To make a barbecue with your own hands from metal, you will need skills in working with a grinder and a welding machine. If you wish, at minimal cost you can even make a barbecue with a smokehouse out of metal with your own hands, which will last for a long time. This option is ideal for owners of dachas and cottages with a plot of land and for people who do not want to build a more permanent structure.
In addition, using some modern drawings, it is not difficult to make even a mobile structure, which will be very convenient to take with you on outdoor recreation. By choosing the right project for your future barbecue, you can do exactly what is needed in a particular case. In addition, a self-made version is often of higher quality than those sold on the market and have a fairly impressive cost. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account a lot of subtleties so that the finished structure is reliable and durable.
Before planning the manufacture of such a structure, it is necessary to consider in advance all its possible options, since not only the possibilities of its use depend on this, but also the materials that will be required in the future during work. Grills for a summer residence can be divided into:
- stationary;
- portable monolithic:
- portable, collapsible.
Each option has both its advantages and obvious disadvantages. Before you make a metal grill with your own hands, you should think in advance which design is best suited, whether you need a canopy, a barbecue or an oven with a device for supporting the cauldron.
If the garden plot is large, without a doubt, make a stationary option. Making barbecues from metals is not a very complicated process, but it allows you to get a multifunctional design. It will not move in the future, so it can be fixed with brick or tile masonry. The metal thickness for such a design must be at least 4 mm. A person who chooses a stationary barbecue can make it a real decoration of landscape design. The beautiful forged design in combination with the canopy will allow you to cook kebabs and bake meat with pleasure even in cloudy weather. In addition, it is these designs that are most suitable for smoking. Stationary options have a fairly long service life.
Portable monolithic barbecues are the cheapest of their kind. They are usually made from thin metal, for example, thin steel. They can be easily transported over short distances, for example, hidden in a garage or shed as needed. It is not difficult to make such barbecues with your own hands. When making this design, some craftsmen make the legs removable, which makes it easier to move around the site. In most cases, such barbecues are truly monolithic and quite heavy, although they can be put away in a distant nook. Their service life is quite long.
Particularly popular among those who love outdoor barbecues are disassembled barbecues. Such structures are usually made of thin-walled metal, which significantly reduces weight and simplifies transportation. In most cases, such a grill is made of stainless steel. Such designs have a number of disadvantages. First of all, you can cook kebabs in them only with store-bought charcoal, since the thin metal can quickly burn out. In addition, the service life of such barbecues is not too long. As a rule, they are not enough for more than a couple of seasons, subject to frequent use.
The best sizes for a barbecue
Currently, there are no generally accepted standards regarding the dimensions of such structures. There are many options, so you can choose the most optimal size of barbecue grill. The first thing you should pay attention to is the height of the sides of the bowl. This is a very important point. Regardless of which grill layout will be used when performing the work, the optimal wall height will be about 13-15 cm. If they are lower, the meat in close contact with the coals will quickly burn on the outside, but will not have time to cook from the inside. With higher walls, a lot of coals will be required to cook the meat well. Thus, the most preferable depth of the grill is about 13-15 cm.
The dimensions of the remaining parts of the future barbecue must be determined individually, based on personal preferences. So, the second parameter that you should pay special attention to is the width of the bowl. When you plan to make a barbecue yourself, it is quite possible to focus on the length of the existing skewers. The width should be approximately 8-10 cm less than the length of the skewers. Thus, if the length of the existing skewers excluding handles is about 50 cm, then the width of the grill should be 40-42 cm. This is sufficient to make it convenient to fry kebabs.
Metal barbecues can be made of absolutely any length. It depends on how many skewers of meat will be fried at the same time. The distance between them should be about 10 cm. Thus, to prepare 8 skewers at the same time, the length of the barbecue should be at least 90 cm. Special triangular recesses are often made on the walls of homemade structures, which allow you to conveniently place skewers and prevent them from accidentally sliding down or turns.
The height of the barbecue deserves special attention. When it comes to stationary or monolithic structures, the length of the legs is usually made from 70 to 90 cm. In combination with the height of the bowl, it turns out that in general the iron grill will reach approximately 1 m in height. In this case, you won’t have to bend over much when frying kebabs, which is, of course, very convenient. For portable models, in order to save space, short legs are often made, reaching approximately 20-30 cm.
Required materials
Before you start working on such a design, you need to prepare everything in advance. The first question that arises is which metal is best for a barbecue. Typically, thick steel is used to make stationary models. It has a maximum service life. If desired, of course, you can make a grill from titanium, but this option will not only be very durable, but also quite expensive. In addition, this material is quite difficult to process. It is recommended to use it when you plan to make a barbecue with a stove for a cauldron. Thinner stainless steel is typically used for portable models.
The thickness of the iron that will be used to make the barbecue directly affects the durability of the structure. For stationary models that will not need to be moved over significant distances, it is necessary to take metal whose thickness will be more than 4 mm. If you plan to make a barbecue grill that can be disassembled and taken with you into nature, then you can use iron less than 3 mm thick as a base. This is an ideal value for such structures. Such a homemade metal grill will be more compact in size and relatively light in weight, which will make it easier to use. At the same time, the simplest thin material will not be very durable. To make a metal grill, you need to prepare in advance the following tools and materials:
- iron sheets for the frame;
- pipes or metal corner for legs;
- welding machine;
- roulette;
- drill;
- metal saw or grinder.
