The owners of suburban areas and cottages are trying to make outdoor recreation comfortable and complete. And what a vacation without aromatic kebabs with a pleasant smoky aroma? This article will focus on the manufacture of a grill from a gas cylinder with your own hands. Photos and detailed instructions will help you understand the intricacies of this process. So let's get started!
How to make a barbecue grill out of a gas cylinder?
A gas bottle is a suitable material for making barbecue grills. Firstly, the cylinder walls are quite thick, and at high temperatures they will keep their shape without deformation, and secondly, the shape of the cylinder will make the grill original and spacious enough. The main thing is to choose the appropriate option for capacity.
A gas cylinder will need to be cut with a grinder to make a hole in the cavity. The sawn part will play the role of a cover, so strong loops will be needed. All installation and cutting work must be carried out in compliance with safety regulations. In addition, you need to have knowledge and experience in working with a welding machine, grinder, drill and other equipment that will have to be used.
A design made of a gas cylinder may have different functionality and purpose. Here are a few options that you can do with your own hands:
- Portable design. In this case, a small cylinder is used. If necessary, it can be put in the trunk and transported to the place of operation. This barbecue is convenient to take with you to nature.
- Portable device. This type of grill is larger in size, but can be moved a short distance if desired. There are models of large barbecues that are equipped with wheels. If necessary, you can transfer the grill to the right place. The whole structure is disassembled into its components, but it is inconvenient to take it with you on a long trip.
- Stationary construction. Such a barbecue, as a rule, is universal, has several additions in the form of a smokehouse, grill, barbecue. The structure is mounted in a concrete foundation, and it is not possible to move or transport it. To exit the smoke, the grill is equipped with a chimney, there may be special compartments in which it is convenient to store firewood for ignition.
Necessary materials
Before starting work, check if you have all the equipment in stock. To make a grill from a gas cylinder with your own hands you will need:
- empty gas bottle;
- ruler, level;
- drill with drills for metal;
- a grinder with a set of discs for metal carving;
- hacksaw for metal;
- welding machine;
- electrodes of the desired diameter (2-3 mm);
- corner 40 × 40 mm (length - 6-7 m);
- door hinges - 2 pcs.;
- barbecue grill ;
- wooden handle with a metal base;
- paint with a high level of protection against high temperatures;
- brushes, rollers;
- protective glasses;
- fabric gloves;
- rivets, bolts;
- steel pipe with a diameter of 10 cm with a bend of 90 ° (for the chimney);
- adjustable spanners, wrenches and gas wrenches.
Gas bottle selection
Gas cylinders are made of thick steel 3 mm thick. Therefore, they are very convenient to use for the manufacture of barbecue. Perhaps you already have an old bottle lying around in the country. If not, then it can be easily purchased at a bargain price at flea markets or ad sites.
Carefully inspect the cylinder. There should be no signs of severe corrosion and rotten areas on the surface. Shake the bottle and determine if there is any propane liquid gas inside.
Decide on the look of your future design. If you want the brazier to be portable, then you should choose a small cylinder. This can be taken with you on trips, but it is not very convenient to use it, since there is not enough space inside for cooking products.
The most popular and common type of gas cylinders are 50 liter containers. They are most often taken for the manufacture of grill. If you want to attach a smokehouse, then use one cylinder for 50 liters and one for 30 liters. Capacities are connected by a tight seam. A smaller cylinder is mounted a little lower. This simple way will allow you to make a smoker grill from a gas cylinder with your own hands. The fuel will be placed in a smaller container, the smoke from which will enter the main chamber, and from there through the chimney into the street.
And how to make a grill from a car gas bottle? If you want to get a big grill, then it is better to use an 80 liter cylinder. The manufacturing scheme for all types of cylinders is the same. The difference is only in the scale of the work. To fix the cap of a large cylinder of 80 liters, 3 loops should be used, not 2. This is due to the greater massiveness of the movable element.
You can make a grill from a freon cylinder, this capacity is small, so you get a compact portable version. But most often these cylinders are used to organize a smokehouse.
Drawing, balloon preparation, installation
Create a detailed plan, which will indicate all the necessary dimensions that will help you not to make a mistake when performing metal cutting work.
The cover of the future grill should be located so that the bottom of the cylinder is deep enough, because coal will be laid there.
The cylinder itself must be prepared for work. To start, let out all the gas. Even if the cylinder is empty, there is still residual gas. Unscrew the valve and wait a while. Turn the bottle over and drain the condensate. To control the gas outlet, you need to apply soap foam to the valve, it will help determine whether all the gas has come out or not. When the foam stops bubbling, you can continue to the next step.
Now cut off the cylinder valve. It is better to use a hand tool, so you can control the resulting sparks and avoid overheating of the tool. At this stage, you need to constantly water the place with cold water. Insert a hose into the hole and fill the bottle with water. Leave it with water for a day. During this time, water will dissolve all remaining hydrocarbons. After that, water can be drained away from buildings. You can proceed to the next stage of making a grill from a cylinder.
