When I purchased my SUV, I discovered that there was a “dead” spare tire in the trunk (they forgot to tell me about it before purchasing). I didn’t know what to do with it, and left it lying in the trunk, until one day an interesting idea came to my mind - to make a barbecue out of it. I didn't know how to weld metal, so I had to get creative and make sure that any components used for the build could withstand the heat (i.e. no nickel or galvanized plating).
Here is a list of tools and materials that I personally used, but this project can easily be adapted to suit individual preferences. The base can be made from a wooden pallet or other lumber, and if you have no desire to make it at all, then the grill can be filled with concrete, and the height can be adjusted using a piece of pipe of the required length. In general, there are many options.
Tools:
- Sander.
- Miter saw.
- Electric drill.
- Planer (optional).
Material:
- Wheel rim
- High temperature paint – 2 cans
- Bars 100x100x2500mm
- M16 bolts – 4 pieces
- Set screw for wood M12 – 4 pieces
- Steel pipe diameter 48 mm – 450 mm long
- Threaded rods M12 – 2 pieces
- Grill grate (various sizes) – 1 or 2 pieces
- Wheels – 4 pieces
The hardest part of the job
Without a doubt, this is the most unpleasant part of the job - removing the rubber from the rim. After watching a few videos and trying to do everything according to theory, I ended up just taking an electric hacksaw, cutting the bead of the tire, and then somehow removing it using a pin and a long screwdriver.
After freeing the wheel from the rubber, I took it to a local sandblaster, where they allowed me to process it myself. It took about 11 minutes in time and cost less than 600 rubles (800 rubles if the work is done by a master).
Details and painting
I purchased all the necessary components from a local hardware store. I bought the pipe and cut it there. The pipe flange, which will be installed on a wooden base, will not need to be modified, since here we will use set screws of the required diameter. But the flange that will attach the disk to the pipe should have holes of a slightly larger diameter (they will have to be drilled) so that bolts with a wider head will fit into it.
Next comes painting. Personally, I used a special high-temperature paint, Rustoleum High Heat. Application of the coating follows the same principle as with any other spray paint. I painted all the parts in two layers. I wrapped paper around the wheel bearings before painting to prevent them from getting clogged with enamel.
Preparing the foundation
The disk itself is quite heavy, so the base should also be quite massive. I wanted to make it the same weight as the disk, but I needed to keep it compact, so I decided to use 100x100mm bars.I cut them with a saw so that the base ended up square.
I then drilled holes into the ends of the bars using a wood guide plate with pre-drilled slots. Ideally I would have liked to use a drill press so that the holes were exactly the same, but since I didn't have one, I used a regular drill. I then pushed threaded rods through the holes and then sanded the finished base.
Then I put gaskets on the threaded rods, screwed the washers on top and cut off all the excess with a grinder. After that I drilled (and sanded) holes for the set screws on the top and for the wheels on the bottom.
In the end, all that remains is to cover the base with impregnation and a layer of protective varnish.
Connecting the disk, pipe and base
To attach the pipe flange to the disk, I used bolts with a smooth head (as wide a diameter as possible). You need to make sure that the bolt heads touch the central rim of the disk. It may seem that this mount is quite weak, but once I tightened the nuts, it became clear that the design does not allow any play. I closed the hole in the pipe with a special sized plug to prevent ash from getting inside. I also treated the plug with high-temperature paint.
The pipe is screwed into the flange at one end, and into the base flange at the other. The base flange is secured with bolts and washers. I also covered them with paint.
Final chords
The grill turned out to be quite massive, so I decided to screw wheels on the bottom for more convenient movement of the structure.
I used the valve hole on the disk to attach the hook in it, and then attached a carabiner to it - you can hang various auxiliary tools on it (tongs, brush, spatula).
Finding gratings of the right size turned out to be problematic, but I searched the Internet and found the right options. One grate should be small enough to fit inside and hold the charcoal, and the other should be wide enough to fit on top and hold food. In principle, one grate may be enough, since the coal can be placed directly on the metal of the disk (only if it is stainless steel or regular steel, and not zinc or galvanized metal), but I thought that the coals could fall out through the holes at the bottom and damage the wooden base.
Conclusion
I liked both the functionality and the appearance of the resulting grill. As a person who has not yet learned how to weld metal (but would really like to), I strived to create a fairly reliable design using the tools at hand, and I think I succeeded. Also, if you remove the wheels and turn the grill upside down, you can get a pretty stylish table.
I hope you enjoyed my tutorial and find it useful!
Original article in English