If you don’t have a welding machine, you can do without it. To make a good design of a collapsible metal grill, it is quite possible to use bolts to fasten individual elements. For a stationary option, of course, it is better to use welding. This will greatly facilitate the process of use. Such a metal grill will last for many years, and in addition, it is quite possible to place it under a canopy, for example, if there is a gazebo on the site, but in this case additional arrangement of the chimney pipe will also be required.
Making a simple stationary barbecue
If you do not have significant skills in working with a welding machine, it is best to immediately pay attention to the design, where there will be a minimum of seams. The simplest model has its own subtleties in terms of manufacturing. First of all, you will need a fairly large sheet of metal so that the entire development of the barbecue body can fit on it. First, a reamer is made on a previously prepared piece of metal. The places of future bends are drawn especially carefully. All excess corners must be carefully cut off with a grinder or metal saw. If the iron is thick, it will be extremely difficult to bend it in the right places without additional processing. It is best to carefully trim the bends with a grinder to about 1 mm in depth. This will greatly facilitate the process of forming the frame. Next, weld the corners along the edges, which are obtained by correctly bending the existing reamer.
This task is actually possible even for a person who does not have such experience. When you need to weld a barbecue with your own hands, there is no need to carefully ensure that the seams are airtight. In this case, holes are even present, since air will flow through them, which will stimulate the combustion process. From the bottom of the finished box, using a drill, make 2 rows of holes on each side for ventilation. When the question arises of how to cook a grill, special attention should be paid to the legs. You can make a special stand from a metal corner into which the finished box will be installed. However, since it is much easier to cook a monolithic grill, many people prefer it. In this case, the legs are cut to the required length and attached to the corners of the box by welding. Metal stops can be attached to the lower ends of the legs so that the structure, which will be quite heavy, does not fall into the ground when it is placed on the ground.
How to make a stationary grill with a canopy?
If there is enough free space on the site, and gatherings with barbecue are not uncommon, it is quite possible to make a good-quality structure with your own hands. Barbecues with a metal roof can be equipped in two different ways. Sometimes the barbecue is made with a canopy made of metal tiles. In this case, a good-quality heavy structure is welded, which will be very stable. Next, long metal corners are welded to its sidewalls, onto which the roof structure is subsequently attached. It is advisable to make a grill with a canopy located at an angle so that all the smoke escapes freely. In this case, exhaust hood is not needed. The roof must be located at least 1.5 m above the barbecue box. In addition, it is imperative to take care of additional fastening of the entire structure so that it does not tip over under strong gusts of wind.
If they have the financial opportunity, some people set up gazebos with barbecues. This is very convenient, as it allows you to cook barbecue and smoke meat without fear of bad weather. If desired, you can also arrange a place for a barbecue in the gazebo, which already exists on the site. Many people prefer this simplest and most economical option. In this case, it is imperative to prepare the floor by covering it with non-combustible material, for example, thin sheets of stainless steel or paving stones. In this case, you can even make a grill with a stove for a cauldron. A hole must be made in the roof above this structure. In this case, the grill must have a chimney and an exhaust hood. If a brick frame was built, the stove under the cauldron can be placed separately. It can be made from ordinary car wheels. You can make your own one-piece grill with a cauldron. Such a design will consist of many components. Thus, it cannot be done without welding.
How to make a portable grill from metal?
If you need the design to be lightweight and take up little space, you need to pay attention to the folding version. This grill will resemble those sold in stores. To make such a barbecue, you do not need a welding machine, but you will need masterly use of an angle grinder. Thick stainless steel is best for the design.
First you need to make a drawing. The design of the folding barbecue assumes that all elements will be attached using grooves without help. For the box, it is necessary that on its two long elements there are 2 tongues with small holes on the sides and 2 on the bottom edge. They are bent horizontally relative to the plane of the sidewall. Corresponding holes are made in the short sides. This way the box will be assembled due to the fit of the grooves.
You can use regular metal corners as legs. It is necessary to make appropriate holes in them so that they fit into the protruding tongues. The legs are fixed using bolts or wires, which are pulled into the holes in the tongues. Even a beginner in the business can make such a stainless steel grill with his own hands. The bottom of the structure will not be fixed by anything. Its canvas fits onto the existing grooves. Despite the fact that making a folding barbecue with your own hands is not difficult, it is still necessary to take into account that such structures are not stable, so moving them while preparing barbecue is not recommended. In addition, they are not durable.
Brazier based on a metal barrel
Often barbecues are made from scrap materials. A large metal barrel is ideal for this purpose. This simple version is made, as a rule, even without welding. This makes the whole process much easier. To make such a barbecue without welding with your own hands, you must first lay the barrel on its side and cut off its upper part without touching the round ends. Corner fasteners are attached to the inside using bolts, which will later hold a lining for placing skewers or a barbecue net.
In addition, you can make a lid from the cut-off part by attaching it to one of the sides using ordinary strong hinges. From one of the side round ends you can make an outlet for the chimney. In addition, many ventilation holes need to be drilled here. In this case, you will get a barbecue smokehouse with your own hands. In order to make a stand, you can use metal corners. They can be welded for greater stability, but it is not prohibited to use ordinary bolts. You can also install a steel barbecue shelter. This will greatly facilitate the use of this design in cloudy weather.
Painting a homemade metal grill
Most of the materials from which barbecues are made are susceptible to atmospheric influences. Few people would like meat on a structure completely covered in rust. Thus, it is necessary to think in advance about how to paint the grill. There are special requirements for the coating, because it must be heat-resistant. Regular metal paint will not work. In this case, when heated, it will peel off, which is especially unpleasant if the metal grill with a roof is completely painted with your own hands, since pieces will fall on the meat. Such a structure must be coated with special paint to ensure that the result is heat-resistant. You need to focus your attention on heat-resistant enamels. They are quite expensive, but the result is guaranteed to be good. An ideal fireproof paint would be:
- enamel KO-8101;
- enamel KO-8111;
- Certa paint;
- Rust-oleum enamel.
