# Cheap, easy charcoal basket



## phrogs4ever (Apr 26, 2010)

OK, so I don't have a metal working shop in my garage so I had worked it out with a friend to cut some expanded metal for me to use as a charcoal basket. I went to the local Home Depot and they were out of the smaller size I was looking for. As I was wandering around filling the rest of my shopping list, I came across the gutter grates used to cover the drain end of gutters. It was a small piece of bendable metal grate that was almost perfectly sized for my basket. As a bonus, it has two clips on the bottom designed to attach to the gutter as a hinge, but works perfectly to secure the metal to the factory charcoal basket. I had to cut nothing, but I will trim it later so I can have a little access through the door. Total cost...$1.96.

These pictures were incidental to a smoke I just did, but you get the idea.


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## jjjonz (Apr 26, 2010)

Thats funny,Friday I was in HD and ran across the same thing.I have done one cook on my Fat Boy and it works great.I had some no. 12 bare copper wire and tied it to my charcoal basket.I also bent the corners down,it makes adding charcoal easier.
I love your door gaskets.What is that?
I don't know if you have been to the Char-broil double chef forum or not,but there are some good mods there.

Good post..JJ


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## fishwrestler (Apr 26, 2010)

Those things are making the rounds here . I just picked one up and cut it up to make the grate in my cold smoke generator.


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## ecto1 (Jan 20, 2011)

If it is for a gutter i bet it is galvanized.


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## beer-b-q (Jan 20, 2011)

And if it is galvanized you don't want to use it.. It will make you sick...


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## shoneyboy (Jan 20, 2011)

From what I can see of it and know from dealing with gutters.....It's Galvanized and you don't want that around your food!!! Better safe than sorry !!!


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## rbranstner (Jan 20, 2011)

I was going to ask the same thing as these guys. Is it galvanized?????


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## pit 4 brains (Jan 20, 2011)

That's gotta smell awfull the first time you light them coals and it get it hot. Unfortunately I doubt if that would survive a hot enough burn out to get it off.

I would suggest you find some carbon steel expanded and make a good basket. You don't need a fab shop in your garage to make a good one, but you need the right materials..


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## texbiff (Jan 26, 2015)

I saw the gutter metal this weekend and almost bought it to do the same. Can you use the high temp paint on it to help protect it? Any health issues?


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