I call it the 20/20 Charcoal basket...

[eagletrl57]

Great tutorial and plans!  I just started a rebuild on a New Braunfels Hondo and will definitely add this to my list.

Will post pics thru the process.

 

[fastback]

Great tutorial -

I built one up for my OK Joe's Highland smoker & it dropped right in 

 

[titans2win]

This is an amazing tutorial. I went to HD and bought the sheet of expanded metal. Will let you know how it turns out.

 

[titans2win]

I just finished building this basket and it was a cinch. Not sure how long it took me in minutes but I was done in three Corona time (TCT). I am adding a couple pics to show the improvisation used to construct the basket.

My grill, Oklahoma Joe "Highland", came with a coal grate for the smoke box. I used it as the straight edge to bend the metal as I didn't have any sturdy material handy; such as a 2X4.

 

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• titans2win
• May 12, 2015

After bending 3 of the four sides using the grate, I stood inside of the basket (size 10.5 house shoes, to bend the fourth side). 

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• titans2win
• May 12, 2015

After the final bend my basket looked like this.

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• titans2win
• May 12, 2015

I bent the tabs in according to eaglewing's instruction and ended up with this magnificent basket.

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• titans2win
• May 12, 2015

 

[valleypoboy]

I did mine very similar. I cut off the overlap though and have NOTHING holding the sides together, they're just bent into form. Several cooks now and it's still holding it's shape.

 

[cs319]

Thanks for the information! I'm going to have to try this.

 

[sky1926]

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• sky1926
• Jul 15, 2015

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• sky1926
• Jul 15, 2015

Took a little longer than 20 minutes but I think I got it...hard to beat this for less than $25 and some sweat

 

[okiedave]

It'd raise the cost a bit, but if you used stainless expanded metal instead of mild, it'd stand up to the heat better.

 

[burmser]

Great tutorial. I made mine today!

I almost spent $50 for one to be made. This was so much easier and cheaper.

Thanks

Wes

 

[matuz]

I followed the directions and bought my expanded metal at home depot for $20. It was the 9 gauge 3/4". In 20 minutes I haf a basket for my Chargriller 5050 Duo SFB. It fit snuggly. It also sat in the rails above the ash pan, so I was able to pull the ash pan out with very little trouble. I was able to go 6 hours with a fullnload of kingsford and wood chunks thrown on periodically. Great Investment!! I am going to make a second one for those 12 hr smokes. Pull one out and add the other already partially lit. Thank you!

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• matuz
• Mar 21, 2016

 

[smelt240]

 
It'd raise the cost a bit, but if you used stainless expanded metal instead of mild, it'd stand up to the heat better.

I was just going to suggest that.  If you live near a few fellow smokers, a 4x8 sheet is much more reasonable to go in on $$$ wise than the smaller cuts.  Any good metal yard has or can get SS expanded. There is a few online sellers that will cut it to your specs as well.

 

[number41]

Thanks.  just made one of these for my new Char Broil offset smoker.  It was a gift for fathers day so I'm not complaining.  

Anyway, I went with your measurements and made a cardboard mock up.  It fit fine.  When bending the expanding metal, I was a tiny bit wide.  So, i had to put some clamps on it and kinda manipulate it.  Still looks decent but it a small amount bowl shaped.  Will use of this in the smoker cause it to expand?  If so, it'll be tight getting it out.  

Also, do most folks use these on top of the charcoal grate or do you remove the grate?

 

[bonedadddy]

Great Tutorial!!! I will say, you learn a ton just building one of these...The next one is for the Smoker, so it will look a bit more polished!

Going to give the old grill a bit more life by ripping out the guts and adding this basket! 

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• bonedadddy
• Jul 3, 2016

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• bonedadddy
• Jul 3, 2016

 

[bustert]

This 20 20 box post is awesome, creative and very illustrative!

My Lowes' grilling basket finally wore through after several years and I was rigging the bottom with different pieces of scrap metal until I saw this post.

HD workers were clueless when I asked for expanded metal so I turned to store app. It was in the aisle with fasteners, screws, etc. Small little metal display.