These coatings can withstand temperatures from +650 to + 1090°C. Properly applied heat-resistant paint will last a long time. This coating will decorate any DIY barbecue.
Spring and summer holidays, blooming gardens, warm weather - all this is associated with relaxation and relaxation in nature. In the evenings, the garden plot of a dacha or private house can be used for relaxation in combination with dinner made in the open air. Metal barbecues are very popular. Thanks to them you can prepare very delicious dishes. You don't have to limit yourself to grilled meats, as vegetarians will also find plenty of ideas to satisfy their culinary needs. The variety of metal barbecues in the photo will allow you to see what kind of braziers exist today. Thus, with the onset of good weather, decorate your garden with high-quality and beautiful barbecue, invite friends and family for a barbecue, relax in the lap of nature and gain strength for the upcoming work week. 
Metal barbecues: photos of classic and extraordinary models
Who doesn't love a barbecue or grill outdoors on a summer evening? This is a great time to relax and spend time with family and friends in the countryside. If you have a garden, you can install a metal grill in it - stationary or mobile, depending on your needs. In addition, do not forget about various accessories and consumables, such as a broom with a spatula and coal with firewood. Modern garden grills made of metal are distinguished not only by their varied shapes, but also by their durability. Delicacies served from your own smokehouse or directly from the hearth can be a good complement to grilled food. Check out the huge variety of metal Dutch ovens in the photo gallery. 
Barbecues with metal roof
Popular charcoal grates can be purchased for a fraction of the cost. This is most suitable for people who need a portable barbecue before building a permanent one. Portable stoves are usually made of thick steel sheet, coated with fire-resistant paint, and the grates are made of stainless steel. You can also buy cast iron grates that are nearly indestructible. More and more charcoal roasters have a lid, which reduces roasting time and protects food from drying out. Thanks to this, the charcoal does not ignite with an open flame, but it burns efficiently, which is better for the health of consumers and the taste of the finished dishes. 
Dimensions of a metal grill: which option to choose?
Gourmets emphasize that the smell and taste of smoky grilled food is incomparable to anything else. To choose the roaster that best suits your needs, first consider the specifics of your picnic experience. How often will you cook outdoors? How many people will eat? You should pay attention not only to the design, but also to the size of the grill. If you don't plan to build a garden fireplace, just buy a portable grill, considering how much space you can spare in your storage area to store the iron structure for grilling in the off-season. The device itself should be easy to assemble and disassemble. A high-quality grill is easy to clean, and its handles do not get hot. 
Optimal length, width and depth of the grill
When choosing the size of the grill, consider how many people on average will use this structure. So, the number of skewers placed at the same time depends on the length. For example, the most popular option is a meter length, because a dozen skewers can easily fit on such a roasting pan. The width should be approximately thirty centimeters. Six to eight pieces on a skewer can easily fit into a structure up to 25 centimeters wide. If you choose more than thirty centimeters, then a lot of heat will go into the air, reducing the functionality of the grill. The optimal depth is fifteen centimeters, since in this case the firewood is stacked normally relative to the skewers. You can choose a deeper design, but then the consumption of combustible material will be greater. 
The effectiveness of using a barbecue depends not only on the design itself, but also on the rules for using a metal brazier:
Metal barbecue grills: chic forging
A garden grill is the ideal solution for every barbecue lover. If we like a broiler and have enough space on our property, it's worth investing in a grill. The modern design of the barbecue is aesthetically pleasing and will certainly appeal to lovers of traditional barbecue designs. Each participant will be pleased to remember meeting over a delicious dinner in nature, because the presence of a barbecue creates a unique atmosphere. In the market, you can find models that are a masterpiece in themselves, and this is due to the material from which they are made. The production of such braziers is often artisanal, that is, from artisans who are engaged in metal forging. Such products are very stable and provide an aesthetic decoration in every garden. Of course, the forged barbecue will amaze your friends, being a unique item in the garden. It is precisely because of its attractive structure that forging is an excellent solution for vacation spots where family, friends and loved ones meet. 
A huge variety of metal barbecues allows you to choose a design option that will suit the taste of everyone who wants to install a stationary brazier in their garden or buy a portable structure for a picnic outside the city in the forest or on the lake. The presented photos show various models of barbecues, which have not only a practical function, but also a decorative one. Do not forget that cooking kebabs and grilled vegetables is a whole ritual that requires specific equipment. The barbecue is indispensable in the warm season for every owner of a private plot.
It is simply impossible to imagine any holiday in the lap of nature without cooking barbecue. Currently, there are a huge number of different barbecues (for the dacha and not only), both classic designs and exclusive designs, made to order, taking into account all the features of landscape design. The design of a barbecue in a classic style is very simple. Basically, this is a metal box made of sheets of various thicknesses, since it is believed that the thicker the walls of the structure, the longer it will last.
The main advantages of a metal grill:
- Ease of manufacture. Almost anyone can make a metal barbecue from scrap materials in the shortest possible time on their own site.
- Mobility. An important advantage of the barbecue is that, depending on various circumstances, you can move it to any convenient place and hide it indoors in winter.
- Fire safety. Metal is traditionally one of the safest building materials.
- Affordability. The cost of making a barbecue from metal using improvised and residual materials will be minimal.