Step-by-step instructions for making a grill
Now move on to the next question. Consider how to make a barbecue grill out of a gas cylinder. As a basis, let's take a standard gas 50-liter propane tank. The outer diameter of the cylinder is 96 cm, divide this value by 4, we get 24 cm. The cylinder has a rounded shape, so to install it you will need a special metal structure that will play the role of the stand. It is best to use at least 4 mm thick metal for these purposes. You can use chalk for marking. We draw lines on the side seams, it is easier to maintain symmetry.
Draw a line that will connect the upper and lower seams. Then we measure 24 cm along the seam and make two more marking lines. We connect them horizontally. It turns out a curved rectangle. This will be the lid of the grill. All edges must be cleaned with a metal shredder. Try to make the edges as even as possible, this will help to achieve better sealing of the closed container.
Corners are welded inside the cylinder, which will not only play the role of supports for the gratings, but also act as frame elements to maintain the shape of the cylinder. At very high temperatures, the metal will not deform.
Be sure to drill a few holes in the bottom of the tank. Oxygen from the air should enter the barbecue, which will allow to quickly build a fire and will support the burning of coal. If you will use skewers rather than a wire rack, then you need to cut notches for them from the side of the lid and make holes on the other side. It is in these holes that skewers will be inserted.
In the place where the valve was located, make a wider hole. A chimney pipe will be located here. The cut diameter should be approximately 8 cm.
Welding work
Get ready for welding. Wear a special welding mask that protects your face and eyes from exposure to bright light and flying hot elements of the electrodes.
First, weld the handle to the cover of the future barbecue, this will allow you to fix it at the time of welding with a loop. So it will be more convenient to hold the movable element. Now we weld the hinges to the main part of the cylinder and the cap. Consider all the details: so that the cover does not lean back too much, you need to make a stop. It can be a metal corner. Weld a small length between the loops.
Now you need to fix the chimney pipe. Keep the weld seam even and neat. Brazier should be not only functional, but also beautiful.
For ease of use, you can make an additional stand of metal on one side. To prevent water from flowing into the chimney during rain, build a fungus on the pipe and weld it to the end of the pipe using metal plates 10 cm long.
Making a stand for construction
The support can be made from a profile pipe with a diameter of 20-30 mm or take fittings. If you plan to make a stationary barbecue grill, then it is better to immediately weld the legs to the cylinder. You can make a full stand from which you can remove the cylinder and move it to another place.
Metal elements must be bent along the outer diameter of the container and welded to the arcs of the legs. Remember that the design was stable, you need to make a sufficiently large span between the legs. So the brazier will not roll over and will not tip over. The height of the legs is selected individually. It is most convenient to place the brazier at the level of the belt, so you do not have to bend down to carry out various manipulations with the focus.
If the legs will be made in the form of a stand, then it is necessary to weld horizontal corners to the container itself, which will fix the container in a certain position and prevent it from scrolling.
How to paint the balloon?
It is impossible to prime the surface before painting, since the primer will crack and peel off with high temperature when applied with paint. Before painting, it is necessary to polish the entire surface of the container. Particularly carefully should be treated places saw cut and holes made with a drill. After stripping, degrease the surface.
Paint should be selected only heat-resistant. Carefully read the instructions on the spray can or paint can. It indicates the temperature mode of operation of the paint. Black and silver paints, as a rule, can withstand temperatures of +600 ° (4 hours) and +400 ° (long time). For other shades of paint, the temperature of short-term heating is +400 ° , of long-term - +200 ° .
It is most convenient to use heat-resistant paint in spray cans. It is applied evenly, and even a child can make the painting process itself. Remember safety precautions: be sure to take care of respiratory protection. Use a protective mask, it can be bought at a hardware store. Wear rubber gloves on your hands.
One coat of paint dries in about 8-11 minutes. After complete drying of the first layer, apply the second. Make sure all hard-to-reach spots are painted. This is important, since the main function of the paint is not aesthetic, but protective. The surface of the paint prevents the formation of corrosion on the metal.
Some additions
Stationary barrels made of propane can be decorated with forged elements. This can be openwork legs, special coasters in the form of a small table, compartments for firewood and more. You can mount a thermometer in the wall of the cylinder, this will allow you to better organize the cooking process by controlling the temperature regime inside the container.
Grill containers should only be painted on the outside. Paint on the inside will be useless, since in any case it will peel off from intense heat, open flame and mechanical stress.
If you make a choke in the chimney, then you can control the smoke output. This will be useful if you plan to use the container as a smokehouse.
To create a multifunctional device, you can use several cylinders. In the photo - a grill of gas cylinders of different sizes. Small - for organizing a roasting pan, horizontal large - as a grill, vertical large - as a smoking chamber. At the same time, all containers should be connected in series with hermetic seams. If you want to make a chamber for cold smoking, then it must be connected to a roasting pan with a 3-meter metal pipe.
Finally
How to make a grill from a gas cylinder with your own hands? This is completely uncomplicated. The main thing is to choose the right material and do all the work carefully. All types of work are beyond the power of the average person who has initial experience and knowledge in the field of application of the welding machine and grinder. Remember that all actions performed are dangerous, so take the necessary measures for your own protection. You can make a grill from a gas cylinder with your own hands in 1-2 days, if you act without assistants. Perform all types of work strictly according to the instructions.