Need help with a second grate idea (no pun intended)


 
T

T Bounds

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Friends,

I'm working on an idea to add a second grate to my performer mainly because I need more room when I do chicken wings. My crowd eats a lot; I need about 50 and I can get thirty on an indirect cook. I'm guessing I can get at least 20 on a second grate.

What I'm considering is an elevated grate above my cast iron grate, using bolts attached to the second grate with washers, extending down a few inches and "standing" on the lower grate with more washers. Has anybody tried such a setup? What size grate did you use and where did you get it? Any help will be greatly (no pun again) appreciated!
 
Instead of bolts, use four empty beer cans ( reg or tall boys). Set your grate on top of those.

Same method will work with the WSM.
 
A smokey joe grate will work fine and you can mount it on a balanced triangle of 3 bolts to give you more access
to whats under it.
 
I like Len's idea of the beer cans (or soup cans if you're a baptist:D).... You could just go to HD or lowes and buy a replacement grate. And set it right on there....then when you're done you chuck the cans and your grill is back to normal.
That rack that dwain showed is cool also. I can see that being a useful tool. Good ideas , men!
 
Thanks for the ideas, friends! And as it happens, I'm not just Baptist...I'm a Baptist minister! But that matters not to me, because I believe God has so many more things to think about than what you or I drink, to moderation, of course. It's spelled H-E-R-E-T-I-C.

On to the point, I like the flexibility of the cans idea, but I pack the grate with wings when I do them, that's why I'm leaning to the bolts idea. I might try an 18" grate just to see if it will fit. I'll let you know how it works.
 
I needed to cook 4 racks of ribs on my kettle before I got my WSM. I went to Ace Hardware and bought 4-4" stainless steel carage bolts, washers, and nuts. I think it cost close to $20 for them. It worked good and tonight I put wings on the bottom rack and corn on the top, here's a pik.

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When the wings were close to done I lifted the top rack off, put the wings on direct to crisp them up, then put the corn on direct to blacken it a little. This top rack works great.

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I have one of these. It comes in very handy when extra space is needed for wings, ABTs, etc. I've also used it in my 18.5" WSM once when I was doing ribs and meatloaf. I had the meatloaf on the bottom rack. Then ribs above on this grate and the top grate.
 
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Levi,

What is that second rack? That looks like what I'm thinking, to maximize the space of the second rack. I was thinking a regular 18 inch kettle grate elevated 3 to 4 inches above the cast iron grates with bolts, as you do. Is your rack another 22 inch rack? Can you still put the lid down? Thanks for any and all help, friends!
 
T Bounds said:
Levi,

What is that second rack? That looks like what I'm thinking, to maximize the space of the second rack. I was thinking a regular 18 inch kettle grate elevated 3 to 4 inches above the cast iron grates with bolts, as you do. Is your rack another 22 inch rack? Can you still put the lid down? Thanks for any and all help, friends!
Click to expand...

Here is an 18" rack above using three legs
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Actually after posting, I looked at the grill and I think the lid hits the handles on the top rack instead of the bolts as they stick up higher than the bolts. It just barely hits if it is not centered exactly. No problem though all I have to do is adjust the nuts on the top rack a little bit lower, as I don't want to cut the handles off.

You will need 4 Stainless Steel bolts, 8 Stainless Steel Nuts, and 8 Stainless Steel Washers.Yes it is a 22 inch grate. I bought a new hinged 22 inch grate I use on the bottom and the top rack is the old non hinged grate that came with the OTS. The Stainless Steel bolts I bought are 4" but 3 1/2" would work. I set the top rack on and if it is not exactly centered it hits the lid a little but I just center it up and it fits perfect. I will eventually cut the bolts shorter, but have not had time. With the top rack sitting on the lower rack there is 2 3/4" between the grates.
T Bounds said:
Levi,

What is that second rack? That looks like what I'm thinking, to maximize the space of the second rack. I was thinking a regular 18 inch kettle grate elevated 3 to 4 inches above the cast iron grates with bolts, as you do. Is your rack another 22 inch rack? Can you still put the lid down? Thanks for any and all help, friends!
Click to expand...
 
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Some really cool ideas out there!
When I do a mess of wings or a bunch of spares I use what I have, a set of Weber charcoal rails and a second OTG grate.
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Tim
 
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