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Swing Grate For My MiniMax!

duckman1958
duckman1958 Posts: 19
in EggHead Forum

A BIG thank you to Matt Merritt @ Smokeware! I have Smokeware’s chimney caps (and love them) and noticed on their website that they make a grate Stacker accessory which allows for setting up a swing grate on my BGE. Unfortunately the standard setup is for a L/XL BGE…and I wanted to set this up on my MiniMax.

 

After looking for some time for a swing grate for my MM, and after a bad experience attempting to purchase one from Cermamic Grillworks out of Pittsburg, I had created a DIY setup on my own. This worked “OK”, but was not very stable at all, and anything beyond a couple of burgers on the top rack became “an adventure”!

 

I reached out to Matt and after some back and forth with him he created a “prototype” version of his Stacker for my MiniMax. It included a cut down version of the Stacker (reduced the height of the second rack in the MM dome), a spacer to raise my dome thermometer and a 10” upper grate.

 

I could not be more impressed and pleased with the overall quality, fit and function of the unit. It installed quickly, the top grate swings easily allowing for quick and easy loading of both the upper and lower grates, and, the top grate pops on and off effortlessly.

 

I gave it an “inaugural” run yesterday for a quick grill of a chicken breast and a “Red Gold” sockeye fillet and it worked perfectly!




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Comments

  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,137
    Looks fantastic...Matt is a great guy.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • Jai-Bo
    Jai-Bo Posts: 584
    Good looking product!!!
    Hunting-Fishing-Cookin' on my EGG! Nothing else compares!
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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,173
    edited June 2017
    How much is this gonna set someone back? Also, as a prototype, do you find it to be satisfactory all they way around or are there changes you would recommend? Asking for a friend ;)
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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  • duckman1958
    duckman1958 Posts: 19

    On the price… not to “dodge” the question, but I will have to respectfully defer that to Matt. I pressed him to pull this together and he did by modifying his current offerings for the L/XL BGE. He offered me a great price if I would agree to “test market” it for him and recommend “tweaks” if necessary. Not sure how he intends to market it. I will tell you that he used the Stainless Steel Grate Stacker that he currently lists/retails for $39.95 and added a 10” Stainless Charcoal Grate that he lists/retails for $29.88 and the temp. gauge spacer.

     

    As for any changes…I can honestly say he pretty much was spot on out of the box. He cut the Stacker down to 3.5” which gets the second grate just where I want it in the dome. I would have totally forgotten about raising the temp probe so it does not interfere with the second rack, but his included ¾” spacer took care of that. My DIY setup was using a cheap aftermarket grill grate purchased at Home Depot, which, I was anticipating using as my second grate here. It was “functional” but not much more than coat hanger gauge wire. Matt suggested the 10” charcoal grate after taking some measurements on the MM and it works perfectly elevated in the dome.

     

    All in all I’m very pleased (as I’m sure that you can tell) and I would recommend this to anyone with a MM that likes to cook up higher in the dome or is looking to add additional grilling space. 

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  • YEMTrey
    YEMTrey Posts: 6,838
    Very cool.
    Steve 
    XL, Mini Max, and a 22" Blackstone in Cincinnati, Ohio
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  • leemschu
    leemschu Posts: 615
    That's pretty sweet. Now I need one and a mini max
    Dyersburg, TN
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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,173
    duckman1958 said:

    On the price… not to “dodge” the question, but I will have to respectfully defer that to Matt. I pressed him to pull this together and he did by modifying his current offerings for the L/XL BGE. He offered me a great price if I would agree to “test market” it for him and recommend “tweaks” if necessary. Not sure how he intends to market it. I will tell you that he used the Stainless Steel Grate Stacker that he currently lists/retails for $39.95 and added a 10” Stainless Charcoal Grate that he lists/retails for $29.88 and the temp. gauge spacer.

     

    As for any changes…I can honestly say he pretty much was spot on out of the box. He cut the Stacker down to 3.5” which gets the second grate just where I want it in the dome. I would have totally forgotten about raising the temp probe so it does not interfere with the second rack, but his included ¾” spacer took care of that. My DIY setup was using a cheap aftermarket grill grate purchased at Home Depot, which, I was anticipating using as my second grate here. It was “functional” but not much more than coat hanger gauge wire. Matt suggested the 10” charcoal grate after taking some measurements on the MM and it works perfectly elevated in the dome.

     

    All in all I’m very pleased (as I’m sure that you can tell) and I would recommend this to anyone with a MM that likes to cook up higher in the dome or is looking to add additional grilling space. 