Even when going on vacation in nature, you can make a metal barbecue, just find sheet metal, a rectangular profile and use welding or bolted joints to secure the sheets together. This grill can be made very quickly, it is easy to transport, and is convenient for those who regularly go outdoors. If you want to make a permanent structure on your personal plot so that it complements the view in an original and functional way and improves the area, then you will have to try.
In the article we will tell you how to make a barbecue out of metal with your own hands, what the dimensions should be, and also provide diagrams, drawings, photos and video instructions.
Dimensions
Before making a brazier from metal, you need to decide on its dimensions. Initially, you should focus on the number of people who can traditionally or periodically relax at the same time. If the family is small, of four or five people, then a small structure, about 500x300 millimeters, will be enough.
If the grill is needed for a large company, more than ten people, then calculate the approximate number of skewers that will be on the grill at the same time and add 100 mm at the edges to the estimated size. If you plan to use a grill, you can calculate the width dimensions based on the parameters of the finished product (store grill). It is important not to design the grill too deep, otherwise more coals may be needed and the meat will cook slowly and unevenly.
Making a simple barbecue
It is very important to choose the right material when making a barbecue. So, which metal is better? Sheets made of steel are ideal; the wider the width, the better. The legs can be made from the same sheet, previously bent along the entire length with a corner, to give it rigidity. It's great if you have a welding machine. Then all sides of the product are marked on a sheet of metal, the excess is cut off and according to the markings they are bent at an angle of 90º. The edges of the surface are welded along the entire length, and then the bottom is welded to the finished workpiece. The legs can be loosely attached to the product so that they can be removed later during transportation or long-term storage.
If there is no welding machine available, then the scheme will be different. Even when marking the frame, you need to add 30–40 mm on each side. From the side of the joint, this excess is then folded, joined to the other side and three holes are drilled through the joint: along the edges and in the middle. The surfaces are bolted. 4 cuts of 30–40 mm each are made from below along the ribs, carefully bent inward at a right angle. You will get a support platform around the perimeter, on which we place the bottom on top. This design is more than enough rigid to withstand coals and firewood.
After assembling the frame, you need to make holes in the side walls of the grill. The holes are made directly above the bottom. Holes with a diameter of 20–30 mm every 40–50 mm are optimal. The smaller the diameter of the hole, the more often they need to be made. These technological holes are necessary for inflating the coals and supplying air. After this, legs are made, which can be attached with bolts. Four bolts per leg are enough, two on each side. This will allow you to remove them later. If desired, the legs can be welded to the base of the grill.
Making a simple metal grill is very simple. It is enough to have a metalworking tool, sheets of metal, a little free time and of course an important element - desire! However, not all people are satisfied with such a simple design, especially when they have to cook in not entirely suitable weather. How to improve a metal grill will be discussed further.
Making a grill with a roof
First, you need to decide whether the grill will be stationary or whether you will remove it, because it may happen that after a roof appears over it, this structure will not fit in the barn.
Portable option
In order for the barbecue to be moved somewhere, it should not be too bulky. In this case, you can make a removable roof. If this option suits you, then you need to take into account that the windage of the structure will increase, which means that a relatively small wind will be able to overturn the grill. To prevent this from happening, the brazier is placed with its legs on metal corners (the larger the roof area, the longer the corner should be) and bolted. This design will not be difficult to disassemble and then reassemble.
Pay attention! Depending on the type of roof you choose, you may need to construct a chimney to allow the smoke to escape through it.
Now let's start making the roof. For supports, you can use a corner or a pipe, the main thing is that it is strong enough to withstand wind loads. Since we are talking about a portable structure, the supports need to be secured with screws on the legs, away from the heat of the coals. If this is not done, then unwinding them will become a big problem.
Having decided on the location of the supports, you need to think over the shape and calculate the height of the roof. This is an important factor, since a high roof is not needed, but you can break your head on a low one. The photographs and drawings at the end of the article will help you make your choice.
Pay attention! You can install and concrete the canopy, and simply place the barbecue under it.
Stationary option
If you prefer to use the barbecue at any time of the year and have a permanent place for it, then you can make a stationary structure with a roof.
Let's start with the fact that there is no clear definition of what a grill with a roof is. The roof can be small, located directly above the barbecue, or it can be a large canopy or even a gazebo. In each case, the design and dimensions are selected individually, based on the needs and capabilities of the owner.
Pay attention! This barbecue design often includes a stove and provides space for storing firewood.
With effort and ingenuity and ingenuity, you can make a masterpiece, or at least a comfortable and practical grill that will delight you for many years.
Video
This video shows how you can make a non-separable grill from sheets of metal with legs:
Look at the review of forged barbecues made by home craftsmen:
Schemes and drawings
The barbecue is the main attribute of a country picnic and a comfortable country holiday. You can buy this accessory today in any supermarket. Unfortunately, almost all factory structures are made of thin metal, which after the first “kebab season” begins to deform and burn out.
The assembly system of the frying box is not always well thought out by the creators, the connections of which turn out to be inconvenient and unreliable when used.
Knowing the problems of serial barbecues, home craftsmen prefer braziers of their own production. In addition to the impressive strength that homemade structures are known for, they allow creators to fully express their talent and creativity. It is for these reasons that we will consider in detail the topic of how to make a metal grill with your own hands that is comfortable, durable and beautiful.
In addition to traditional designs, you can find unique options among homemade products. Each of them can be copied without any problems, decorating your summer cottage with an original and useful frying installation.
Design options for metal grills
The simplest and easiest to make barbecue for camping conditions is two U-shaped metal stands stuck into the ground. They take up minimal space in the backpack and are quickly brought into the “working position”. The only drawback of this system is its low height.