Followed the directions to the T. Amazing how the curved tabs fit right into the side panels. Took about 40 minutes all-in to create the box and install. I clamped a straight edge to fold up the first two sides, however that was too long to use when folding up the last two sides and found a 12" x 12" ceramic floor tile very useful when bending up last 2 sides (and as posted above, I suggest standing in the box on top of the tile when you do this!).

I hung the box in my Chargriller Pro SFB with the same 2 stainless rods that I used to hold my Lowes' basket. They are inserted in the provided holes on the front and back of the SFB.

The box fits perfectly. 12 x 12 x 6 appears to be plenty big enough, with no need to make it any wider and install thru side opening as others have posted.

Can't wait to try it out. Seems very durable, much more so than the Lowes' basket that lasted me several years based on my smoker use. Love the fact no bolts or ties were needed.

Thanks again!

 

[ozsmoker]

Made this the other day, thank you for the detailed instructions

One thing I would say is that you need a decent pair of snips. Stuff I got from harbor freight makes the process almost impossible and extremely difficult at best

This is an awesome mod and I'm very happy I found this thread, so thanks again!

 

[short smoke]

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• short smoke
• Mar 17, 2017

I just made one thanks to your great directions eaglewing. Thanks. Made mine 10x12 to fit in the sfb but still went together the same.

 

[mrmarblz]

I made this basket and it turned out great.  However, I could not get up to temp with this the first/only time I tried it.  I needed to dump the coals out of the basket into the firebox because the grill wouldn't reach much above 200 degrees fahrenheit, but mostly sat between the range of 160 to 190 degrees (using a digital thermometer at grating level).  The weather outside was a little cool, the high was in the low 60's (fahrenheit) and there was decent winds (I wouldn't say strong, but decent gusts).  I have a   Char-Griller Smokin' Champ Charcoal Grill Horizontal Smoker  (cheap offset smoker), but I have a lot  or mods to it.  You can see what I've done on my roll call post here.

Now before you say it was too cold outside I will say that I have smoked in colder weather and when I first seasoned the grill and keep target temps (it was much colder outside then).

I made this basket because of the issue where I have trouble keeping my grill up to temp after 3.5-4 hours of smoking, described on my post here.

Any suggestions?  I love the idea of this basket and how it physically turned out and fits into my firebox.  But I was disappointed in the results, to say the least.

 

[short smoke]

I use lump charcoal in my cheap offset smoker, which is similar to yours mrmarblz. And mine heats up to temperature pretty nicely. I also have many mods to mine as well. That may help you if you are not using lump charcoal

 

[gr0uch0]

 
I made this basket and it turned out great.  However, I could not get up to temp with this the first/only time I tried it.  I needed to dump the coals out of the basket into the firebox because the grill wouldn't reach much above 200 degrees fahrenheit, but mostly sat between the range of 160 to 190 degrees (using a digital thermometer at grating level).  The weather outside was a little cool, the high was in the low 60's (fahrenheit) and there was decent winds (I wouldn't say strong, but decent gusts).  I have a   Char-Griller Smokin' Champ Charcoal Grill Horizontal Smoker  (cheap offset smoker), but I have a lot  or mods to it.  You can see what I've done on my roll call post here.

Now before you say it was too cold outside I will say that I have smoked in colder weather and when I first seasoned the grill and keep target temps (it was much colder outside then).

I made this basket because of the issue where I have trouble keeping my grill up to temp after 3.5-4 hours of smoking, described on my post here.

Any suggestions?  I love the idea of this basket and how it physically turned out and fits into my firebox.  But I was disappointed in the results, to say the least.

Make sure that it's blocked up and off the bottom of the FB:  air needs to get under it for proper circulation and draft.  Often, ash buildup on the bottom is the culprit, and may need clearing from time to time.  3" nuts/bolts/washers on each corner can cure that issue pretty quickly.

 

[short smoke]

Make sure that it's blocked up and off the bottom of the FB:  air needs to get under it for proper circulation and draft.  Often, ash buildup on the bottom is the culprit, and may need clearing from time to time.  3" nuts/bolts/washers on each corner can cure that issue pretty quickly.

That is the problem I have been having with long smokes. Ash building up in the bottom of the basket and not falling through.