by Laredo » Wed May 09, 2007 7:48 pm
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Those bbq grill vent covers can be cobbled up out of a couple of empty drink cans.
First, empty a couple cans (Arizona Tea is my favorite because you get a LOT of aluminium, but Heineken cans have a nice 'keg' shape and pepsi cans are the favorite for making your own stove because they have a burner ring cast in at the factory).
Now, take a can opener and cut out the end that had the pop top in it. Rinse and dry the can.
Slip it over a rolled up mail order catalog and score the closed end about 1/8'' up from the bottom "ring" with a utility knife (or cut both ends out with a can opener) -- make 2 or 3 passes against the blade, carefully, and you'll have a straight edge. Take a ruler and draw a straight line down the outside of the can with a Sharpie marker. Slip the can off the catalog and cut down the line with tin snips (not your mom's good sewing scissors). Edges are sharp so be careful; lay the can flat on a counter, shiny side up, and put a mayo lid or 11-oz coffee can lid (choose to fit the holes in your grill) on it. Draw around this with the Sharpie, then carefully cut it out with the snips. Repeat with 2nd can. (IF you want it to look commercial, use an SOS pad or some fine sandpaper and take the paint off the cans at this point.)
Go outside and look at the grill lid and count the holes in it. Come back inside. For every hole in the grill outside, draw a right triangle on one of your aluminum circles (draw all the triangles on the same circle). Using a pin vise or church key to create a starter hole, carefully open the triangles on two sides and bend them upwards to 90 degrees' elevation. (I use the needle nose pliers and sawtooth bit on a Leatherman for this, but YMMV.) FILE all EDGES SMOOTH.
Center the disc with openings on the one without, and fasten together with a bolt (I'd use about a 1'' to a 1 1/4'' for this but again YMMV) with the head underneath and a wingnut on top. Do not make this fastening so tight you can't turn the upper disc. Draw the triangles from the upper disc on the lower disk; unbolt, and cut out the triangles from the lower disk. Remove about 3/4 of the area, leaving extra in the spaces between triangles. Sand edges smooth.
Go back out to the grill and push the bolt up from underneath. Lay the flat circle on top of the holes in the grill and the circle with the triangles in it on top of that. Adjust the openings for the amount of ventilation wanted, and tighten wingnut to hold in place.
All done.
Cost?
Um ... the bolt and wingnut run about 59 cents if you don't already have 'em laying around...
those of you who have built pepsi-can or hobo stoves for hiking (or Scoutcraft) will already know how to do this. If you've ever seen the "wing stove" for Esbit tablets, you're basically building the "negative" of a wing stove.
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Ira, those ribs look yummy ...
Mopar's what my busted knuckles bleed, working on my 318s...