My ribs for tomorrow's first attempt at smoking!

[gazz_46]

If you have some tools simply join the holes to create grooves

Need to go from this

O O O O
O O O O
O O O O

To this
________
(_________)
________
(_________)

Simples

[Stuarty84]

I suppose that's probably my best option gazz! Will have another look at it when I get home from work.


And such an artist you are gazz! lol

[gazz_46]

And such an artist you are gazz! lol

Poop....!

[RHB]

Tin snips might do the job, if you wanted a nice clean cut... http://www.daviddarling.info/encycloped ... snips.html

[Stuarty84]

I have to admit I'm still a bit worried about cutting into it. Especially as it's only new!

So I have decided that before cutting it, I'll try this first. I'm going to get a cooling rack or something like this:



Then I'll set the rack on my charcoal tray and put the charcoal on top of the rack. The ash will still build up in my original tray, but not as much and the air will still be able to get underneath the coals whether there is ash or not.

Has to be worth a go?

(I mean 1 rack, not the 3 tier thing lol)

[keith157]

How is the current rack held in place? it may be worthwhile looking for a metal fabricators or some of the bigger DIY wharehouses stock metal grids and if needs be remove the old grid and fix (pop-rivet?) a proper grid in place. In the meantime, whilst saving up, I can see no significant reason your cake cooling rack raised an inch or so above the current grid wouldn't work.

A quick google gave this as one of several hits;-
http://www.metal-mesh.co.uk/

[Stuarty84]

Thanks Keith! Here's a quick drawing I did of my tray setup. (It's not exactly like this but you'll get the idea)



The charcoal tray is the thick black bar on top, the red thing is a handle. When I turn it clockwise the 'X' metal legs move in such a way that the tray raises up, when I turn it anti-clockwise the tray lowers.

I cant remember off hand how exactly the tray is attached to the 'X' part. I'll need to have a look after work.

I would like to get a proper grill grate made up and put in place. It would look the part! Will look into that for sure