# Charcoal basket



## danny

I wanted to make a charcoal basket and while at lowes ran across a 9"x13" chimney cap. I bought it and cut the bottom out since i have a grate and ash drawer in my offset box. It is black galvanized steel. I just read online that galvanized steel could produce toxic fumes. Is that true? Thankfully I haven't cooked with it yet if it is a problem. I did do a test burn with it to season it. It worked very well by the way.  Any feedback would be appreciated.


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## tjohnson

Danny,

Do a search for "Galvanized" and you'll see lots of posts.

Not a good idea to use galvanized metal around food.  Zinc may be good for you in a vitamin, but not as a gas!

There are a few good threads on making a charcoal basket from expanded metal.

Todd


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## lugnutz

black galvanized??? usually chimney stuff is either black or galvanized. if indeed galvanized it can be burnt off with hi temps like a torch, but I'd still be leary of it.  if it were an ash pan where it won't get excessively hot I wouldn't be too worried but the basket will get mighty hot.

Ok just went to lowes.com...and by golly it does say black galvanized...maybe you could try the SS version? kinda pricey tho.

not sure why the link is this big but maybe this would work for ya instead???

http://www.lowes.com/pd_53648-10065-CG3BLK_0_?productId=1092129&Ntt=chimney cap&Ntk=i_products&pl=1¤tURL=/pl__0__s?firstReferURL=http://www.lowes.com/SearchCatalogDisplay?storeId=10151$langId=-1$catalogId=10051$N=0$newSearch=true$Ntt=chimney%2Bcap$x=18$y=7$newSearch=true$zipCode=64062$Ntt=chimney cap$URL=StoreLocatorDisplayView$selectedLocalStoreBeanArray=[[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]]$y=7$x=18


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## cody27

from welding experience id recommend staying away from galvanized for cooking, i know if your welding galvanized your supposed to have a mask with supplied air or you can become very sick from the fumes it puts off, and ive had one buddy make the mistake of welding it without a mask and inhaled fumes and wound up having to go to the hospital he was so sick from it. So just to be safe i would say find another basket cause last thing ya wanna do is make your friends and family sick


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## pandemonium

cody27 said:


> from welding experience id recommend staying away from galvanized for cooking, i know if your welding galvanized your supposed to have a mask with supplied air or you can become very sick from the fumes it puts off, and ive had one buddy make the mistake of welding it without a mask and inhaled fumes and wound up having to go to the hospital he was so sick from it. So just to be safe i would say find another basket cause last thing ya wanna do is make your friends and family sick


Thanks for the info!! I am new to welding and would have never known that.


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## cody27

no prob, but if you do come across galvanized that needs welding make sure you grind off the coating really good and then you can weld it but i generally try to just stay away from galvanized if im welding


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## tom37

Hey pan, if ya get a moment google ( metal fume fever ). Pretty wild stuff. It sure is pretty when it burns tho.

Most all the pipe on my trailer frame is hot dip gal. No ill affects welding it, no respirator, just make sure you are outdoors and stay perched where the wind blows the smoke away from you. Be careful, sometimes the smoke likes to get right up there in your hood and you may not realize it. You actually want to keep upwind from all welding smoke. It makes it tough to see when it gets all caked up on the lens.

My 2 cents about a cheep basket would be to look around ( maybe a concrete company ) and find a metal 5 gallon bucket. Probably free! Spend 10 bucks at home depot on a bi metal 1" hole saw with arbor. I am pretty sure a little over half a bucket would burn 10 plus hours. If you plan to make more or think you have a use for it, buy a brute hole saw. About 35 bucks and it will drill 10 times the holes as a regular bi metal bit.

BTW this is what I will do on my next UDS since the expanded is getting so high priced.

Pan?

You are new to welding, have you experienced the BSS yet?

(Black Snot Syndrome)


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## smokinthesmc

I saw those chimmney vent caps and thought the same thing, but the metal was very thin for my liking, so I passed. But I went to another large hardware chain called Sutherlands ( spelling ) but anyway they sell a 1' x 3' x 1/2" for just under $10 Thats 1x3 pc with 1/2 " size holes. I am planning on making a 12" x 12" base with 6" or 8" walls and something to grab it by. I'll post pics. when I get someone to weld it for me. Weld is not in my forte just yet. But do a little looking around someone / weld shop may have some pcs you could buy as scrap.

Hope that helps!


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## pandemonium

Tom yes i have had the black boogers haha you are not kidding about that!! I will check that metal fume fever out too, i did breath alot of smoke in yesterday welding the expanded metal to the angle iron but none is galvanized but it cant be good for you. i have a fan blowing hard on me but not then i guess because i remember the smoke coming up under my hood, maybe thats why the slight headaches today. oh god i got the fever!! thanks for the info again.


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## smoking gun

These type work great and it has lasted thru a LOT of lump and oak splits....

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/fo...ab-a-charcoal-basket-for-your-snp#post_281483


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