See, now that wouldn't bother me at all if it was necessary. I look at it the same way as the only way to get burner tubes for that grill is to get cut down and rewelded ones from another grill. As long as I can keep the overall look and function the same as the original, I consider such modifications more than acceptable.
I would love to see that.
I don't know when I'll get around to it but I have everything I need to make it happen. I'll document the process also.
I would definitely like to see how you crimp the ends like the factory ones are. I would think you would need a metal brake, but maybe you know another way to do it?
I think I can achieve it with my 80 lb vise and maybe for added security I could put a little dab of high heat JB weld in before crimping. I also need to set a vise grip just up from the crimp in the opposite direction to keep the tube from collapsing if that makes sense. So that the burner tube does not taper all the way to the crimp. More of a sudden stop of the full tube and then crimp.
I know what you're talking about, being pretty familiar with the shape at the end of the tube. They may even insert something inside the tube to keep it from collapsing during that crimping process.
Good idea! That's definitely something to consider. I'm still brainstorming
Well, now you have me thinking of ways it could be done too.
And that's why I like talking to you about these things!
Yeah, me too. I love thinking of ways to keep our old grills going! The biggest thing is to come up with something that's easily repeatable. You want them to look factory, and more importantly, work like factory.
Absolutely
It probably would as long as you had it so it could be pulled back out when you were done crimping.
You would have to drill a hole in the side after crimping for the crossover tube and you could get everything out through that hole I think.
You could probably break it up enough that way to get it back out the open end of the tube.
What about a hardwood dowel as a plug to hold the shape and then you torch it down to ash to get it out after the crimp? That and an added cross over access hole might work.