    Thanks for the follow up. 
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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  • Austin Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
    That is cool.  Says something about a company that listens to their customers and can come up a solution that works.  
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
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  • SaintJohnsEgger
    SaintJohnsEgger Posts: 1,826
    edited June 2017
    I need one for my MiniMax. I'll have to take a trip out to the beaches and drop in sometime. Been saying that for months but never quite get around to crossing the ditch.
    Marshall in Beautiful Fruit Cove, FL.
    MiniMax 04/17
    Unofficial BGE MiniMax Evangelist
    Facebook Big Green Egg MiniMax Owners Group


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  • WickedIsland
    WickedIsland Posts: 153
    That is nice! Great company... just ordered my chimney cap and it was a clean quick sale. Can't believe I waited so long to get one. 
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  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    edited June 2017
    Like!
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
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  • duckman1958
    duckman1958 Posts: 19
    Thanks for the comments everyone!



    sales@smokeware.com

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  • charliebatutis
    charliebatutis Posts: 92
    Thanks for posting. I'm interested and sent an email. 


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  • Cmyachtie
    Cmyachtie Posts: 101
    +1 me too......
    MMx, my not so large BGE
    Genesis E330 gasser 
    WiFi ANOVA SV
    Halifax, Canada
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  • unoriginalusername
    unoriginalusername Posts: 1,146
    Old thread coming back to life.... don’t see this as an official product, reaching out to sales as I’d love one for my Mimi Max 
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  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,761
    unoriginalusername said:
    Old thread coming back to life.... don’t see this as an official product, reaching out to sales as I’d love one for my Mimi Max 
    http://www.smokeware.com

    It's not in stock right now.
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  • unoriginalusername
    unoriginalusername Posts: 1,146
    stlcharcoal said:
    unoriginalusername said:
    Old thread coming back to life.... don’t see this as an official product, reaching out to sales as I’d love one for my Mimi Max 
    http://www.smokeware.com

    It's not in stock right now.
    I must have missed the greyed out minimax option... thanks. Anyone else have one and using it?  Still fit with the cgs woo?
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,137
    unoriginalusername said:
    stlcharcoal said:
    unoriginalusername said:
    Old thread coming back to life.... don’t see this as an official product, reaching out to sales as I’d love one for my Mimi Max 
    http://www.smokeware.com

    It's not in stock right now.
    I must have missed the greyed out minimax option... thanks. Anyone else have one and using it?  Still fit with the cgs woo?
    No, it will not work with the CGS Woo on the Mini Max. It already had to be cut down just to fit the stock Mini Max. Mounting to a raided grate on the Woo would not work.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • Cookbook_Chip
    Cookbook_Chip Posts: 1,299
    Question:  I'm about to get one for my large - does the top grate come off easily to use one grate, or do I need to get out the pliers each time?  Thanks!
    Lovin' my Large Egg since May 2012 (Richmond, VA) ... and makin' cookbooks at https://FamilyCookbookProject.com
    Stoker II wifi, Thermapen, and a Fork for plating photo purposes
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  • unoriginalusername
    unoriginalusername Posts: 1,146
    Photo Egg said:
    unoriginalusername said:
    stlcharcoal said:
    unoriginalusername said:
    Old thread coming back to life.... don’t see this as an official product, reaching out to sales as I’d love one for my Mimi Max 
    http://www.smokeware.com

    It's not in stock right now.
    I must have missed the greyed out minimax option... thanks. Anyone else have one and using it?  Still fit with the cgs woo?
    No, it will not work with the CGS Woo on the Mini Max. It already had to be cut down just to fit the stock Mini Max. Mounting to a raided grate on the Woo would not work.
    Ok good to know thanks. Do you use the plate setter or a spider and stone for indirect two levels cooks 
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  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,761
    Cookbook_Chip said:
    Question:  I'm about to get one for my large - does the top grate come off easily to use one grate, or do I need to get out the pliers each time?  Thanks!
    It just lifts right out.  The top tube is just a hair smaller diameter than the bottom tube.  So you're left with two grates each with the bracket attached.
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  • Cookbook_Chip
    Cookbook_Chip Posts: 1,299
    stlcharcoal said:
    Cookbook_Chip said:
    Question:  I'm about to get one for my large - does the top grate come off easily to use one grate, or do I need to get out the pliers each time?  Thanks!
    It just lifts right out.  The top tube is just a hair smaller diameter than the bottom tube.  So you're left with two grates each with the bracket attached.
    Perfect, that's what I hoped.  Thanks!
    Lovin' my Large Egg since May 2012 (Richmond, VA) ... and makin' cookbooks at https://FamilyCookbookProject.com
    Stoker II wifi, Thermapen, and a Fork for plating photo purposes
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

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