It will not be possible to place such a grill at a level convenient for baking, because the fire here is built right on the ground. Otherwise, this design captivates users with its practicality.
The classic metal barbecue - a box on legs - also has the right to a camp life. Only for this it needs to be folded to reduce its dimensions.
For this, window hinges are most often used, welding them to the bottom and long side walls. The end sides of such a roasting pan are inserted into the sides of the bottom and attached from above to the side walls using hooks.
A useful detail to pay attention to is the holes for adjusting the frying height. Thanks to them, you won’t have to re-ignite the fire to “turn up the heat.”
If you think that the imagination of home-made people is limited to a banal frying box with holes, then we can easily convince you.
Childhood memories of pirate battles inspired the author with the idea of a barbecue-chest with treasures mounted on two scimitar swords. In addition to the usual frying of kebabs, such a box with a lid can be used as a mini-smokehouse. To do this, you will need to equip the structure with a small exhaust pipe.
In general, forging is a win-win decoration for any brazier. With its help, you can easily turn an ordinary iron grill into a real work of “country art”.
A useful detail of this design is the side shelf. You can lay out kebabs on it that have undergone heat treatment. At the bottom you can make a grate for storing firewood.
Today any home craftsman can make a forged barbecue. To do this, you don’t need to build a home forge or buy a blacksmith’s hammer. Just look into a construction supermarket and buy forged decorative elements there. Attaching them to a metal box and legs is not difficult.
A steel barbecue for a summer cottage should not only be beautiful, but also mobile. Therefore, we advise you to pay attention to the mobile version of such a frying hearth.
It can be easily moved to any place in the summer cottage, hiding from sudden rain or scorching rays of the sun. By equipping your roasting pan with a convenient spit, you can try your hand at the art of roasting wild game.
Of course, you won’t take such a frying structure with you into the forest. However, it will look no worse on a summer cottage than a stationary one.
But here is an example with a roof, protecting the owner from the vagaries of changeable weather. The rotating holder for the cauldron deserves special attention, expanding the capabilities of this fireplace.
Don’t rush to part with your grandmother’s inheritance and scrap your foot-operated sewing machine. Better look how excellent its cast-iron frame looks as a support platform for a barbecue.
The smoke from the brazier disturbs the creative imagination of craftsmen. Why not make an original grill-steam locomotive, they think, sitting down to draw the drawing?
The main part of this fryer is an old gas cylinder. By welding wheels, a pipe and a driver's platform to it, you will pleasantly surprise your friends and neighbors. By the way, the pipe in this case is not a simple decoration, but a channel for the smoke to escape. Such a fireplace with a smokehouse can be successfully used for roasting meat and preparing other homemade delicacies.
Military themes, surrounded by smoke and fire, often find their expression in original installations.
A car enthusiast who is comfortable with a grinder and welding will be happy to make an original brazier out of the front end of an old car. Fortunately, such work does not require much effort. A traditional frying box with a grate is placed in the engine compartment and the structure is ready for use.
Some craftsmen manage to make such a barbecue mobile, equipping it with a full-fledged suspension with springs.
Take a look around. You will see a lot of unnecessary metal items that can be used to make a barbecue.
An old steel barrel is an almost finished roaster. Yes, not simple, but elegant and functional. By cutting out part of the sidewall, you can use it to make a rotating lid. A frying grid is placed inside the container or two support corners are welded for installing skewers.
Car wheels. What could be better and easier for making a country grill? They have all the attributes of such a hearth: a round shape, holes for ventilation and thick metal that will not quickly burn through the fire. The only improvement that needs to be made is the installation of a steel sheet with holes inside the disk.
The original slots on the disk are a little large, so small coals will fall through them. You can fit a steel skewers holder into the wheel rim on top or simply install a frying grid of a suitable diameter on it.
Optimal size and ease of use
Other people’s ideas are good, but how can you make such a roaster yourself, you ask? First you need to decide for how many people the barbecue will most often be prepared for. If the lucky ones include only members of your family (3-4 people), then the optimal sizes are length 40 and width 30 cm. The last size is the length of the skewer excluding the handle. It should not be increased so that the steel rod with meat does not fall into the fryer.
If the grill will serve a large company, then its length is calculated according to the scheme 8-10 cm per 1 skewer. That is, for a company of 6 people, you need a frying box with a length of 50 to 60 cm with a constant width of 30 cm. A larger box should not be made to avoid wasting firewood.
The optimal depth of the roasting pan is 15-20 cm. This is quite enough to ensure that the temperature during baking is high enough, but the meat does not burn.
Ergonomics is another factor that needs to be taken into account when sketching out the layout of the future barbecue. Its height from the ground should be such that you do not have to constantly bend over when turning over the kebabs. Lower your arm, bend it slightly at the elbow and measure the distance from the ground to your fingertips. The resulting size is the optimal height of the barbecue with legs.
The thickness of the sheet for the roasting pan must also be chosen correctly. Experts say that 2 mm black or stainless steel will be optimal. A thinner sheet quickly burns out, while a thicker one is difficult to process and increases the weight of the structure.
An example of making a simple metal barbecue
The set of tools for this work is obvious:
- Roulette;
- Core (for filling holes before drilling);
- Bulgarian;
- Electric drill;
- Welding machine.
The first step in making a homemade metal barbecue is cutting out sheet steel. Having marked the dimensions of the bottom and side walls on it, we cut out all the blanks with a grinder. At the bottom of the long side walls we need to make holes for air intake. To do this, we fix a 6 or 8 mm drill in the drill chuck and make ventilation (the distance between the centers of the holes is 3-4 cm).
