Homemade leg for the grill

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Hey everybody! I am 13, I enjoy a good steak, or any other type of BBQ. We moved to another house and, during the move, we lost one of the legs to our charcoal grill! I did not want to have a steak-less summer, so I took matters into my own hands. I asked my dad what we were gonna do to fix it. He said that we will probably buy a cheap piece of conduit to match the rest of the legs. I then asked, "What if I can build something here at the house for free? It won't be pretty, but I will make sure it last longer than the rest of the grill". He said that was fine with him. That was all I needed to hear. the house we got has almost 10 acres for our horses to graze, so we built a fence, but had about 3 '6-foot T-post left over, but 1 was bent at the and that goes into the ground, so it was useless. I took it into our workshop along with the grill. I measured the length of the other legs, cut the post to that size, and felt I was done. I then tried putting it on, but it wouldn't fit in the stupid hole!!! So I took it back in the shop, pulled out the angle grinder, and started notching the end. I went to test its fit. Still to big! After about the 3rd or 4th time I notched it and tested it, it fit! I picked up the grill, and it falls out So I started to look in my Junk bin (3 Folgers coffee cans and an old 2-gallon bucket), and I found a 3/8 in. bolt and nut in the "Bin". so I got the T-post/leg, and put a 3/8 in. hole in it with the drill press. Then, i used the hand held power drill to put a hole in the piece of metal tube that holds the leg, but I kept walking the bit because the medal was round, slick, and powdercoated black and smooth. So, then I tried using a pointy punch and a good hammer to put a pit in the metal to hold the bit in place, but it kept slipping off. Finally, I got out the angle grinder again and put an X in the part I was drilling. As soon as I put the drill bit to the X, it drilled straight through! I put the bolt through the leg and the holder thingamajig, and, a perfect fit!! I got out my socket set and a pair of vice-grips, and tightened down the bolt. Finally!! Done!! I brought it up to the house. He loved it!! It was ugly as homemade soap, but he loved it!!  Thanks for reading! P.S. I will try to get pics soon!
Reply:Damn, Don't get between this kid and his steak. Good job. Fuction before form is always good in my oppinion.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:Originally Posted by ThorsHammerDamn, Don't get between this kid and his steak. Good job. Fuction before form is always good in my oppinion.
Reply:over built has it's flaws too.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:May I ask what those are?
Reply:Great job, I love to see things reused for other purposes. Make an item useful for multitasking.
Reply:Good for you! Always good to hear about youngsters who are learning to work with their hands rather than sitting in front of the TV playing video games. Keep at it and your skills will improve. You'll find lots of BBQ projects here to look at and think about building as well as lots of ranch projects that can help with your basic fab skills.Basic lessons like this will last your life time, and you'll be grateful for learning this stuff in years to come..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I am very greatfull already that my dad has taught me about trucks and fabrication. I was taught all my life to improvise and use what you have. Thank you all for the comments. Anyone else?
Reply:Originally Posted by 1955_Chevy_6400May I ask what those are?
Reply:Hi, sounds neat, got picture?? Well,  that leg must weigh more than grill and should hold it down in storm.You must really like those little  smilies I see. I would like to see picture of  grandpa's 1955  6400 truck. What make is that ??
Reply:Sorry for the delayed response.Over building adds excess expense, weight, and work. For example, if you over build a trailer. you reduce the payload. If you over build a BBQ you end up wasting fuel if you just want to make a couple burgers, and not feed the entire city. If you over build a deck you waste time adding extra materials, and Money in the cost of extra materials. There is a point in building something beyond it's original purpose. It creates longevity. But you can go above and beyond reason when it comes to over building. Why would you build a semi trailer to haul quads? it's beyond a useful purpose.Bistineau,using a lift that can raise 2-3 times the load it is going to is done to increase the life of the lift. When you max out the rated load of a lift you reduce it's life. It also increases the safety factor of the build.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:Young Man keep on doing your thing.....You should be proud that you have the common sense to figure things out.....As the projects get larger and more complicated, you will figure out what to do because of hard work, try, and determination!!! Keep it up!Don't Worry About the MuleLoad the Wagon!Lincoln 305GUnion Carbide TorchDon't Worry About the Mule~Load the Wagon!
Reply:Originally Posted by ThorsHammerSorry for the delayed response.Over building adds excess expense, weight, and work. For example, if you over build a trailer. you reduce the payload. If you over build a BBQ you end up wasting fuel if you just want to make a couple burgers, and not feed the entire city. If you over build a deck you waste time adding extra materials, and Money in the cost of extra materials. There is a point in building something beyond it's original purpose. It creates longevity. But you can go above and beyond reason when it comes to over building. Why would you build a semi trailer to haul quads? it's beyond a useful purpose.Bistineau,using a lift that can raise 2-3 times the load it is going to is done to increase the life of the lift. When you max out the rated load of a lift you reduce it's life. It also increases the safety factor of the build.
Reply:Bistineau,I think what you're talking about is more of a built right, as opposed to a built good enough. For example, most mass manufactured utility trailers today are built good enough. But You'd be hard pressed to find someone with knowledge to tell you that they are built right. It's like going salmon fishing in a river, you've got three choices for rods, a collapsable (telescopic) 6' back packing rod with a flippable grip. a 9' two piece graphite rod, or a 12' surf fishing pole. Which are you going to choose? You'd be able to use all three. but only 1 is built right for the job.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:As for the delay, I'm trying hard to spend less time on the computer or couch, your "prodding" did not change the speed of my response.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:Originally Posted by BD1Hi, sounds neat, got picture?? Well,  that leg must weigh more than grill and should hold it down in storm.You must really like those little  smilies I see. I would like to see picture of  grandpa's 1955  6400 truck. What make is that ??
Reply:No new replies?
Reply:Tends to happen when you change the subject of the post mid thread.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:"Service Life". Every thread has one, some reach the end of their service life expectancy earlier or later than others. We thrive on pictures, if you want to start a new thread, you may want to add a picture of something you are not too shy about sharing. Happy BBQ'ing this summer!  Attached ImagesCity of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:That does happen!