Calm and Egg On
    1 lonely medium in Rockville, MD
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  • DieselkW
    DieselkW Posts: 894
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    Grate material in order of durability: (IMO)
    1. Stainless
    2. Iron
    3. Porcelain (coated iron)
    4. Chrome plated steel
    I'm sure some can argue the merit of iron over stainless as a cooking surface, but I listed them in terms of durability. Drop a stainless grid without worry, drop an iron grid and it's likely to fracture. Seasoned iron is a better non-stick surface than stainless.

    I've never used porcelain, I think it's fairly common in gas burners. I've got a porcelain coated dutch oven that has never been inside the egg under threat of divorce, so I don't know how it would hold up to a lump fire. Probably would need a good scrubbing, but I expect it would be heat resistant enough.

    Indianapolis, IN

    BBQ is a celebration of culture in America. It is the closest thing we have to the wines and cheeses of Europe. 

    Drive a few hundred miles in any direction, and the experience changes dramatically. 



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  • jjmills
    jjmills Posts: 117
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    Go with SS.  What are you looking at $5.00 for plated or $15.00 for SS.  Price difference in minimal. 
     LG. BGE  Straight up Cheese head from Little Chute, WI
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