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$10 Fire Rack

JP_in_STL

Knows what WELOCME spells.
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Well, I've been using entirely too much Charcoal in the Beast. I made a Cheapie Charcoal Basket but I didn't have it raised high enough so the fuel was drowning in it's own ash. Like most of the 20lb bag in 6-8hrs :-( Too the point I was debating getting a WSM

My Welders on the Fritz or I could have made my own, but while wondering through Target waiting on the Wife I see this in their fireplace and grills sections for $10. It was actually on sale for $9 so even after tax it was less than $10, and it's the right size as you can see. The welds are nothing special but it's made of 1/2" square stock so it shouldn't burn out anytime soon. I plan to use it for burning splits and do the BFH Mod to my Cheapie Basket so it sits on the log rack for when I use the Kingsford.

I'll find out how well it works since I'm smoking Turkey Boobs and a Brisket on T-Day.

- JP
 
Just toss a piece of expanded metal on it and it'll hold briquettes or lumb like it's make for it. I think you got a good buy and it
looks like it was made for the firebox.
 
Whoa Whoa JP.

There have been a few threads on this lately. I think the last one was something like "did I use too much fuel"

20#, for me, is nearly 3 cooks worth. It sounds like you're using 20# each time.

It might have been Solidkick, I can't recall, but we chatted for sure. That mod you pictured is awesome for throwing full splits on there, but the 3/4 inch expanded steel is the way to go when talking about creating a coal bed.

Let us know how this turns out. Maybe a combination of the 2 is best.
 
What I think I'll end up doing is getting another sheet of expanded steel and bend it to make a trough that will fit in this new log rack. That should do well for Charcoal or Splits. I've been using close to 20# for an 8hr burn until I made my Cheapie Charcoal Basket. It works well except it needed to be higher up in the firebox since the ash was smothering the fire. That's why I was on the search for something ready made since my welders crapped at the moment. With it being 3-4" raised from the bottom I think this rack will be ideal and it works a lot better than the firebricks I'd been using and should make it real easy to scrape out the ash. It also looks to be enough room that I can add fuel to the fire without raising the firebox lid.

All in all I'm happy for $10

- JP
 
Nice setup - just get that expanded metal on there and you're good. The tapered sides are also real nice. Before all the charcoal basket hype, Phil recommended to the group to use smaller rectangular pieces of expanded metal for the front and rear of the box,laid at approx 45 degree angle to help keep the fuel tidy. Your rack helps achieve that.
 
my 3 day old Dell is locking up when i try to add a Attachment to this topic?
 
Just tried to post pics under a new Topic and it locked up some one try to ad an attchment i whant to see if its me or the sight.

Any way I was at the St peters Target am 8AM got two at $8.99 each.

Thanks for the info!
 
Just tried to post pics under a new Topic and it locked up some one try to ad an attchment i whant to see if its me or the sight.

I just posted to another thread and it went ok. So, not a problem with the site.
 
Fire box bottom pics clearly identify why fire brick "splits" should be used in the bottom of the fire box to help prevend bottom burn out. I would use solid steel plate on the sides to help keep the front and back of the fire box from burning out too soon. :wink:
 
Yes, I have some rust in the firebox on my Beast. Some of that was there before she was under my care since I got her for $180 from Wally World as she was a floor model. Some of it has grown in the past couple weeks since I haven't smoked any Q for about a month. I'll sand her down and oil her up before I put her away for more than a week in the future. That's why I'm hoping the rack will move the heat farther away from the bottom and keep her from burning out. I plan to fab up a simple heat sheild/ash pan from some 1/8" sheet once I get my welder back to working.
 
I never saw any follow ups to how this worked, but my wife and I were at target and i picked up the firegrate in the pics. I have qued the firegrate that came with the Yes'dera down to the point that it sags every time i use it. So, I installed the new one, and cut the old one to rest on top of it so that the coals wouldn't fall through. When I que next, I will post results.
 
It worked really well, but I need a little more practice with fire control. I ended up tack welding a sheet of expanded steel to it in a trough shape to hold the charcoal and coals. Fired her up T-Day morning about 7:30 and had her up to temp by 8am. Even with 2 8lb Turkey Breasts, an 8lb Brisket Flat, some Yard Bird Leg/Thigh Quarters, and a few Bacon wrapped Shrimps I was getting 350º easy. That's with 2 chimneys of Charcoal, a few hickory chunks for flavor and outside temps of 40º. I was quite impressed with the mod. I think with a little practice I'll get the temps under control. With that grate she really drafts so having the dampers wide open isn't an option.

I didn't use Kingsford as I got "SteakHouse" charcoal onsale for $2 for 20lbs. It didn't seem to last as long as Kingsford, but there was less ash than usual even though I still went through most of the bag for 8+hrs of cooking. But then it was pretty chilly and I was running her hot since I over slept :-)

I'm debating about welding a rack on the bottom of the rack for holding a gas burner that would slide on. Then I could use propane overnight for long cooks of for a quickie burger or chicken boob in the evening on the firebox grill.

As to my rust :-) that's just neglect. I hosed her out the last time and didn't oil her down following it. Rest assured, after the hot temps of the last cook and 3 cans of PAM she's looking like a well seasoned skillet ;-)

- JP
 
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