A more rational option is not to cut out all the parts separately, but to use a grinder to make slits in the sheet, so that you can then bend them into a three-dimensional structure.
Having bent the cut sheet into a three-dimensional box, we weld the joints of the walls. This can be done not with a continuous weld, but with a tack weld, so that the metal is less deformed. To better fix the skewers, shallow grooves can be cut on the upper edges of the long walls.
The next operation is welding the legs. It is better to make them removable so that the roaster can be transported in a car. To do this, some craftsmen use nuts, welding them to the bottom of the bottom. Then threaded rods are screwed into them. We'll keep it simple and use the bottom parts of old door hinges. They have an eyelet for tack welding and a hole deep enough to install a steel pin leg.
Our grill is ready for the first barbecue. All operations for cutting and assembling it will take no more than 2 hours.
Barbecue masters can prepare this dish even in the middle of a deep forest without a single device for this. But it’s still much nicer and more convenient to use reliable, proven and durable devices for cooking outdoors. But most often this process occurs with the participation of barbecues.
Peculiarities
The most common barbecue device is a metal grill.
Here are its main advantages.
- Simplicity. Most often, a barbecue is a box with legs, into which firewood or coals are poured, a fire is built, and skewers with meat or a grill with vegetables are placed on top.
- Mobility. Some metal models can be used anywhere: on the ground, on a concrete platform, on a terrace and even on a sandy beach.
- Functionality. Even the simplest inventions can be decorated with ornate forging, which can serve as additional hooks for hanging skewers or a net. You can build a structure with a roof or with additional shelves.
- Safety. The metal does not burn, does not melt and does not create fires. And this is a big plus.
- Economical. Even if you don’t have the necessary material and desire to make a metal grill yourself, you will spend a small amount of money on its purchase.
The disadvantages include the not always aesthetic appearance and fragility of some models. However, all these nuances are eliminated and adjusted individually for each user and for each case.
The unique feature of metal barbecues is that you can easily make them yourself.
To do this you do not need to have any special knowledge or skills. You just need to decide on the model and materials, listen to the advice of professionals or simply knowledgeable people, and also be sure that your plan will be realized 100%.
Design and principle of operation
When starting to look at the device from bottom to top, you definitely need to pay attention to the legs. As a rule, these are four metal corners, pointed downwards, so that they can be stuck into the ground. The height of this element is selected individually if the product is made to order. In construction and gardening stores, you will most likely come across standard universal models with a length of 80 to 120 cm. Metal reinforcing rods are sometimes chosen as this element; some craftsmen resort to a forged design of the base of the barbecue.
There are also unique homemade structures installed on the lower iron part of sewing machines, unusable tables, etc. Almost anything is used that is stable on any surface and can withstand the weight of a metal box and its contents during cooking over a fire.
The steel box, which consists of four sidewalls and a bottom, represents the basis of the barbecue structure. Often the lower part of this box is reinforced to increase the service life of the entire structure. The side walls must be perforated so that heat does not accumulate in one place and air circulation occurs. Thus, a kind of blower is created, like in stoves.
On the upper edges of the long sides of the metal box, recesses are made, into which skewers are then very conveniently inserted. This allows minimizing the movement of mini-spits on metal.
The principle of operation of such barbecues is known to everyone. Coals or logs of firewood are laid out at the bottom of a metal box and a fire is lit. When the fire dies down and only coals, ash and the heat from them remain in the grill, skewers with pre-prepared meat or vegetables are laid out on the structure in orderly rows. The heat in the hearth is maintained by improvised means, which create a powerful flow of air into the structure, but do not re-light the fire in the ashes.
Types of structures
As for the various designs that involve comfortable cooking of barbecue, here you should first understand the main types of metal barbecues.
There are four types in total.
- Disposable. Quick grill. Everything that can be found nearby is used - from tin cans to two U-shaped metal profiles.
- Stationary. The second step in the evolution of metal barbecues. Simple, economical, sustainable. Can be used both outdoors and under a canopy. If necessary, you can add a roof, a hood (or even a chimney), a pot stand and a double bottom.
- Collapsible. It differs from the stationary one in the way that the barbecue elements are attached to each other. In the first, all joints are spot welded. In the second, they are screwed with metal bolts or hinges, which allows it to be disassembled for a time when it is not in use.
- Folding. Original models of mobile barbecues made of metal, which are very convenient to store right in the trunk of a car in case of a sudden trip to nature. They are suitcases into which you can put skewers and legs of a folding metal structure.
Each of the modifications has both positive aspects and disadvantages. By making a metal barbecue with your own hands, you take responsibility for its design and operation. And this is to your advantage.
Having decided to take this important step, you can plan to have a smokehouse or barbecue grill.
Some projects also include a lid in the overall design of the barbecue. By covering the barbecue, you can ensure the fastest preparation of your dish and be sure that all the most valuable and beneficial properties and vitamins will be preserved in it.
In order for proper air circulation to occur inside the metal barbecue box, it is better to make slits, called a blower, at the bottom of the sides of the structure. Special holes with a diameter of 10-12 mm are made in the bottom so that the oxygen entering these holes burns out, thereby enriching the meat over the fire.
For the legs of barbecues, metal rods or even pipes are sometimes easily used. The main thing is to cut, weld or fasten it to the main structure correctly.
Craftsmen make metal barbecues practically out of thin air.
So, there are options from a barrel, a gas cylinder, and even from the drum of an automatic washing machine.
Drawings and dimensions
Before starting the production process, it is worth deciding on the model, dimensions, and material. The next step will be to create a small but correct project plan, in which you need to display all the nuances and necessary numbers. The sketch should show a schematic representation of the future structure.
