hey guys i figured i would post this. its a project i started back before the 4th of july and just finished it in november. i dont think that quite qualifies as procrastination... ok maybe a little bit. since i salvaged pretty much all of the metal this entire project (though not 100% completed) has only cost me the amount of a bucket of paint, a few seal beam lights, and two sheets of expanded metal.
i started off with the bbq. it was to be a free standing grill possibly with wheels to roll around the yard. the body was a water tank salvaged from an ancient cement truck. it was too perfect not to use. it already had a 6 inch vent out the top with a removable lid and brackets that bolted right to the angle iron frame i built. used the plasma to cut out the lid and welded stanley door hinges to the back of it. built the grill out of rounded angle iron and expanded metal. the rod is 3/4in black gas pipe welded to a ratchet reel for strapping down loads on trailers and semi's. the ratchet reel then is welded to the crank handle, thus enabling the grill to be raised and lowered. i will take some more photos to illustrate what i am describing, as my ability for comprehensible directions leaves something to be desired!
finally when the beast had to be moved for painting we realized that a mere stand with casters was not going to cut it. so we toyed around with the idea of building a trailer for it out of an old 4-wheeler frame. but i always say go big or go home. so we searched through our junk pile and came upon very large trailer hitches for mobile homes. heavy duty suckers with 10 in I-beam frames. so we started chopping them up and built the frame to the new bbq trailer. we also found the axles that went with the massive hitches. the square frame of the trailer ended up being approx. 6ft x 10ft with a 4ft tongue.
finally finished the wiring, and surprisingly all the lights work! still need to find some fenders and throw on some reflective tape before i can get her licensed, but as its winter now and not much barbecuing going on, it can probably wait.
i started off with the bbq. it was to be a free standing grill possibly with wheels to roll around the yard. the body was a water tank salvaged from an ancient cement truck. it was too perfect not to use. it already had a 6 inch vent out the top with a removable lid and brackets that bolted right to the angle iron frame i built. used the plasma to cut out the lid and welded stanley door hinges to the back of it. built the grill out of rounded angle iron and expanded metal. the rod is 3/4in black gas pipe welded to a ratchet reel for strapping down loads on trailers and semi's. the ratchet reel then is welded to the crank handle, thus enabling the grill to be raised and lowered. i will take some more photos to illustrate what i am describing, as my ability for comprehensible directions leaves something to be desired!
finally when the beast had to be moved for painting we realized that a mere stand with casters was not going to cut it. so we toyed around with the idea of building a trailer for it out of an old 4-wheeler frame. but i always say go big or go home. so we searched through our junk pile and came upon very large trailer hitches for mobile homes. heavy duty suckers with 10 in I-beam frames. so we started chopping them up and built the frame to the new bbq trailer. we also found the axles that went with the massive hitches. the square frame of the trailer ended up being approx. 6ft x 10ft with a 4ft tongue.
finally finished the wiring, and surprisingly all the lights work! still need to find some fenders and throw on some reflective tape before i can get her licensed, but as its winter now and not much barbecuing going on, it can probably wait.
), whatever the venue happens to be.
but if you are interested in trying it and up for a road trip, come to the potter valley rodeo in california on may 30, 2010. my grandpa always bbq's for the rodeo, i usually make it every year. 
