How do you mount a Charcoal basket in CG SnP?

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mnola917

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Feb 3, 2009
132
10
Long Island
I plan on bending up a charcoal basket out of expanded metal.  I have no issues on the construction method of the basket, my question is how do you guys mount the basket into the SFB in an easy to use place?  I want to be able to pull the ash pan without disturbing the coals at any point, yet I also want to be able to add charcoal without any difficulty.  I was considering welding two pieces of steel angle inside the SFB, just above the guide rails (that guide the ash pan into place).  However, I'd rather find another solution that doesn't involve welding.  

Any suggestions?  Thanks in advance for your responses.
 
I bolted in some angle iron and sat a grate on it. Basket sits on top of that. Gets good airflow and I can remove ashes without disturbing the basket.

8227ea0d_IMAG0166.jpg
 
Thanks! That's what I was looking for. Any issues with the holes you drilled into the sfb?
 
My charcoal basket sits comfortably on top of the guide rails for the ash pan.  No welding needed.  Just make the basket the right width and she will sit right there.  Mine is 6" high x 12" wide x 12" long.
 
I do not, the basket sits about 3" above the ash pan, so if I had to I could pull and dump the pan during a long smoke.  During a 6-8 hour smoke, I have yet to experience any air flow issues. 
 
You can also use 3 inch bolts in the upper corners and hang the basket off of existing rails that the grill surface usually sits on. Mental picture is:

Head of bolt - washer - metal of basket - washer - nut (repeat for each corner). Head of the bolt would be inside the basket with the extra length of the bolt sticking out of the side providing a rod to hang the basket off of.
 
I made the basket about half an inch smaller than the opening of the grate rails... I welded one inch long pieces of 1x1 angle (4) to the basket towards each corner... somewhere near the middle of top to bottom... now when basket is put into firebox, the pieces of angle sit on the grate rail holding basket up... the basket then sits above the ash pan allowing removal of ash pan without interfering with the basket... I also put a piece of the expanded metal across the center of the basket standing on edge as a divider... I fill one side with non-lite charcoal and the other half is where I dump the lite charcoal from my chimney... It will catch the non-lite on fire threw the EM (minion method)... of coarse wood chunks are implanted all through the charcoal....

Hope this made sense...
 
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