Let's look at the main components and tools that will be needed for the job.
- Sheet of metal or pieces thereof. The thickness of the material, according to the recommendations of professionals, ranges from 3 to 5-7 mm. Of course, the higher this indicator, the longer the service life of the metal structure itself will be. In this case, it is convenient to manufacture a prefabricated structure, when the bottom can be made denser and the walls thinner.
- Metal corners or profile pipes. The first ones are suitable both for installing the legs of the barbecue and for strengthening the thin-walled sides of the box. Pipes are only suitable for creating two pairs of legs on which the entire structure will stand.
- Grinder with metal discs.
- Drill for drilling ventilation holes or holes for fastenings.
- Welding machine, if you decide to make a stationary grill from one or more sheets of metal.
The main dimensions of a standard stationary metal grill are shown in the diagram. But to make your measurements, you need to understand why these particular numbers were chosen. The width of the box is always based on the length of the skewers minus 8-10 cm. On average, it will be somewhere around 30 cm.
The length depends on the number of skewers that will be simultaneously used in preparing kebabs. The distance from one semi-finished product to another is also taken into account here, because they should not fit tightly to each other. So, the figure taken as a basis is 10 cm per one threaded skewer.
The depth of the metal barbecue box is clearly calculated and has parameters of 20-25 cm. This distance is enough to fry the meat, but not burn it. If the depth is made more than 25 cm, fuel consumption and barbecue cooking time will increase.
There are also original mini-models, all sizes of which will have to be cut down, depending on the reduction of the layout itself.
They usually have short legs and are located close to the ground. But even such designs look beautiful and practical thanks to a systematic and careful approach to manufacturing and assembly.
Step-by-step manufacturing instructions
It is worth understanding the step-by-step process of creating stationary metal barbecues with your own hands.
The first step is marking. On a single sheet of metal we draw the disassembled silhouette of the future structure. You should get a cross.
The second step is to cut out the drawn figure using a grinder. Next you will need to bend all the sides and weld them together. The box is ready.
Then we drill holes in the bottom for air and cut air vents in the walls of the box. Here it is also important to follow a certain system. The holes must be approximately the same distance from each other and from the edges of the box. Approximately - about 60 mm in one row.
Considering that the holes are staggered, the distance from the bottom to the top is only 30 mm. This is necessary to ensure that oxygen enters the grill evenly.
The next step is to cut grooves to securely fix the skewers on the grill. These “teeth” are located on the upper side of the long sidewalls of the structure. The manufacture and fastening of the legs is planned to be done last.
The stationary metal grill is ready. You can attach additional handles to it (for ease of moving from place to place), hooks, grilles and even wheels for transportation.
You can make a collapsible iron grill for your dacha yourself.
All work is carried out in four stages.
- Marking and cutting out the walls and bottom. All elements must be drawn taking into account the allowance for folded seams.
- We make blowers and air ducts in the walls and bottom.
- On the allowances left when cutting the elements, holes are made for attaching them to each other.
- The legs will also be attached without welding. A metal corner is suitable here, which is screwed to the box with fireproof screws or self-tapping screws. It would also be a great idea to use tubes on which you need to make threads, weld bolts to the structure and screw tube legs into them.
A homemade collapsible iron grill can be used for its intended purpose immediately after all work is completed.
After cooking, it can be easily folded and stored in the shed or garage. It won't take up much space and won't get in the way.
A traveling “suitcase” can also be easily made at home. To do this, you need to make a drawing on a metal sheet, where 4 cm is added to each side. Holes are made on the long sides. The bottom and walls are fastened together with door canopies. Bolts are welded to the bottom to secure the legs. We complement the design with a hook and loop so that the grill itself does not fall apart. We weld a handle to the side to make it convenient to carry the metal “suitcase”, even if you are traveling to nature on public transport.
Making an original kebab maker from scrap materials is as easy as shelling pears. The most popular projects today are a barbecue made from a metal barrel, from a gas cylinder and a washing machine drum.
The barrel design can combine two functions at once: a barbecue grill and a smokehouse.
There are at least three ways to make it. In the first case, the barrel is placed on its side, its upper part is cut out, leaving the ends intact. The cut out lid is attached to the main body of the future barbecue using ordinary door canopies. Legs, for example, metal rods, are welded to the ends of the barrel. At the cut line of the upper part, corners are attached with a welding machine, on which notches are made for fixing the skewers.
The second option for cutting a barrel is to divide it into two parts. Having placed the base of the grill on a flat surface, we make a vertical cut from the top end to the bottom. The percentage of parts can be different: from 30/70 to 50/50. But the lower one must be greater than or equal to the upper one. Then the whole process happens identically.
Making the perfect smoker is also easy. But for this you will need two barrels. One will become the base cabinet for the smokehouse, inside which a fire will be built. The second will be cut into two parts horizontally and will become the smoking unit itself. Sawdust must be placed on the bottom of this barrel. The lid must be kept closed throughout the entire process.
Making a metal barbecue from a used gas cylinder is schematically very similar to the same process for a barrel.
The main nuance that you should pay attention to is preparing the used container for use.
The cylinder must be at least 50 liters in volume for the grill to turn out well. The next step is to clean the container from any remaining gas.
To do this you need to do three steps.
- release the remaining gas through the valve and turn the cylinder upside down;
- moisten the valve with soapy water; if bubbles or a corresponding odor appear, the gas has not yet completely come out, you need to wait;
- Rinse the empty container.
