In my village (Northiam) every year we have a summer festival and my mates and I run the barbecues.
In the last 10 years we have gone from 1 oil drum bbq (proper drum not smaller shop bought) and and a small gas barbecue, to 3 drums, a gas hob and last year, a fire pit with mesh on.
Even with all the extra cooking space, I still feel we are at least 2 drums short and I would like a dedicated hot plate for onions and dodgy veggie burgers and sausages.
The barbecues are easy enough, just got a flat griddle to male.
Due to insurance and getting stuff registered gas safe etc, I want to go pure charcoal which is what I need advice on.
1. Steel plate thickness, is 6mm enough or do I need to go 8mm?
2. Plan is to make a removable frame which will sit on top of an oil drum and the plate will sit on top of that, so replacing and transporting drum will be easy. As the plate will pretty much seal the top, I will need to add a load of air vents to allow the charcoal to burn. Any obvious pitfalls I am missing?
3. With the drum being sealed and less heat escaping, will the drum burn through in no time?
4. I assume mild steel will be fine, just need to flap wheel the millscale off and season it?
Anyone else built anything similar, just looking for ideas?
In the last 10 years we have gone from 1 oil drum bbq (proper drum not smaller shop bought) and and a small gas barbecue, to 3 drums, a gas hob and last year, a fire pit with mesh on.
Even with all the extra cooking space, I still feel we are at least 2 drums short and I would like a dedicated hot plate for onions and dodgy veggie burgers and sausages.
The barbecues are easy enough, just got a flat griddle to male.
Due to insurance and getting stuff registered gas safe etc, I want to go pure charcoal which is what I need advice on.
1. Steel plate thickness, is 6mm enough or do I need to go 8mm?
2. Plan is to make a removable frame which will sit on top of an oil drum and the plate will sit on top of that, so replacing and transporting drum will be easy. As the plate will pretty much seal the top, I will need to add a load of air vents to allow the charcoal to burn. Any obvious pitfalls I am missing?
3. With the drum being sealed and less heat escaping, will the drum burn through in no time?
4. I assume mild steel will be fine, just need to flap wheel the millscale off and season it?
Anyone else built anything similar, just looking for ideas?