In order to carry out the third step as safely as possible, it is recommended to carry out this procedure with an assistant.
First of all, while one is sawing off the faucet with a grinder, the other periodically pours water over the cut area so that sparks do not get inside and react with the remnants of the gaseous substance on the walls of the cylinder.
A hose is inserted into the resulting hole, from which water is supplied under good pressure. While the liquid is flowing inside, the container is periodically shaken to thoroughly wash all the walls. Fill the container full and leave for several days. After the allotted time, the water is drained, but remember that this is already poison. To remove the acrid smell of gas from the cylinder, it is burned inside before starting to make a barbecue from it. Further manipulations look and are performed in the same way as in the case of a metal barrel.
Original barbecue designs are made from old cars. By using the hood and front of an old vehicle, you can get an excellent heat-resistant and unusual grill with a lid.
The simplest is considered to be a barbecue made from improvised means.
The fastest and most durable in this category is a fryer made from the drum of an automatic washing machine. The average time required for processing is 10-15 minutes. The main condition is to find the drum. You can use it completely, or you can cut off the unnecessary part if you think it is too high. As for the support, the convenience of this option is that it can be placed directly on the ground, bricks or stones. Or you can make legs specially for it from rebar rods. Both options are worth considering. Choose it individually for yourself.
It is impossible to get by with just assembling the component parts of a metal barbecue. There are a number of features in the operation of this device that need to be adopted and implemented to improve its functional qualities and performance characteristics.
After all the manufacturing work is completed, it is necessary to clean the finished grill from dirt and rust. To remove the latter, use a grinding machine or drill with a special attachment.
The inner walls of the grill do not need to be cleaned of carbon deposits during operation. It is believed that this is what gives kebabs a special aroma and “health”.
It happens in two stages:
- degreasing the surface;
- keeping the grill elements in a caustic soda solution for about one and a half hours.
This treatment will not only provide a special heat-protective film, but will also protect the metal from corrosion for the entire period of operation of the device.
If wooden parts are used in the overall structure, special attention should be paid to their treatment with various antiseptic, moisture-resistant and heat-repellent agents.
The place where you plan to place the barbecue must be cleared in advance of dry grass, branches or other flammable objects, and be sure to place a container with sand nearby, which will be used to extinguish the fire in the event of a fire.
To prevent the acrid smoke from the fire from interfering with cooking and enjoying nature, you can independently build a hood for a metal barbecue. It is made from the same material as the outdoor cooking device. It differs from standard barbecue structures installed indoors in that it looks like a cut-down pipe. The area of the hood dome is usually equal to the area of the grill itself. This allows you to minimize the emission of smoke outside the cooking area. The hood dome is welded to the grill body. It is also important to take into account the mass of the structure so that everything stands stable together.
Beautiful examples
An original stationary metal grill made with forged elements. In this case, the forged parts are a table-stand for a brazier. There is a space under the table for storing firewood or coals, so you don’t have to run far for them. Such a barbecue will not be light, but quite mobile. That is, moving it to a convenient place or storing it in a shed for the winter will not be difficult. Forged products o
A metal grill with a roof allows you to cook over a fire even in bad weather. If you don’t have a canopy or gazebo in your yard, but want meat or vegetables fried over a fire, this option is an excellent solution. In addition, the design is equipped with a stand for installing a cauldron and also a convenient place for placing fuel.
Unusual models are also found among stationary barbecues. Two large wheels are very successfully attached to the legs of this design. Imitating a garden wheelbarrow, the device easily moves around your site and stands firmly and steadily where you need it.
This configuration of metal barbecues in the shape of a boot is quite common. It combines a kebab maker, a barbecue maker and even the ability to cook meat on a spit. A convenient grid table allows you to optimally place all the necessary tools and ingredients at hand.
A folding metal grill when packed resembles a suitcase. This allows you to take it with you wherever and whenever you want. If necessary, you can put skewers and other necessary items inside. The only disadvantage of this design is the height. It is as compact as possible, and therefore you will only have to cook on it while sitting.
Another example of a suitcase barbecue, which is already equipped with legs. These additional spare parts are conveniently folded inside the box, which is closed with a special clasp so that nothing falls apart. The photo also shows other models of folding barbecues, which are also compact in size and easy to use.
A spacious stationary grill made of sheet metal with the addition of forged patterns. It is also equipped with a device for cooking in a cauldron, has a convenient mini side table and space for firewood or dishes under the box itself.
An original way to install a hood over a barbecue. Suitable for those who do not want to fix the kebab maker in one place and install a bulky exhaust structure in a gazebo or on the veranda. All the nuances have already been taken into account here. Some manufacturers even offer benches and chairs in the same style.
A fabulous barbecue in the form of a carriage with a roof will not leave even the most skeptical buyer indifferent. However, the price of such a forged model may not be the most pleasant value. One of the features of this design is the presence of a lid on the kebab grill.
The original hearth comes from the front of the car. This allows you not only to surprise your guests and get a convenient device for cooking over a fire. Thanks to this non-standard approach, you also get rid of an unnecessary vehicle that was just taking up space.
A chic wrought iron grill in the form of a house on wheels, equipped with a roof and a chimney, will become a true decoration of your site. The design is bulky, but it allows you to cook for a large group at once, both on skewers and on a barbecue grid.
You can find a lot of beautiful and practical examples of metal barbecues. It is important to remember all the important safety features when using them so that the external aesthetics do not turn into trouble. Making metal barbecues for your own use with your own strength and hands is a responsible and creative process that requires concentration, caution and an individual approach.
To learn how to make a metal grill with your own hands, watch the video below.
